Case Study: Wraparound Case Packer for Virginia Artesian’s Aluminum Water Bottles

As beverage brands continue looking for ways to reduce packaging material and move away from plastic, secondary packaging plays a bigger role in the sustainability conversation. For Virginia Artesian, Polypack built a custom WR-I Wraparound case former and filler designed to package aluminum water bottles in a streamlined, material-conscious format. The project brought together automation, corrugate efficiency, and a package style that supports a stronger environmental story.

The Challenge

Virginia Artesian needed a case packing solution for aluminum water bottles that would support efficient line operation while aligning with a more sustainable packaging approach. That meant looking beyond the primary container alone. While aluminum bottles already help reduce reliance on plastic, the secondary package matters too. A traditional case style can use more corrugate than necessary, adding cost and material. A wraparound design offers a tighter, more efficient way to form the case around the product.

The Solution

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omdwxv3rLdk

Polypack supplied a Wraparound WR-I case former and filler engineered to collate, stage, transfer, and form corrugated packaging around Virginia Artesian’s bottle configuration. The system includes an infeed conveyor, diverter, lane guide conveyor, staging conveyors, staging mechanism with clamp and gate, transfer pusher, cardboard conveyor with picker arm, lug conveyor, back flap glue gun, top box former, glue dispensing system, discharge conveyor, product guide, and electrical enclosure.

In the current configuration, the system is forming trays, while box capability is built in for future products. That gives Virginia Artesian flexibility as packaging needs evolve. The top box former is used for boxed bundles in future applications and is disabled when the machine is running tray configurations.

How the Machine Works

The process begins as aluminum water bottles enter the machine on the infeed conveyor and are directed into lanes for controlled product flow. From there, the bottles move onto the staging conveyors, where Polypack’s clamp-and-gate staging mechanism organizes the products into the correct rows. The clamp holds incoming product, then releases it to the staging gate, which lifts and releases rows onto the second staging conveyor in preparation for transfer.

Once staged, the transfer pusher moves the grouped bottles onto corrugated blanks positioned on the lug conveyor. Those blanks are fed by the cardboard conveyor, where they are stacked and kept in position for the picker arm. Using suction cups, the picker arm lifts each blank and places it onto the lug conveyor, where it awaits product loading. The lug conveyor then advances the loaded blank through the tray-forming process. As the package moves through the machine, glue is applied to the corrugated flaps, and the finished bundles are transported to the discharge conveyor for delivery to downstream equipment.

The Result

With this Polypack Wraparound solution, Virginia Artesian gained a packaging system that supporting a format designed around reduced material use. The result is a machine that is not only functional but also a strong example of how smart secondary packaging design can reinforce a brand’s sustainability message.

Polypack builds custom wraparound case packing systems designed to improve line efficiency, reduce corrugate usage, and support modern packaging goals.

Contact Polypack today to learn how a Wraparound case former and filler can help your operation reduce material use and package more sustainably.

OBTER UMA COTAÇÃO