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Robotics plays a key role in optimizing palletizing operations at Eurosubstrat

Already engaged in a process automation strategy, Eurosubstrat is taking a new step forward by robotizing the palletizing of its production. Through the integration of a KUKA robotic cell, designed by Hubert Process, the company combines industrial performance, operator safety and quality control.

Improving palletizing reliability in a demanding agro-industrial environment

At Eurosubstrat, palletizing represents a strategic stage of the industrial process. At the end of the production line, it directly impacts material flow efficiency, operator safety and overall production quality. The product being handled is inherently living and variable, with substrate blocks showing differences in shape, density and handling behaviour.
In this demanding agro-industrial environment, palletizing operations created significant constraints. The physical strain on operators, noise levels, and the difficulty of maintaining a consistent output rate highlighted opportunities for process improvement. In addition, this internationally oriented SME needed to increase productivity without reducing organizational flexibility, while ensuring the long-term reliability of its processes.

In an international market with high costs, automation is essential to remain competitive and ensure quality.

Marie‑Laure Jarry, President of Eurosubstrat
Eurosubstrat therefore needed to rethink this stage with a more reliable and robust approach, capable of adapting to product variability while supporting the growth of its operations.
The objectives were clear: to secure the working area and improve operator working conditions, ensure reliable palletizing despite product-related constraints, significantly increase throughput, and implement a scalable solution aligned with the economic and industrial realities of an SME.
Substrate bags are difficult to standardize due to their varying dimensions. The integrator has been working on a solution to reduce these variations. 

Agricultural automation at Eurosubstrat: accessibility and performance

A new robotic solution designed for performance and scalability

To address its productivity and operational safety challenges, Eurosubstrat chose a new robotic palletizing cell, designed and integrated by Hubert Process, built around a KUKA KR QUANTEC PA robot. This solution is part of the company’s ongoing automation strategy, which has been implemented over many years to support its growth in a demanding international market.

The KUKA robot was selected for its robustness, precision and ability to operate in a demanding agro-industrial environment. The cell was specifically designed to adapt to the variability of the substrate blocks while ensuring consistent, reliable and safe palletizing operations. The objective was clear: to significantly increase throughput, improve operator working conditions and support future production ramp-ups without disrupting the existing organization.

Beyond pure performance, this new solution provides a long-term vision. It enables Eurosubstrat to secure its processes sustainably, increase the reliability of a key production stage and rely on scalable technology, fully aligned with the economic and industrial realities of an SME.

The new palletizing station exceeds the set goals and improves delivery performance.

The integrator’s role is to be agile and transform a customer challenge into a robust industrial solution.

Emmanuel Lutellier, Managing Director of Hubert Process
A retrofitted KUKA robot designed to replace an older generation and ensure sustainable, modern production.

A gradual automation journey built on a relationship of trust

Long before the installation of the new palletizing cell, Eurosubstrat had already embarked on its automation journey with KUKA through the retrofit of an existing industrial robot. This approach made it possible to modernize existing equipment, extend its service life and improve its performance without immediately requiring a major investment. For the company, this project above all confirmed the reliability of KUKA solutions and the manufacturer’s ability to support its customers over the long term, even when equipment has already been in service for many years.
As Marie-Laure Jarry points out: “Even with an SME budget, you never feel less important. KUKA adapts and provides support at every stage.”
An older generation of robots still in operation at low production rates, which meets the needs of small and medium-sized businesses.

Beyond the technology itself, this first experience helped build a genuine relationship of trust between Eurosubstrat, KUKA and its integration partners. The close collaboration between the teams, the responsiveness of the support services and the ability to provide solutions tailored to real operational constraints played a decisive role in the company’s automation choices.
Today, the site combines retrofitted robots with state-of-the-art equipment. This progressive approach enables Eurosubstrat to optimize its investments while relying on a partner capable of evolving its installations over the long term. This philosophy is summed up by a strong conviction within the company: the value of a robotic solution is measured not only by its performance, but also by the quality of the support that surrounds it.

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