ReAutomated

Packing and palletising retrofits built around your line

Not every factory needs a full line replacement. In many plants, the best gain comes from retrofitting robots onto an existing packing or palletising line, then improving the way products move, stack and dispatch. That can mean a cobot for lighter repetitive tasks, a palletising robot for consistent load building, or a combination of conveyors, sensors and guarding that fits the space you already have.

We work with manufacturers that want better throughput without taking a line out for months. The aim is practical: reduce manual handling, support repeatable output and keep the changeover manageable for operators and maintenance teams. Every site has its own constraints, from narrow aisles in Kempton Park to busy loading bays in Durban, so the retrofit must suit the building as much as the product.

• Robotic palletising for cartons, bags, cases and tubs
• Packing line automation for repetitive end-of-line tasks
• Conveyor tie-ins for infeed, transfer and discharge points
• Controls changes that fit the existing plant arrangement

What we supply for retrofit projects

Our work covers the full retrofit path, from the first site walk-through to commissioning support. We start by looking at the current process, the product size range, floor space, pallet pattern requirements and the condition of the conveyors and control panels already in place. Then we propose what should be retained, what should be upgraded and where the robot cell should sit for safe access and practical maintenance.

We also assist with safety guarding design and risk assessment support. That includes guarding around moving equipment, access points for operators, emergency stops, interlocks and safe zones for palletising or packing cells. Safety rules are general, but each site needs its own risk assessment because product weight, reach distances, traffic flow and operator interaction all change from plant to plant.

• Site line surveys and retrofit design
• Conveyor integration and controls integration
• Safety guarding design and risk assessment support
• Installation management and commissioning support
• Operator training, maintenance support and breakdown assistance
• Spares planning for wear parts and critical components

Who we serve across South Africa

We support manufacturers across South Africa who need packing and palletising lines to work harder, with less manual handling and fewer stoppages. Our projects suit food and beverage plants, consumer goods factories, building materials producers, chemical packers and other sites where repetitive end-of-line work can become a bottleneck. Some plants need help with seasonal peaks, while others are dealing with labour pressure, shift gaps or a line that was never designed for current volumes.

From Johannesburg and Pretoria to Cape Town, Durban and Gqeberha, the brief is usually the same: keep production moving while introducing a safer, more consistent method of handling cases, bags or cartons. We also work for clients in Kempton Park, the East Rand and Midvaal, where many factories need solutions that suit warehouse space, municipal requirements and day-to-day truck access.

• Johannesburg, Pretoria and the wider East Rand
• Kempton Park and Spartan industrial areas
• Durban, Cape Town and Gqeberha
• Midvaal and surrounding Gauteng manufacturing zones

How we handle a retrofit from survey to start-up

Every retrofit begins with a site line survey. We look at how product enters the line, where it slows, where operators are doing lifting or repeated stacking, and how the current conveyor layout can be adapted. If there is a packaging machine upstream or a warehouse route downstream, we factor that in too, because a robot cell only works properly when the whole flow makes sense.

After the survey, we move into retrofit design and controls planning. That is where we map the motion, confirm interfaces, check inputs and outputs, and plan the sequence for start-stop conditions, fault recovery and manual intervention. Once installation begins, we manage the practical side on site, then support commissioning with the operators and maintenance team until the line is stable. Small details matter here, such as cable routes, access for cleaning and whether the floor can handle wash-down or coastal humidity.

1. Survey the line and record current conditions
2. Design the retrofit around available space and product flow
3. Integrate conveyors, controls and guarding
4. Install, test and commission with the site team
5. Train operators and hand over maintenance notes

A retrofit team that knows the factory floor

ReAutomated handles hands-on retrofit work for packing and palletising projects from Spartan, Kempton Park, with a practical focus on detail throughout the job. Our base in Spartan, Kempton Park keeps us close to major industrial routes, suppliers and freight links, which helps when a site needs follow-up support or replacement parts without delay. We work as a small, practical team rather than a distant call centre, and clients usually deal with the same people from survey to handover.

The team includes Sibusiso Hlongwane as Managing Director, Annelise Abrahams in Operations, Thabo Malherbe on automation engineering, Farah Khoza on controls, Johan Booysen as Site Supervisor and Lerato Khanye as Service Coordinator. That mix helps us keep the technical side aligned with the day-to-day realities of production, maintenance and site access. It also means we can respond properly when a line needs adjustment after a new carton size, pallet pattern or shift arrangement is introduced.

What sets ReAutomated retrofits apart

Clients often return because they want the next retrofit handled by people who already understand their process. Once a plant has seen how a robotic palletising cell behaves, or how a cobot fits into a packing zone, the next project is usually easier to plan. Familiarity with the site means fewer surprises, faster decision making and more realistic downtime planning.

They also choose the next line because support matters after start-up. A line can run well on day one and still need fine tuning later, especially when product changes, seasonal volumes rise, or operators rotate between shifts. We support upkeep planning, breakdown assistance and spares planning so that the retrofit stays useful long after commissioning. In practice, that means the system is not treated as a one-time install, but as part of the factory's daily work.

• Practical follow-up when production changes
• Support for training, maintenance and spare parts planning
• Clear communication with the same core team
• Retrofits that are easier to service later on

Talk to us about your packing line

If you are planning a robotic retrofit for a packing or palletising line, start with a site survey and a clear look at what your current conveyors, controls and floor space can support. We help manufacturers across Kempton Park, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town, Gqeberha, the East Rand and Midvaal. For new enquiries, clients reach us through the enquiry form on our contact page.

Whether the project is a small palletising cell or a full end-of-line change, the goal stays the same: safer handling, steadier output and a system that fits the plant you already have. We design for real production conditions, not idealised ones.