Manual packaging and palletizing are repetitive, unergonomic tasks and a recurring source of workplace injuries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number one cause of occupational injuries involving days away from work was overexertion caused by excessive physical effort and repetitive motion, accounting for 31% of all lost days.
Ergonomics is only an issue if you can find workers, of course. Companies of all sizes and across all sectors, including secondary food processing, are facing challenges in finding and retaining manufacturing labor. This combination of challenges makes end-of-line tasks such as packaging and palletizing ideal candidates for automation.