Bird Brothers, a family-run egg producer, has invested in a new robotic palletising system from Endoline Robotics.
Supplying up to five million eggs every week to retailers, wholesalers, and food service businesses across the UK, Bird Brothers has recently invested over £1 million in automation to streamline operations and overcome end-of-line bottlenecks at its Bedfordshire headquarters.
At the core of this investment is a pair of robotic palletising cells from Endoline Robotics, designed to handle high-speed SKU sorting and palletising with precision and minimal manual intervention.
This latest installation builds on a a system developed in multiple phases over several years through a trusted partnership with Endoline. The process begins with Endoline Automation’s space-efficient 251 Slimline Case Erectors, designed specifically to integrate with MOBA MR12 robotic loading systems. These erectors form cases with speed and consistency, feeding directly into the line for packing.
Once filled with egg cartons, cases are sealed using Endoline’s high-speed 734 Fully Automatic Random Case Sealer. This system efficiently seals up to 22 randomly sized cases per minute, supporting the high-volume demands of Bird Brothers’ distribution network.
After sealing, cases are scanned to verify contents and ensure they’re sent to the correct palletising line. Previously, misrouted products could lead to full pallet rejection, which was expensive. The new equipment reduces waste and increases order accuracy.
The newly installed robotic palletising system is capable of handling up to 40 cases per minute and operates across eight SKUs.
The two robotic palletisers automate the palletising of the four highest-volume SKUs, while the remaining four lower-volume SKUs are currently handled manually – with infrastructure already in place to automate these in future phases.
Endoline has also installed 50 metres of conveyor systems, including a carousel-style accumulation conveyor designed to handle brief pauses in palletising. When the palletiser is momentarily halted, the carousel loops cases in continuous motion. As soon as the system detects a new pallet is ready, it automatically feeds the cases back into the line ensuring consistent, uninterrupted productivity.
“This new robotic palletising system not only removes bottlenecks from our end-of-line process but also gives us the scalability we need to meet growing customer demand,” said Matthew Bird, from Bird Bros.