In mid‑March, we travelled to South Africa to visit various customers together with our dealer Uniekum. The conversations on site painted a clear picture: the South African packaging market is changing rapidly.
A shift in needs
Where demand from South Africa traditionally focused mainly on 7 kg and 10 kg paper packaging, we are now seeing a clear shift toward smaller packaging formats. Supermarkets are increasingly focusing on smaller packs such as wicket bags, primarily in the 1 to 4 kg range. At the same time, awareness around sustainability is growing. As a result, packing stations are looking for solutions that can handle smaller volumes and/or offer sustainable packaging options. The focus is moving from capacity to flexibility.
Paper Bagger and MoNo Clipper
This changing demand, combined with the need for automation, aligns well with our latest developments: the Paper Bagger and the MoNo Clipper, which is why we see strong potential for these machines in the coming years. The Paper Bagger offers an efficient way to pack products from 1 to 10 kilos into paper bags, meeting both the need for smaller portion sizes and the increasing focus on sustainable materials. The MoNo Clipper, meanwhile, provides a future‑proof replacement for several older Clippers still in use across Africa, as it operates with mono‑material net bags that improve overall recyclability. The rise of smaller packaging formats also boosts demand for the Automesh baler and for compact, efficient palletizing solutions such as the ST8 palletizer, which fits seamlessly into this evolving packaging landscape.
Satisfied customers
In addition to exploring new opportunities, the trip also offered valuable time with existing customers, who were very satisfied with our machines. Several of these visits are shown in the photo collage. We would like to thank everyone for welcoming us so warmly during our visit.
