In the final stage of egg processing, before shipping, comes palletizing: neatly stacking trays or cartons onto pallets ready for transport. Once a manual, labor-intensive task, it's now increasingly automated with palletizing systems built specifically for the egg sector.
What is an egg palletizing system
Unlike generic palletizing systems designed for boxes, bottles or bags, an egg palletizing system has to handle a fragile product, trays that aren't always perfectly uniform, and the need to insert divider layers between tiers to keep the load stable in transit.
That's why a generic palletizer rarely adapts well to an egg room without major modifications: it takes mechanics, electronics and software designed specifically for this product, not a system built for something else and retrofitted.
How it works in practice
The typical cycle has a few steps: eggs arrive already packed, in trays or cartons, via a variable-speed conveyor. A gripper unit picks up complete layers and places them on the pallet according to the required pattern.
Every few layers, the system automatically inserts a divider layer, to spread the weight and protect the eggs underneath. Once complete, the pallet is moved out to make room for the next one, in a continuous cycle.
OVO by Lomar, for example, runs the whole process with brushless DC motors and a fork load of 4 stacks x 6 trays, up to 100,000 eggs/hour, with 5 layers per pallet.
Why automate palletizing
- Fewer breakages: precise, repeatable movements reduce impacts compared with manual handling.
- Higher throughput: an automated system can sustain much higher rates without adding staff.
- A single operator instead of several people dedicated to manual palletizing.
- Better hygiene standards, thanks to less direct handling of the product.
- Automatic divider layer management, still often done by hand on many standard-tier lines.
Overall, the newest poultry palletizing systems don't just replace manual labor: they also add production data monitoring and remote supervision, making the whole egg room easier to manage and control.
Want to see how it works on a real plant?
OVO by Lomar automates egg palletizing up to 100,000 eggs/hour, with automatic divider layer management as standard and a 5-year warranty.