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With the triumph of automation in packaging technology, the need for flexible and efficient packaging solutions such as those developed by the manufacturer of modular palletizing systems Bayer with its safety guard-less solution PLT HC is also increasing. Chocolate manufacturer Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co. KG (ritter-sport.com) now uses four such facilities at its logistics hub Reichenbach.
Before the sweet treats from the production of Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co. KG can finally be delivered, they must be packaged at the logistics site in Reichenbach near Stuttgart (Germany). More specifically, this means boxing the popular Ritter Sport chocolate bars and other primary-packaged chocolate specialties in shelf cartons or displays for retail, and final palletizing of the boxes for transport by truck. However, especially for this final step in the packaging chain, until recently they still a lacked an efficient and, above all, flexible automation solution to supplement the central palletizer at more distant locations, e.g. at the loading gate.
“The proposed automation of the palletizing process was to take place in the narrowest possible space, without great effort and, of course, achieving the highest possible acceptance among our employees,” Markus Fuchs, Site Manager at Ritter in Reichenbach, clarifies the requirements.
Decentralized, safety guard-less concept
The search for a suitable solution for this specific task brought Bayer GmbH & Co KG into the picture. At its headquarters at Wörnitz (Germany) the 30-employee company, founded in 1999, designs and implements automation concepts in the fields of robotics, engineering and 3D-laser surveying.
The Wörnitz enterprise has had the safety guard-less PLT HC palletizing system in its portfolio since 2024. As Manager Christian Bayer sums up, in its development, particular attention was focused on three aspects: “We were striving for a palletizing solution that could be implemented quickly and as cheaply as possible by the customer, that could be used decentrally and that was simple yet individually parameterizable.”
Ritter put the first PLT HC palletizing system into operation in the autumn of 2024. Based on the positive experience, three more plants followed by the end of 2025.
Safety guard-less PLT HC palletizing system
The modular standard system consists of a movable base on which sits a collaborative robot. This can load a Euro pallet on either side of the base with the highest speed and precision. The appropriate safety technology components, e.g. floor scanners, can also be combined as modules.
The objects to be palletized are fed via a project-specific, yet standardized conveyor technology that already pre-groups the products accordingly. Christina Krupp, responsible project engineer at Ritter, explains: “In particular this combination with the grouping belt ensures a smooth and stable process.” The addition of an additional buffer storage for the introduction of intermediate layers is possible. As a further option, the base for use in hygiene-sensitive environments can also be made of stainless steel.
A central element of the solution is the vacuum gripper developed by Bayer. This is suitable for handling cartons, trays, canisters and small load carriers, as well as for special applications. The robots used in the PLT HC palletizer system are Yaskawa cobots of the HC series (“HC” stands for “Human Collaborative”) with a loading capacity of either 10, 20 or 30 kg.
“We decided on the use of a cobot at a relatively early stage, because we wanted a safety guard-less palletizing system,” Manager Bayer recalls. “The decision to go with Yaskawa was then made quite quickly, because when our cooperation began a few years ago, Yaskawa was the first manufacturer ever of industrial-grade cobots with load capacities of 20 and even 30 kg. That was important to us, because we wanted to be able to cover as wide an area of application as possible.”
All cobots of the HC series are designed in dust and waterproof IP67 protection class, and use food-safe grease. The long range of the 20 and 30 kg models reaches every point on a standard Euro pallet and allows a stacking height of 2 m. The maximum working speed is up to 2 m/s, depending on the loading capacity.
A safety guard is not required in secured operation, so the robot can be easily and space-savingly integrated into existing environments. For the necessary force measurement, including documentation, Bayer has its own measuring system, so that every PLT HC palletizing system is CE-certified at the factory and can be put into operation immediately.
Autonomous and individual
The idea of a palletizing system that can be used flexibly and independently of location is also supported by the control system: the programming of the robot, gripper system and peripheral devices is carried out via the MOTOMAN YRC1000 robot control system. This works autonomously, but can also be integrated into higher-level systems via interfaces if desired.
Although the PLT HC palletizer system is designed as a standardized solution, it can be configured for a wide variety of requirements. This is a matter of course for Bayer, as Managing Director Christian Bayer explains: “Individualization is our strength.” For example, Ritter specified a special layout pattern with 40 boxes per layer. The palletizing system solves this task by the gripper always picking up two by five cartons at a time and depositing them in the appropriate places in two steps sometimes offset by 90 degrees. In addition, the system can be converted or reprogrammed to new sizes and products at any time without great effort.
For the corresponding control unit, the “smart pendant”, Bayer has specially programmed a system-specific user interface. Even logistics employees without an automation background can now easily navigate the operation of the systems.
Summary
Monotonous, physically demanding activities such as classic palletizing tasks are typical jobs that are now difficult to fill in the increasing competition for workers. At the same time, they are difficult to automate decentrally. It is precisely for this specific market need that Wörnitz-based Bayer GmbH & Co KG developed its safety guard-less PLT HC palletizing system. It allows for short ROI times through a standardized and modular design. Optionally equipped with a camera system, it can also be used for machine assembly applications.
In addition, the system is characterized not only by its flexibility and efficiency, but also by its robustness, high availability and, last but not least, consistent user-friendliness. Yaskawa’s industrial-grade HC series cobots contribute significantly to this.
Chocolate manufacturer Alfred Ritter GmbH & Co. KG endorses this point of view: Since their commissioning in autumn 2024 and 2025, the four plants there have been running smoothly, and effectively support the assembly of Ritter Sport products at the Reichenbach logistics hub. “For us, this is the step into the future,” summarizes site manager Markus Fuchs. “The cobots are safe, can be integrated into any line and are a great help to our employees.”
Author: Florian Kohut, Key Account Manager, Yaskawa Europe GmbH
T: +49-171-565-4683 - E: florian.kohut[.]yaskawa.eu.
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