How ReAutomated Started in Spartan, Kempton Park
From our base in Spartan, Kempton Park, ReAutomated helps South African manufacturers automate packing and palletising without stripping out equipment that still has useful service life left. From Spartan, Kempton Park, we take a practical approach. If a line can be improved with the right retrofit, controls integration and safer product handling, we design for that. If a process needs several changes at once, we plan it properly so the line can keep operating with as little interruption as possible.
Our work is shaped by the realities of local manufacturing.We keep that in mind from the start, because a good automation project has to fit the site as it is, not as a brochure would like it to be.
What We Retrofit and Why It Matters
We specialise in robotic retrofits for packing lines and palletising lines. That can include a robot added to an existing conveyor line, a cobot working in a controlled area, or a handling cell designed around the plant’s current product flow. The point is not to replace everything. The point is to remove bottlenecks, improve consistency and reduce the amount of manual lifting, stacking and repetitive packing work that places strain on teams.
Many factories already have conveyors, bagging equipment, case forming, filling or wrapping stations in place. We assess how those systems move product and where the retrofit can slot in cleanly. Sometimes that means adjusting infeed heights or transfer points. Sometimes it means building new guarding, adding sensors, changing the control logic or improving the pallet pattern so the load stays stable through storage and transport.
- Robotic palletising for bags, cartons, crates and similar loads
- Packing line retrofits for repeatable placement and handling
- Cobot applications where human and machine interaction must be carefully controlled
- Conveyor integration to keep product flow steady between stations
How We Approach Each Site Survey
Every project begins with a site line survey. We look at the existing equipment, the available floor area, the line speeds, access routes for maintenance, product dimensions and the way people move around the line. We also consider power supply, compressed air, network points, guarding space and the practical details that affect installation. A neat layout on paper is one thing. A line that can be serviced on a wet winter morning in Durban or in a hot Pretoria plant is something else.
From there we prepare retrofit design work around the actual site conditions. Our team checks how the conveyor interfaces with the robot, where stops and sensors are needed, what handover points are safe and how operators will load, monitor or remove product. Risk assessment support is part of that process, but the final safety approach always depends on the site and the application. There is no one-size-fits-all answer, and every installation needs its own review.
- Site Line Surveys
- Retrofit Design
- Risk Assessment Support
- Safety Guarding Design
The Team Behind the Work
ReAutomated is led by Sibusiso Hlongwane, Managing Director, with a team that covers operations, automation, controls, site supervision and service coordination. That mix matters because retrofit work is not only about equipment selection. It is about making sure the electrical, mechanical and operational parts of the line work together without causing avoidable downtime.
Annelise Abrahams manages operations, Thabo Malherbe handles automation engineering, Farah Khoza works on controls, Johan Booysen supervises site work and Lerato Khanye coordinates service support. Each project needs clear communication and practical follow-through. When a manufacturer is planning work around shifts, dispatch schedules or seasonal production pressure, the team has to stay organised and available. That is how jobs keep moving from survey to install to handover.
- Clear responsibility on every project stage
- Practical advice based on line conditions, not guesswork
- Installation management that keeps people informed on site
- Commissioning support that checks the line under real operating conditions
Safety, Guarding and Compliance Come First
When a robot enters an existing production line, safety has to be designed in from the beginning. We provide safety guarding design and support with risk assessments so that the retrofit suits the layout, the product, the operators and the maintenance routines. That can include fixed guarding, access gates, interlocks, light-based sensing where appropriate and safe stopping arrangements around conveyors and transfer points.
We do not treat safety as a box to tick. It has to work during day shift, night shift, cleaning, maintenance and fault recovery. We also know that some sites have tighter municipal, insurance or internal compliance requirements than others, especially in food, beverage, packaging and export-related operations. The right answer is always site-specific and should be checked before installation starts. One plant may need a simple guarded cell, while another needs a more detailed separation of access and movement zones.
Our role is to help the client plan for safe operation and sensible maintenance access. That includes making sure operators can see what the line is doing, that common service points are reachable and that guards do not create unnecessary obstacles for cleaning or changeovers.
How We Support Production After Commissioning
Our job does not end when the robot starts cycling. We support commissioning, operator training, maintenance planning, breakdown assistance and spares planning so the retrofitted line remains practical to run. On many sites, the first few weeks after handover are when small adjustments make the biggest difference. That may involve fine-tuning the sequence, checking product handling, setting up alarms more clearly or adjusting the pallet pattern for better stability.
We also stay involved with clients who need longer-term service support. South African plants have real-world demands: power interruptions, weather changes, shift changes, supply delays and production peaks. A retrofit has to keep working through those conditions. We therefore plan for maintainability, not only initial performance. If a component needs routine replacement, it should be accessible. If a line needs a quick restart after a fault, the controls logic should make that easier rather than harder.
- Maintenance Support
- Breakdown Assistance
- Spares Planning
- Operator Training
Where We Work and How Clients Engage Us
From our base in Spartan, Kempton Park, we serve manufacturers across Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town, Gqeberha, the East Rand and Midvaal. We work with sites that want to improve packing and palletising without losing the value of their current conveyors and line equipment. Whether the plant is a single production hall or a larger multi-line operation, we approach the work in the same grounded way.
Clients usually reach us through the enquiry form on our contact page, which keeps the first discussion focused on the line, the products and the site conditions. From there we can arrange a survey, talk through the retrofit scope and decide what level of support is needed. Every project is different, but our aim stays the same: build automation that suits the plant, supports the team and holds up under daily use. That means practical design, careful installation and honest communication throughout.