The Future of Craft Beer, Focused on Cans

Increasing throughput while eliminating hand packing

Climax Packaging Machinery’s Automatic CanDO Can Cartoner.

For years it has been thought that putting beer in a can just isn’t proper for craft beer. Well, this summer Sam Adams reversed their stand and announced that they too, will be putting their beer in a can. Sam Adams has been a huge player in the Craft Beer BOOM that started nearly 20 years ago. What is happening? Craft Brewers from around the globe are flocking to the aluminum can option and are scrambling for ways to package their product affordably. Climax Packaging has the AFFORDABLE solution. Introducing the CanDO 360 packer.

The Trend

The number of craft brewers that are putting their beer in cans has doubled since 2012. Along with this, the growth of the variety pack SKU’s has experienced double-digit growth for a number of years and was recently up 24% year over year. These trends are sending craft brewers, large breweries, sports drink and juice companies alike to the packaging machinery manufacturers for a solution. Climax has been building these “Variety Pack” or “Rainbow” systems for over ten years, with a number of satisfied customers. So, why Climax? Because the equipment is built by a single manufacturer so there is only one person responsible for system integration and performance. The Climax Rainbow Systems are affordable and proven to work all day, everyday. With the CanDo packer, variety patterns can be hand loaded or loaded with an automated pick and place system depending on business requirements. The CanDO packer can grow into a system that expands in function as business levels increase.

Why the Climax CanDO can cartoner?

It’s simple. When Climax Packaging Machinery builds a machine, it’s built better. The CanDO 360 is the second of four versions of can packaging machines that Climax is building. The first version of the CanDO was a semi-auto version that requires labor to load the cans. This new CanDO 360 is the flagship of the Climax Packaging line of can packaging machines.

CanDO 360 features:

Speeds up to 30 cartons per minute, depending on pattern selected

Accommodates 12 & 16 oz standard beverage cans

Continuous motion, eliminates jerky start-stop movement

Automatic loading of cans into fully-enclosed, end-loaded cartons

Exclusive, cam-operated oscillating loader loads cans on-the-fly

Stainless steel can conveyor

Rotary flap tuckers require no adjustment

Automatic hot melt glue system

2-stage glue application allowing independent upper/lower flap glue patterns

Panelview 400 operator panel for simple, configurable operation selection

Easy, tool-free changeover

Full perimeter guarding with safety interlocks

Infeed wipe-off tongue to allow for product transfer onto packer

OPTIONS:

Redundant operator station with HMI

Additional 20’ laned infeed conveyor for hand loading variety patterns

Skid Mount with wheels for easy transportation

Climax Packaging worked closely with a number of its clients to address the needs of Craft Brewers and provide an affordable solution to packaging cans. Bill George, President of Climax Packaging, explains, “Craft Brewers are tired of hand packing their cans or trying to make old equipment fit their needs. We owe it to them to provide them with an affordable and reliable solution. The CanDO line of equipment was designed to meet their immediate need and provide them with capacity for growth.”