While it is often difficult to break packaging automation into distinct pricing tiers, multipackers are somewhat of an exception. Multipackers tend to fall into three distinct categories, with the main difference being speed.

1. Baseline – The Low-Speed Intermittent-Motion (IM) Multipacker

The baseline tier multipacker is easily the most distinct from the other two tiers, and that’s because it’s an IM machine. This means that the machine stops and starts, moving product between stations. It’s the machine most suited to integrate with a manual packaging line, as its speed tends to be lower and stations provide room for hands-on work. It is also suitable for low-speed packaging lines.

• Speed: ~50 cartons per minute (CPM)
• Price Range: $200k-$650k

2. Mid-Range – The Continuous-Motion (CM) Multipacker

The mid-range tier multipacker is usually a basic CM system. This means that the stopping and starting motion has been eliminated, and the machine performs all sorting and packing functions itself, in a fluid, continuous, motion. It tends to be chosen for mid-level packaging lines, who are either upgrading from an IM system, or who are just looking for a standard CM multipacker – no need for anything too fancy, but ready to fully automate.

• Speed: Up to 350 CPM (possibly with a limited size range)
• Price Range: $350k-$875k

3. High-Range – The High-Speed CM Multipacker

The high-range tier multipacker is another CM system, but especially fit for high-speed operations. Large and highly developed packaging lines tend to opt for this option, especially if they have a particularly high sustained throughput. Given the size of these operations, they’re usually looking to add onto the standard high-speed machine, making a custom design with additional components to increase productivity and operational ease.

• Speed: ~350 CPM (with size range flexibility)
• Price Range: $950k-$1.5M

Beverage Multipacker Comparison Table

You’ll notice that each of these tiers sports a price range, rather than a fixed price. That’s because price depends largely on the vendor you choose to go with – they’ll offer different qualities of machines, with different features, and different support contract options. Beyond the price ranges, the cost of your machine will be dependent on the specifics of your operation.

Here are some of the greatest factors to recognize and budget for:

Carton Type

Machines are built to standardly run a typical pre-glued, end-load carton – in size, shape, and material. So, if your cartons vary from what the machine is built to tolerate, you’ll see an increase in components, lending itself to greater cost and complexity.

• Profiled Cartons

  Have minor flaps that follow the contour of the product inside – especially round product. This gives the carton a “finished” appearance. It is often done with a “no-top-flap” carton where the upper major flap is removed to show the product inside.

  • Price: ~$150k adder; will also result in a 5-foot footprint increase

• Dual-Tier Cartons

  Adjusting the machine to be capable of running cartons with two, stacked tiers.

  • Price: ~$600k-$800k adder (generally increases the price by 70-80%)
  • Example of cost increase: If a single-tier multipacker was going to cost around $1M, the dual-tier version, will cost roughly $1.8M-$1.9M – a relatively involved upgrade, with a price to reflect that.

Product Type

Again, multipackers are designed to run a standard product shape, size, and weight (with some possible tolerance, which will vary from vendor to vendor). So, anything that varies from the tolerable range will see additional components, which add cost and complexity.

Especially unique product formats that always add cost and complexity include:

• Sleeved cans
• Breakable materials (e.g. glass bottles)
• Unusual shapes (e.g., square or sqround)
• Extreme weights

A factor that may dramatically change your buying journey is the experience of your vendor. The more knowledge, experience, and understanding they have with your unique product format, the greater your accommodation may be.

The reason product type matters so much is that it can change infeed handling. How is product controlled and metered? Do you need unique conveyors? Are you looking to add a hand-load system (~$100k adder)?

Pack Count or Pack Pattern

This factor should be considered if you run a range of sizes and diameters. If your pack count is out of the typical range (e.g. a 35-count, in a 4-30-count system), or you have a specific, unique pack pattern, you will see a cost increase. This reflects the additional components required to accommodate your unique needs.

• Price: $75k-$200k

Carton Board

Consider the quality of your board, especially if you are running high speeds. Is there concern of warping or bending? Can it tolerate rigorous handling? Board age can have a significant impact on operations. And board quality requirements tend to differ between manual and automated systems, so if you are automating for the first time, you may want to spend extra time evaluating your board.

Discharge Requirement and Manipulations

A factor a lot of buyers underestimate is the cost incurred by having product manipulations installed on your machine. If you are going to reject, turn, divide, or do any other rotations or movements with your product, you will see an increase in cost and complexity.

• Price: $15k-$400k (depends on difficulty and number of manipulations)

Once you get into the higher-range solutions, you may also be interested in buying additional “adders” to provide an extra boost in ease and productivity. These adders can be highly specific in function, or just conveniences, or even requirements from certain regulatory agencies or retailers.

Here are some of our most requested adders:

Mainly focused on carton squareness.

• Price: ~$25k-$50k
• Servo-driven tuckers
• Servo overhead squaring
• Servo live-compression belts

Used to encourage positive carton opening at higher speeds.

• Price: ~$120k

These are components that range in number, which you can add on, to automate some of your changepoints (at Douglas, you can automate up to six on your multipacker). Capabilities and price will vary by vendor.

• Price: $50k-$75k
• Change parts are the alternative to auto adjust changepoints. They usually include selector bars, seating wheels, and magazine picture frames (~$15k per set).

Lower machine profile to avoid reaching or lifting overhead; helps avoid stress injuries.

• Price: ~$80k-$120k

Prepares infeed by releasing cans in time to ensure there are no short-count cartons at start-up.

• Price: ~$10k-$15k

Laser-coding assists by applying codes, expiration dates, and barcodes to your carton.

• Price: ~$10k-$15k for integration. The laser-coder itself may need to be purchased separate from the integration, and will vary by vendor (ink jet coding is not preferred due to ink contamination of the machine and cartons).

The pitch is the distance between cartons, either fixed (the same across the board) or split (able to change pitch between packs).

• Price: ~$75k-$150k. Depends on what format you’re accommodating, and how great your mix is from smallest to largest

Depending on the type of product you’re running, you may need to adjust machine materials and/or design to accommodate frequent sanitation measures (e.g. washdown).

• Price: ~$50k-$200k