24 June 2026 | News
Image Courtesy: Public Domain
Gourmet food manufacturer automates end-of-line packaging process with autonox robots and collaborates with CWM Automation for this purpose.
Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), the world's largest industrial automation and digital transformation company, announced that Cranswick Plc, one of the UK's leading manufacturers of premium gourmet food products, has commissioned a new robotic pick-and-place end-of-line packaging system from autonox Robotics.
Every year, Cranswick produces millions of "pigs-in-blankets" (bacon-wrapped sausages) for its Christmas market. The final stage of the process—removing the sausages from the conveyor belt and placing them in the packaging—was previously done manually, leading to delays and other limitations. Cranswick commissioned CWM Automation to develop and deliver a fully automated pick-and-place system, freeing up employees to perform more skilled tasks.
“Automating this phase of the process presented us with some complex challenges,” said Åsa Arvidsson, Regional Vice President EMEA North Region, Rockwell Automation. “The new system had to operate with high precision and speed. Through our strategic collaboration with autonox Robotics, we were able to support CWM Automation in making this possible.”
Powered by Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley® Kinetix VP low-inertia servomotors controlled by an Allen-Bradley® GuardLogix® 5380 safety controller , the new end-of-line pick-and-place system accurately detects the presence and orientation of each sausage. An autonox delta robot then picks up the sausage, aligns it correctly, and places it into the appropriate packaging – 240 times per minute.
“We are very pleased with the new pick-and-place system,” reports Mark Lundgren, Chief Engineering Manager at Cranswick Gourmet Sausage. “Thanks to Rockwell Automation and CWM Automation, we are able to meet our production targets and deadlines far more efficiently and cost-effectively. Our labor productivity on the production line has increased significantly, which means that our employees are not only performing more skilled and comfortable work, but can also often work on other production lines.”
“Cranswick needed to have the new system operational to meet its annual production target,” explains Mick Williams, Managing Director of CWM Automation, a Gold-Level OEM of Rockwell Automation. “To achieve this, we worked closely with Cranswick’s engineering team and Rockwell Automation’s system consultants. It was a productive collaboration, and together we met a very demanding deadline.”
