Signode, a global supplier of transit packaging systems, automation technologies, materials, and aftermarket services, has broadened its autonomous mobile robot (AMR) portfolio to facilitate automation beyond traditional packaging processes. The expanded range is designed to streamline the transportation of palletized goods across manufacturing facilities and warehouse environments.
The portfolio features multiple robot types, including lifting robots, pallet trucks, counterbalanced forklifts, reach trucks, and stacker forklifts, catering to diverse material-handling and pallet-movement needs.
This development further strengthens Signode’s integrated automation capabilities, bringing together end-of-line packaging, palletizing, material transportation, and warehouse technologies to support more connected and efficient operations throughout the supply chain.
“End-of-line automation doesn’t stop once a product has been packaged and palletized. That pallet still has to move through the facility and ultimately into storage or distribution. Expanding our AMR portfolio gives customers more ways to automate those movements and connect processes across their operation.”
-Shawn Semer, Vice President, Global Automation, Signode
The AMR range is engineered to handle pallet transportation and lifting tasks, offering manufacturers a variety of solutions suited to different load capacities and material-handling demands. These autonomous robots operate without requiring fixed tracks or magnetic guidance systems, allowing them to move freely through facilities and adjust their routes to avoid obstacles.
The scalable design enables businesses to gradually expand their automation capabilities in line with changing operational demands. By deploying multiple robots as coordinated fleets, manufacturers can increase handling capacity and adapt to evolving material-flow requirements without overhauling their existing systems. Companies managing several sites can also use the portfolio to establish a more standardized and consistent approach to automated pallet handling across their facilities.
Linking Packaging Operations with Automated Warehousing
Signode’s expanded autonomous mobile robot (AMR) range strengthens its existing warehouse automation solutions, including the StorFast automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS). The company’s StorFast technology is supported by a global installed base of more than 800 vehicles across over 80 sites. Using powered carts to transport pallets into and out of designated storage locations, the system can work alongside material handling equipment and logistics management technologies to streamline warehouse activities.
AMRs can further enhance this setup by automating the preparation and transfer of pallets to the StorFast ASRS. This enables finished palletized goods to move more efficiently from production and end-of-line packaging stations into automated storage. With expanded lifting functionality, the robots also provide greater flexibility for transferring loads from floor-level movement to elevated storage areas and other dynamic material handling operations.
The AMR solutions can also connect with warehouse management systems and fleet management software, helping businesses coordinate robotic tasks and maintain efficient material flow throughout their facilities.
By combining its expanded AMR portfolio with robotic palletizing and depalletizing, conveyor systems, packaging equipment, and warehouse automation technologies, Signode offers manufacturers a more integrated approach to managing the entire process—from packaging finished products and preparing pallets to transporting and storing them.
“One customer has integrated more than 17 robots within a single warehouse. That type of deployment shows how an operation can grow from targeted automation into a larger fleet as requirements change.”
-Semer
The expanded offering focuses primarily on pallet-based systems that support a range of lifting and material-movement requirements. Additional AMR configurations may also be considered based on application requirements.
With more than $2 billion in revenue, 80+ manufacturing facilities across six continents, and over 6,000 employees worldwide, Signode is a leading manufacturer of a broad spectrum of transit packaging consumables, tools, software, and equipment that optimize end-of-line packaging operations and protect products in transit. Signode brings this extensive product portfolio together under a family of trusted brands to offer customers optimized, complete transit packaging solutions.
