KUKA Robots in 74 sqm Boost Pet Food Pouch Handling Speed

Clevertech Hurricane: 5 KUKA Robots optimize Pet Food Handling in 74 sqm

How do you fit 5 elephants in a Fiat 500? In the robotic age, Clevertech did it with 5 KUKA robots in just 74 sqm! The Hurricane system enhances pouch handling in Pet Food production, boosting speed from 300 to 420 pouches/min and efficiency

Pet Food & Automation: Rising Demand for pouches and compact packaging solutions

The Pet Food industry is experiencing 6% annual growth over the next six years, driven by rising pet ownership and the increasing demand for smaller, single-serve pouches. These lightweight, monomaterial packages improve efficiency and comply with the EU’s 2026 monomaterial regulations.

As production volumes rise and package sizes shrink—from 200g to 50g packs—manufacturers face the challenge of achieving higher speeds, maximizing efficiency, and optimizing space in automated systems.

To meet these evolving needs, companies require smart automation solutions that combine high-speed pouch handling, efficient material flow, and compact layouts.

Clevertech, founded in 1987 in Italy, has built a strong reputation for delivering tailor-made end-of-line systems for industries such as Food & Beverage, Pet Food, Home & Personal Care.

With 500 employees and a €155,2M turnover in 2024 - with a 25% increase forecasted for 2025 - the company integrates advanced robotics and digital solutions to help businesses enhance performance, reduce footprint, and increase efficiency—essential in today’s fast-paced production environments.

Meeting Space & Efficiency Demands in High-Speed Pet Food Pouch Handling

Kormotech Group of Companies is a global family-owned company with Ukrainian roots, specializing in high-quality pet food for cats and dogs (founded in 2003).

Kormotech is among the world’s top 50 pet food producers; the firm needed a solution that could fit within a limited production space while ensuring high-speed pouch handling.

Their previous system struggled to reach 420 pouches per minute, handling only 300, and was ineffective in drying the pouches properly.

Compact Robotic Layout for High-Speed Pet Food Packaging — Compact Robotic Layout

Additionally, inconsistent product flow caused downtime at the end-of-line machine, reducing efficiency.

"The key requirement was to find robots capable of performing the required cycle while fitting within the available space," says Luca Carollo, Business Developer at Clevertech. "Our challenge was to .increase speed, improve drying efficiency, and ensure a continuous product flow The only way to achieve this within 74 sqm, with the required payload and cycle times, was KUKA robots."

Optimized Automation: Clevertech’s High-Performance Solution

To tackle space constraints and speed limitations, Clevertech developed for Kormotech a compact automation system featuring five KUKA robots within just 74 sqm.

This solution boosted production speed from 300 to 420 pouches per minute and efficiency from 80% to 98%.

The process begins with three large robots: a KR QUANTEC PA (180 kg payload) dedicated to handling metal trays, while two KR QUANTEC PA (140 kg payload) robots manage the pouches.

Smart Automation for Pet Food 420 Pouches per Minute — Dry and Sort Pet Food Pouches Efficiently

These robots use custom grippers to pick up, separate, and dry the pouches with blown-air technology.

Once dried, the pouches are transferred to a sorting area, where two KUKA AGILUS (10 kg payload) robots precisely align them for the case packer.
"One of the main challenges was designing a system that could handle such a high speed in such a small footprint," explains Luca Carollo,"With this solution, we not only achieved higher speeds but also optimized product flow and reduced inefficiencies."

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Advanced Drying & Precision Sorting: A Game-Changer in Pet Food Automation

One of the biggest improvements came from the custom gripper design, which widens the pouch spacing along both the X and Y axes.

This allows for better air circulation, ensuring effective and uniform drying before packaging.

Another key innovation,for the Kormotech solution, is the positive pouch handling system, which replaces traditional conveyor accumulation.

Instead, a KUKA KR 10 R1100-2 robot carefully aligns pouches in single rows, ensuring a continuous and uninterrupted product feed into the case packer.

“The drying process was a major inefficiency in the previous system," says Luca Carollo. "By optimizing air distribution and ensuring each pouch is properly spaced, we dramatically improved drying performance, making the entire process more effective."

KUKA Robots Dry and Sort Pet Food Pouches Efficiently — Smart Automation for Pet Food

Operational Excellence Through Clevertech & KUKA Partnership

Clevertech’s automation system has transformed the Kormotech’s pouch handling process, delivering higher speed, reliability, and space efficiency.

The optimized drying method ensures consistent product quality, while robotic precision has eliminated inefficiencies in the downstream process.

The collaboration with KUKA was key to this success, as their robots provided the necessary reach and payload capacity within the available space.

Looking ahead, mobile robotics is also gaining interest. "KUKA has been a trusted partner, always responsive and supportive across all our global installations," adds Luca Carollo.

"Their strong communication and service network allow us to operate seamlessly, and we are now exploring mobile robotics solutions for other industries like dairy."