Schubert delivers high-speed cartoning line for Varta’s plastic-free battery packs

USA – Packaging machinery specialist Schubert has supplied German co-packer MultiPac with a compact TLM cartoning system to produce transport-secure cardboard boxes for Varta’s AA and AAA household batteries, fully replacing previous plastic blister packs.

The new line enables Varta to switch entirely to recyclable folding boxes made of cardboard. MultiPac, which handles contract packaging in Ellwangen, received the order and selected Schubert to design and install the automated equipment. 

The system went live at the end of 2024 after only one week of installation.

The machine occupies less than six metres of floor space yet packs 1,100 batteries per minute. It erects, fills and seals three different box sizes that hold 12, 18 or 24 batteries each. 

A four-lane magazine feeds flat cartons to an F2 erecting robot, while a Transmodul moves the boxes through grouping, filling and closing stations.

Precision remains critical because the batteries must sit tightly inside the boxes to prevent movement during shipping. 

Vacuum tools in the filling robot pick six batteries at a time and stack them in two, three or four layers. Integrated sensors check that every battery is grasped correctly before placement, ensuring no gaps and no damage.

MultiPac managing director Michael Zaun said the batteries are now positioned exactly as required and in the precise quantity. 

He added that the line’s output and reliability exceeded expectations.

Schubert’s modular design allowed the entire system to fit within tight space constraints while delivering high throughput and format flexibility. 

The project builds on earlier cooperation between MultiPac and Schubert, which already operates two Schubert cobots at the same site.

In a separate regional development, Tetra Pak Arabia Area recently introduced beverage cartons containing 90% renewable materials, including a paper-based barrier that reduces carbon footprint by around one-third compared to conventional designs. 

Meanwhile, MetPack rolled out fully compostable coated paper suitable for direct food contact and recyclable in standard paper streams.

These advances highlight growing adoption of fibre-based packaging across consumer goods.

Varta’s cardboard battery boxes, produced on the new Schubert line, allow end users to recycle the packaging more easily while maintaining product protection throughout distribution

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