A compact, high-tech filling line for natural cosmetics

It is no coincidence that the first contact with Schubert was made in 2017. It is equally clear that, to implement such an important project, finding a partner who shared the same values of quality, sustainability and collaborative partnership would be essential. During a visit to Crailsheim, attended not only by Michael Lindner, the son of the company’s founder, but also by his children Alicia and Nicolas, it soon became obvious that they were on the same wavelength not only professionally but also personally. “The new line had to match our quality commitments – so the chemistry between everyone involved had to be just right,” explains co-CEO Nicolas Lindner. Any reservations that the global market leader in modular, intelligent TLM packaging systems might be a bit too big for Börlind quickly proved unfounded. In a very confined space, the task was to process a wide variety of creams, lotions and delicate two-phase products fully automatically – under the most stringent hygiene and quality standards.

Schubert drew up the specifications in 2019, and the order followed in 2022. The machine was delivered by the end of 2024 and installed and commissioned on site within only four weeks. This was followed by validation runs for each format – two weeks per item. Today, eight formats are running smoothly on the line, with three more in the pipeline. Looking ahead, the plant will be running a total of eleven format variants.

An essential factor for the project’s success was that the line had to be flexible enough in terms of filling technology, transport, quality assurance and peripherals to accommodate the desired range of formats and products – without ever compromising on precision or hygiene. The distinctive feature of the Schubert solution lies in its fully modular design, which enables the handling of bottles and jars on a single machine – a requirement for which there are virtually no comparable solutions on the market. For Schubert, this was an ideal opportunity to showcase the advantages of its own modular system: consistently aligned with customer requirements, flexible in implementation and, importantly, technically scalable.

“It was exactly the combination of format diversity, hygiene standards and limited space that made this project so challenging,” points out Daniel Traub, Global Key Account Manager at Schubert, involved in the project from the outset. “Challenging tasks like these demonstrate how important a modular, flexible concept is – and how much potential arises when a customer is willing to break new ground with us. In addition to the filling process, which is undoubtedly at the heart of the system, the Multi-Transport Unit (MTA) plays a key role by guiding all products safely through the individual stations. Three TOG cobots handle the feeding right at the start of the line. Using AI, they detect, grasp and place jars and bottles – a vital step in achieving the desired level of automation.

Another highlight is a sealing system for glass jars, which Schubert used here for the first time. After conventional hot or induction sealing methods proved unimpressive, the technology developed by the watttron start-up in Freital, Saxony, provided the decisive breakthrough. Instead of preheating or melting the sealing film, the system draws it in without contact and applies it directly to the jar – quickly, precisely and with minimal energy input. The technology continuously monitors the amount of energy applied and automatically rejects faulty seals. For Börlind, the perfectly uniform “peel effect” was decisive, as it ensures a high-quality opening experience – without any film residue on the rim or the film itself. Previously used systems had been unable to meet these requisites.

Labelling also posed significant challenges. With round, transparent glass containers, even the slightest deviations stand out immediately: air bubbles, dust inclusions or visible overlaps are unacceptable for a premium brand. To consistently meet this requirement, Schubert developed a labeller that detects each container using a bottom-mounted camera, aligns it precisely and only then initiates the labelling process. The tolerance is no more than ±1 mm – a level otherwise only achieved by traditional rotary labelling systems. For oval bottles, the system additionally rotates the container synchronously into the process, ensuring the label can be applied tension-free and without distortion. Set-up times can therefore be reduced to just a few minutes. After changing the format parts, the labeller automatically adjusts all parameters – a significant contribution to the line’s overall efficiency.