30 n ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATED MANUFACTURING February 2026 www.drivesncontrols.com Robotic palletising of eggs is a cracking idea Bird Brothers, a family-run egg producer, supplies up to five million eggs every week to retailers, wholesalers, and food service businesses across the UK. It recently invested more than £1m in an automation system to streamline its operations and overcome end-of-line bottlenecks at its Bedfordshire headquarters. At the heart of this investment is a pair of robotic palletising cells designed to handle high-speed SKU sorting and palletising intelligently, with precision and minimal manual intervention. Before the eight packing lines were palletised, their output was palletised by hand. This not only demanded significant labour but introduced inefficiencies, especially if egg cases were sorted incorrectly by weight or SKU. With the new intelligent routing and scanning system, these risks have been almost eliminated. “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,” says Bird Brothers’ commercial director, Matthew Bird. “By investing in smart, integrated automation, we’re strengthening our efficiency today while laying the foundation for long-term, sustainable growth.” Multi-phase The new installation builds on an end-of-line system that has been developed in multiple phases over several years. The process begins with space-efficient 251 slimline case erectors, supplied by Endoline Automation, that integrate with Bird’s Moba MR12 robotic loading systems, which are designed specifically for egg-packing applications. The erectors form cases rapidly, feeding directly into the packing line. Once filled with egg cartons, the cases are sealed using high-speed automated random case sealer, also supplied by Endoline. This system efficiently seals up to 22 randomly sized cases per minute, supporting the highvolume demands of Bird Brothers’ distribution network. After sealing, the cases are scanned to verify their contents and to ensure they’re sent to the correct palletising line. Previously, misrouted products could lead to complete pallets being rejected – a costly exercise. The intelligent product scanning and routing system reduces waste dramatically and improves order accuracy. The new palletising system, commissioned in February 2025, can handle up to 40 cases per minute. Operating across eight SKU lines, the system has been designed for both performance and scalability. Two robotic palletisers automate the palletising of the four highest-volume SKUs, while the remaining four lower-volume SKUs are still currently handled by hand. The infrastructure is already in place to automate them in future phases. To maintain seamless operations, Endoline installed 50m of conveyor systems, including a carousel-style accumulation conveyor designed to tackle brief pauses in palletising. When the palletiser is halted momentarily, the carousel loops cases gently in a continuous motion. As soon as the system detects a new pallet is ready, it feeds the cases back into the line automatically, ensuring consistent, uninterrupted production. Future-proof “This system brings together intelligent scanning, high-speed sealing, and precision palletising into one seamless line, enabling Bird Brothers to dramatically improve throughput, accuracy, and resilience,” says Endoline Robotics’ managing director, Andrew Yates. “It’s a future-proof solution that supports both immediate operational needs and long-term growth.” Bird Brothers’ investment in the new palletising facilities aligns with its wider Vision 2028 strategy – a multi-million-pound plan to phase out colony cage egg production by the end of 2028, and to transition to more sustainable and welfareconscious practices. n A Bedfordshire egg producer has invested more than £1m in an automated palletising system, replacing an inefficient manual system that resulted in bottlenecks. The new robotic system will play a key role in the company’s strategy to improve its efficiency, sustainability, and growth capacity. Bird Brothers’ automated egg palletising system is helping the company to satisfy high-volume demand precisely and with minimal manual intervention.
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