The iconic Swiss chocolate-bar manufacturer expanded its packaging line with the Elematic 1001 SL sideload case packer from Syntegon Technology after successful field tests.
At every airport, Toblerone’s striking packaging lures travellers into duty-free shops. Since its invention in 1909, the coveted chocolate with nougat crunch has been produced in the Swiss capital Berne, and nowhere else. Here, a staggering 97 per cent of all bars are produced and packaged, before being distributed globally.
Bosch Packaging Technology, now Syntegon Technology, has supported the brand with its comprehensive portfolio of secondary packaging technology since the Berne-Brunnen plant in Switzerland opened in 1985. The Toblerone plant in Berne proved to be the ideal test environment for the newly developed, standardised Elematic 1001 SL sideload case packer.
The crispy chocolate bar has been packed in the light yellow, triangular folding carton for more than 100 years. The Matterhorn was first depicted in 1970, and a bear – the symbol of Berne – has been hiding in the new logo since 2000. The Swiss capital is still the only Toblerone production site in the world. In 1985, a new production plant was built in the west of Berne to meet the increasing global demand.
High recognition value
Today, Toblerone bars come in different sizes and flavours, some of which are only available seasonally or in specialist shops, such as the 4.5 kg XXL bar. During the primary and secondary packaging process, the 100g, 360g and 4.5kg bars are wrapped in aluminium foil and packed in the distinctive folding cartons. The Tiny Toblerone – individually packed in mini flow wraps – are available as a variety pack in stand-up pouches or as a special edition in a dispenser folding carton.
Primary and secondary packaging link up with tertiary packaging into shipping cases. For more than 40 years, the Elematic case packers from Syntegon Technology have ensured that Toblerone reach distribution partners and end consumers all over the world – undamaged and safely packaged.
Bernhard Vaihinger, product manager at Syntegon Technology, said, “We have been collaborating with the Toblerone plant in terms of out packaging since the opening of the Berne-Brunnen site. They bought the first Elematic case packer as early as 1986.”
Juerg Adam, engineer at the parent company, Mondelēz International, said, “For the most part, the Elematic machines from back then are still in use today. Over the years, we have expanded our machine park for the Toblerone product family by nine more Elematic case packers.”
Field test partners – searched and found
The different product sizes, seasonal offers and special formats for the duty-free market result in different packaging requirements. When Toblerone started looking for a new case packer for the plant, they turned to their partner Syntegon Technology. Driven by global market needs, the packaging technology experts were already working intensively on the development of the new Elematic 1001 SL sideload case packer for Regular Slotted Cases and were looking for a field test co-operation partner. As soon as Toblerone heard this, they agreed to put the new machine to the test in December 2016.
“Our decision to test the Elematic 1001 SL is evidence of our confidence in Bosch Packaging. Field trials always involve an element of risk, but after working together for years, we knew we could rely on Bosch Packaging,” Adam said.
To ensure the machine met the requirements in full, a failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) lasting several days was conducted together with the Bosch/Syntegon development team.
Philipp Goos, area sales manager at Syntegon, said, “During the FMEA assessment we worked closely with Mondelēz International's global and local teams and adjusted the development in some points. At the end of the analysis, it turned out that the intended machine design was already very close to Mondelēz International's expectations. This was partly due to the numerous customer meetings and interviews we held in advance in order to incorporate as much user experience as possible into the development.”
Elematic 1001 SL on the test bench
In the summer of 2017, Toblerone examined whether the Elematic 1001 SL could deliver what the technical brochure promised during continuous multi-shift production tests.
The Elematic 1001 SL is designed for the medium output rate. It stands out for its small footprint, easy maintenance and user-friendliness. Thanks to the extended blank magazine and ergonomic prefeeder height, operators are required to replenish the blanks less frequently. The Elematic click system enables toolless and fully reproducible format changes within ten minutes. A clearly audible click indicates when the parts have locked in place successfully. This eliminates the need for adjustments. In addition, errors are minimised and planned downtimes are reduced.
The sideload case packer was integrated into the production line at Toblerone’s factory within a few days and put into operation by Syntegon’s technicians. Apart from a few details that needed to be adjusted, the field test went smoothly under normal production conditions. Since then, the case packer has been packing individual Toblerone bars and multipacks of Toblerone bars in Regular Slotted Cases, a simple folding carton with top and bottom flaps that meet in the middle.
"The Elematic 1001 SL impressed us with its format flexibility and performance: following the pilot project, we ordered a second sideload case packer and two Elematic 2000 WA case packers for full wrap-around cartons," Adam said.
The large format range offers a high degree of flexibility. The Elematic 1001 SL sideload case packer groups the Toblerone bars or bags into multi-layer rows depending on the desired constellation. These are then loaded laterally into packaging cases made of corrugated or solid board. The Elematic 1001 SL can produce up to 20 cases per minute.
"At our Toblerone plant, we aligned the output rate of the Elematic 1001 SL with the speeds of the preceding primary and secondary packaging machines,” Adam said. “The sideload case packer currently produces seven cases per minute. In any case, there is still room for improvement so that we are prepared for future performance increases. We have mastered numerous changes with Bosch at our side and know that we can count on the Elematic machines from Remshalden in the future."
In Australia, APPMA member Nupac is Syntegon's partner, providing its customers with processing and packaging solutions.
The Kliklok division of Syntegon is represented in Australia by APPMA member PerForm Packaging Solutions.
