CANPACK modernises intralogistics with automated pallet storage

CANPACK is a global manufacturer of aluminium cans and lids for the food and beverage industry, operating 27 production plants across more than 17 countries. Known for its focus on sustainability and innovation, the company continuously invests in modern manufacturing and logistics technologies to remain competitive in a highly regulated and fast-evolving packaging market.

To increase manufacturing capacity, CANPACK commissioned new production lines at its Brzesko site in Poland. The expansion involved replacing the existing facility with a modern building complex, including a 5,600 m² production plant and a dedicated warehouse for semi-finished goods. An additional 2,000 m² of production space was added as part of the upgrade.

This expansion created a clear operational requirement: logistics had to be tightly integrated with production to ensure a continuous material flow, high throughput, and efficient use of limited floor space.

Integrating manufacturing and warehousing
The Brzesko site handles aluminium cans and lids that must move seamlessly between production stages. Manual storage and conventional racking systems were no longer suitable to support the increased production volumes and required delivery frequency.

“Connecting logistics with manufacturing was essential for optimising our process efficiency,” a CANPACK representative explains. The company needed a system capable of managing both inbound and outbound flows of semi-finished products while maintaining high storage density and operational reliability.




High-density AS/RS as the selected solution
To meet these requirements, CANPACK selected an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) supplied by Mecalux. The warehouse was equipped with an Automated Pallet Shuttle system combined with a stacker crane.

The key factor behind this choice was space efficiency. The high-density design allows a large number of pallets to be stored in a very small footprint. At the Brzesko facility, 620 pallets are stored within just 171 m²—an area smaller than a standard tennis court—maximising storage capacity without expanding the building envelope.

In operation, the stacker crane transports pallets to the appropriate storage lane, where a motorised shuttle places each pallet in its assigned position. This configuration enables continuous, precise pallet handling with minimal human intervention.




Warehouse management and production synchronisation
All warehouse movements are coordinated by the Easy WMS warehouse management system, which is integrated with CANPACK’s ERP platform. The software provides real-time inventory visibility and supports production planning by ensuring that the correct materials are delivered to the production lines when needed.

Efficient coordination between the AS/RS and production enables the warehouse to supply approximately 60 pallets per day to manufacturing operations. According to CANPACK, this level of control helps minimise waiting times and prevents bottlenecks between storage and production.

Operational continuity and safety
Although the Brzesko warehouse operates fully automatically under normal conditions, the system is designed to function in semi-automatic mode if required. In such cases, operators can insert a motorised shuttle into the storage lanes using forklifts, allowing pallets to continue being stored and retrieved autonomously.

This design ensures continuity of operations even under exceptional circumstances, such as power disruptions. At the same time, automation reduces the need for conventional handling equipment inside the warehouse, contributing to improved workplace safety.




Efficiency gains and sustainability impact
By modernising its intralogistics infrastructure, CANPACK has improved the management of semi-finished goods and increased the effective production capacity of the Brzesko plant. Better space utilisation and automated pallet handling support higher throughput without additional warehouse expansion.

The project also aligns with the company’s broader sustainability objectives. Efficient material flow, reduced handling, and optimised storage contribute to lower energy consumption per unit produced and safer working conditions.

In an industry shaped by changing regulations, rising demand, and sustainability targets, CANPACK’s investment in automated warehousing demonstrates how logistics modernisation can directly support manufacturing performance and long-term competitiveness.