Small team, big impact: How Steinlando lives automation
Alexandra Harin
Company
Steinlando GmbH und Co. KG
Production Location
Neuenmarkt in Oberfranken
Industry
Raw material processing & trading
Technology
Palletizing robot with intermediate layer handling
At a glance
When you enter the Steinlando production hall in Neuenmarkt, Upper Franconia, you will encounter a small, highly coordinated team moving swiftly and purposefully between mountains of cardboard boxes and pallets. Bags and boxes are stacked tightly together, forklifts whir through the aisles, and every move is perfectly timed. There are not many employees, but they all work with impressive efficiency—focused, experienced, and always friendly and open. Especially during peak periods, when the volume of orders increases, physical effort is required—and technical support is very welcome.
The challenge: mineral diversity – and every delivery weighs heavily
Steinlando GmbH & Co. KG is a medium-sized company that specializes in the processing and trading of mineral raw materials under its Schicker Mineral brand. Steinlando supplies private, commercial, and industrial customers with an impressively wide range of products—quickly and flexibly, whether in packages, on pallets, in big bags, or loose. The product range covers a wide variety of applications:
- Gardening and landscaping: paving gravel, decorative gravel, path construction material
- Leisure & playgrounds: Play sand, safety sand, sauna stones
- Pet supplies: Aquarium sand, reptile sand, animal sand for aviaries and stables
- Agriculture: Rock flour for soil improvement, stable bedding
- Technology & Industry: Blasting media, filter sands
Despite their diversity, the products have one thing in common: they are heavy. Packaged in 25 kg bags, every order involves physically demanding work—especially when it comes to packing and palletizing. This is precisely where the challenge lay.
The solution: Automated palletizing with millimeter precision
In order to reduce physical strain on employees and at the same time gain more flexibility in processes, Managing Director Philipp Vogler decided to automate the palletizing process. Together with coboworx, a stationary palletizing solution was implemented – precisely tailored to the local conditions in Neuenmarkt. At the heart of the system is a compact 6-axis articulated arm robot with a repeat accuracy of ±0.03 mm, which reliably places cartons weighing up to 25 kg on pallets with precise positioning. Thanks to a specially adapted vacuum gripper, the robot is able to move the products in a controlled and gentle manner – even at high cycle rates. Integrated interlayer handling provides additional stability: interlayers are fed automatically and positioned precisely, ensuring reliable stability in shipping even with high pallets. The user-friendly control system allows palletizing patterns to be created intuitively and adapted flexibly – including real-time calculated 3D layer images that are already visible during input. For maximum safety during operation, the system has been equipped with an enhanced protection concept: light curtains and clearly defined safety zones enable protected access to individual palletizing areas – without interrupting ongoing operations.
Success – facts at a glance
approx. 18 m2
space requirement
up to 25 kg
Workpieces
11 cycles/min
Power
Reduced by 50%
Staffing
Relief that counts—especially when it matters most
Before the robot was introduced, two employees were needed on the packaging line—one person packed the goods and a second loaded the heavy packages onto pallets using a lifting arm. Today, the robot takes care of the palletizing process entirely, freeing up one employee to be deployed elsewhere. “This is a real benefit, especially for our small warehouse team of only ten people,” emphasizes Managing Director Philipp Vogler. “Of course, our colleague is still with us – he's just working in a different position. And that makes us much more resilient in our day-to-day business.” The bottom line is clear: same performance – but with half the manpower. At the same time, the team is noticeably relieved – both physically and organizationally. The robot works quietly, precisely, and with virtually no downtime. And if something does happen? “The support is excellent,” says Vogler. “But to be honest, we've hardly needed it.”
Conclusion
The automation of the palletizing process at Steinlando is more than just a technical upgrade—it is an expression of a clear stance: those who value their employees not only optimize processes, but also create better working conditions through targeted innovation. By switching to a robotic solution, Steinlando is demonstrating that modern automation is not the privilege of large corporations, but rather a real added value for forward-thinking medium-sized companies. And while the next pallet is already being packed, one thing is certain: at Steinlando, the future is not just thought about, but shaped with conviction.
“Especially with our small warehouse team of only ten people, the system is a real asset—it makes us much more resilient in our day-to-day business.”
Philipp Vogler, Managing Director, Steinlando GmbH + Co. KG
“Especially with our small warehouse team of only ten people, the system is a real asset—it makes us much more resilient in our day-to-day business.”
Philipp Vogler, Managing Director, Steinlando GmbH + Co. KG
“Especially with our small warehouse team of only ten people, the system is a real asset—it makes us much more resilient in our day-to-day business.”
Philipp Vogler, Managing Director, Steinlando GmbH + Co. KG
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Alexandra Harin
Senior Content Marketing Manager
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