Endoline Automation has successfully automated the packing operation of the historic family-owned company, Walkers Nonsuch, overcoming significant architectural challenges within the traditional English toffee maker’s 100-year-old factory setting and significantly reducing packing time.
Seeking to modernise its manually intensive packing operation, Walkers Nonsuch, which produces over 1.2 million toffees daily, turned to Endoline Automation to address its needs. With products being shipped to major UK retailers and wholesalers, and exported to over 45 countries worldwide, efficiency is essential to the toffee maker’s operations.
Responding to Walkers Nonsuch’s requirements for an automated solution, Endoline Automation designed and built two of its 221 Fully Automatic Case Erectors in two separate halves. This inventive design addressed the unique access limitations of the factory, allowing for the equipment to be reassembled and installed within the confined spaces of the century-old building.
The capability also showcased Endoline’s commitment to delivering bespoke engineering solutions tailored to its clients’ needs and facilities, regardless of operational complexities or historical architecture.
Delivered via a loading bay, with a very small aperture and difficult access, at Walkers Nonsuch’s Stoke-On-Trent premises, the systems were then put together and integrated into the packing operation by Endoline’s engineers.
One case erector now feeds formed, retail ready cases to the packing line, which features a recently installed multi-head weigher and bagger. The second case erector is used for forming extra-protective outer cases intended for exports and wholesalers to ensure the products arrive in optimal condition.
Endoline Automation designed and delivered its systems in sections to overcome challenges to entry.
Further streamlining the production line, in addition to the two case erectors, Endoline installed custom-designed conveyor equipment and its 613 Fully Automatic Case Sealer.
Formed cases are seamlessly fed, via an infeed conveyor, to a custom-designed, ergonomic packing station, where four manual workers pack each case with the required product amount. They then place the filled cases onto a second conveyor, running below the infeed conveyor, which transports the cases to a labeller, and the Endoline case sealer before being palletised for distribution.
Since the installation of the line, Walkers Nonsuch has witnessed a dramatic improvement in efficiency, with the toffee giant subsequently reporting a reduction in the time to pack upward of 75 tonnes of toffee products a week by a remarkable 25%.
The automation process has also allowed for the redeployment of the manual workforce to other value-adding roles within the company.
“The automation solution provided by Endoline Automation is nothing short of revolutionary for our longstanding business,” comments Jonathan Rae, Operations Manager for Walkers Nonsuch.
“Their ability to understand and adapt to the constraints of our traditional factory is a true testament to their engineering excellence and dedication to customer satisfaction. While making our packing operation considerably more efficient, we now have the capability to grow the business further.”
