State-of-the-Art Ceramic Packaging Line at Cesantoni Mexico, Powered by Innova Group

The renowned Mexican ceramic group Cesantoni has entrusted Innova Group as its technological partner to automate its end-of-line packaging operations. To meet Cesantoni’s logistical requirements in the Mexican market, Innova has installed a cutting-edge, fully automated packaging line that has optimized its supply chain.

Installed at the end of 2022 at their Zacatecas plant, this line sets a benchmark for ceramic automation in Mexico. Cesantoni is a leading manufacturer of ceramic tiles and floor coverings, recognized for its quality and sustainability. As part of its modernization plan, the company identified the need to automate its packaging processes to respond more swiftly and efficiently to market demands, demonstrating its commitment to innovation and sustainability.

The Challenge: Full Automation for Cesantoni

Before partnering with Innova, Cesantoni’s end-of-line operations relied on manual horizontal and vertical strapping systems and shrink wrapping. This setup resulted in high labor costs, excessive material consumption, and packaging speed and consistency limitations.

Cesantoni chose Innova to design a comprehensive automated solution to boost productivity and ensure optimal packaging for its diverse load formats. A key objective was to achieve a professional, uniform finish on all pallets, meeting the high expectations of their clients and the logistics market. By automating the process, the Mexican ceramic manufacturer sought to enhance the quality and presentation of its loads from the production plant to the customer’s point of sale.

The Solution: An Automated and Efficient Packaging Line

Innova Group designed and installed an automated packaging line that integrates advanced technologies with the flexibility to handle Cesantoni’s wide range of ceramic products. The line includes the following systems, in the order of pallet flow:

1. Horizontal Strapping System:

The first station in the packaging line is the horizontal strapping system, designed to compact and secure ceramic loads into stable blocks, enhancing load stability during transport. It applies multiple horizontal straps that secure the load from the base, preventing movement or shifting during transportation or storage. For Cesantoni, this step was crucial to stabilizing tiles and ceramic pieces without causing damage, thanks to the adjustable strap tension.

2. Vertical Strapping System:

In addition to the horizontal strapping, the vertical system secures the load to the pallet base, providing enhanced stability. It applies vertical straps that firmly anchor the load to the pallet, minimizing lateral and vertical movement during transit. For Cesantoni, protecting ceramic products is crucial, especially during demanding road transport conditions in Mexico.

3. Automatic Ring Wrapper:

The stretch wrapping system adds literally another layer of security and load compaction. The Ring wrapper model by Innova offers enhanced wrapping performance, including the application of reinforcement roping for additional load stability and protection.

4. Stretch Hood System:

The final station in the packaging line, the Stretch Hood system provides complete coverage and protection against external elements such as dust, humidity, rain, and sunlight. This system uses a tubular stretch film that adapts perfectly to the load, ensuring an airtight seal and superior protection. The Stretch Hood model installed at Cesantoni features a dual-reel system for easy switching between different load formats, accommodating a wide variety of ceramic products. Compared to shrink wrapping, Stretch Hood reduces material and energy usage, offering a more sustainable packaging solution.

5. Conveyor Line:

The installation includes a pallet conveyor line with an entry station designed for AGV vehicles that automatically place loads onto the line and trigger the packaging process. The outbound conveyor includes a pallet weighing system that records the final load weight post-packaging. This data is automatically sent to the final labeling station, ensuring full traceability for each load.

Results: Efficiency and Cost Savings with Every Pallet

The implementation of the automated packaging line has completely transformed Cesantoni’s packaging operations, optimizing both processes and costs. Automation has significantly reduced material consumption, as technologies like Stretch Hood allow for more efficient film usage while enhancing load security and protection.

Eliminating manual processes has resulted in considerable labor cost savings while improving packaging speed and consistency. Load stability and protection are now guaranteed, even for diverse formats, ensuring smooth transport and storage. Additionally, the integration of the system with internal logistics—including AGV connectivity and traceability via labeling—has streamlined operations, aligning them with modern standards in the ceramic industry.

Cesantoni has expressed great satisfaction with Innova’s packaging systems and confidence in the technology. Hermann Reimers, Cesantoni’s Operations Director, stated: “Partnering with Innova was a strategic decision for us. Their team perfectly understood our needs and provided a solution that not only met but exceeded our expectations. Today, we operate with greater efficiency and reliability in our end-of-line processes.”

Sergio Llidó, Innova Group’s General Manager, commented: “We are proud to have collaborated with an industry leader like Cesantoni. Their forward-looking vision and commitment to quality allowed us to implement this state-of-the-art packaging line. This project strengthens our expertise in the ceramic sector and our ability to deliver customized solutions to each client.”