End-of-line automation is being redefined as manufacturers adapt to increasingly complex production environments, with interpack 2026 set to highlight how equipment suppliers are responding to rising SKU counts and operational variability.

Endoline Automation will use the Düsseldorf event to present the latest iteration of its 7048 Fully Automatic Random Case Sealer, positioning the system as a response to structural changes in food and beverage manufacturing.

According to the company, the redesign reflects a broader shift in production priorities, where flexibility and responsiveness are becoming as critical as throughput.

From Stable Output To Continuous Change

The snack segment illustrates the pressures driving this transition. Product portfolios are expanding, with manufacturers managing a growing mix of multipacks, single-serve formats, and e-commerce-ready configurations. Seasonal launches and limited-time variants are further increasing the frequency of packaging changes.

This environment is reshaping production strategies. Rather than relying solely on long, stable runs, operators are managing more fluid schedules, where changeovers are no longer occasional disruptions but a constant feature of daily operations.

Under these conditions, performance is no longer defined purely by speed. Systems must maintain consistency while adapting to varying formats, minimizing downtime and avoiding bottlenecks that can emerge from manual intervention.

Automation Moves Closer To The Core

Secondary packaging has traditionally been treated as a fixed, downstream function. However, as variability increases, end-of-line systems are becoming more central to overall line performance.

Case sealing is a key example. Conventional systems perform effectively in stable environments but can introduce inefficiencies when frequent adjustments are required. Manual interventions, even when brief, accumulate over time and can impact throughput and consistency.

Endoline’s approach centres on fully automatic random case sealing, where equipment adjusts to different case sizes without manual input. The 7048 detects the height and width of each incoming case in real time, enabling continuous operation across mixed packaging formats.

The system is designed to operate at speeds of up to 14 cases per minute, with a four-column construction providing stability during rapid adjustments.

Redesign Reflects Factory Constraints

The latest version of the 7048 has been comprehensively re-engineered to address evolving factory requirements. The company states that cable requirements have been reduced, improving reliability and simplifying maintenance, while new sliding access doors have reduced the machine’s footprint to less than one metre wide.

These changes reflect a wider trend across processing and packaging environments, where floor space is under increasing pressure as automation expands across multiple stages of production.

Energy efficiency and usability have also been central to the redesign, alongside enhancements to health and safety compliance through improved machine access and a more intuitive human-machine interface (HMI).

Flexibility As Operational Infrastructure

The evolution of the 7048 underscores a broader industry shift. As packaging diversity becomes a competitive advantage, the systems enabling that diversity are moving from peripheral roles to core operational infrastructure.

Endoline positions its latest system within this context, arguing that flexibility is no longer an optional feature but a requirement for maintaining throughput and enabling future product innovation.

Alongside the 7048, the company will also showcase its 221 Case Erector, designed for compact, space-efficient operation at speeds of up to 16 cases per minute.

With exports forming an increasing share of its business, Endoline is using interpack to highlight growing international demand for adaptable end-of-line solutions capable of supporting both traditional manufacturing and e-commerce-driven distribution models.

The company will exhibit in Hall 11, Stand D74-10.