The customer

La Linea Verde, based in Manerbio, Brescia, is one of Europe’s leading producers of fresh-cut salads and ready-to-eat meals. A production volume of around two million units a day, supported by eight sites across Italy, Spain, France, and Serbia, makes the company an example of integration between industrial capacity, technological innovation, and process automation.

La Linea Verde manages the entire supply chain, from field to table, with an approach focused on production efficiency, quality, and food safety. In 2024 it achieved revenue of EUR 378 million and employed more than 1,600 people.

The challenge

The Manerbio facility needed to automate twelve manual packing lines under extremely complex conditions. Available space was restricted by a mezzanine with a maximum height of 250 centimetres, while the cold and humid environment represented an additional challenge.

The real challenge was handling 583 different SKUs, weighing from 40 grams to 1 kilogram, to be packed into 25 different plastic and cardboard tray formats. The customer required a solution able to handle all these formats with a single machine, guaranteeing 70 pieces per minute and integrating an outgoing tray stacker.

The solution

PRL Tecnosoft developed an ultra-compact case-packing machine measuring 1,500 x 4,650 mm and 2,200 mm high, designed to make use of every available centimetre. The core of the system consists of two delta robots guided by a sophisticated machine-vision system that recognizes and precisely handles all 583 SKUs.

The distinctive element is the custom gripper, developed entirely by PRL Tecnosoft and able to handle 90% of the formats. The alternative, reduced-footprint gripper was developed to ensure fast changeovers.

The stainless-steel structure and purpose-designed layout facilitate cleaning and maintenance. The 21-inch touchscreen interface allows intuitive management through a multi-recipe system, repeatable across all twelve machines. Seven LED lights communicate operating status, while an automatic blowing system keeps the illuminators clean. Accessibility is ensured by sliding doors that optimize the limited available space.

The results

The prototype was completed in seven months, followed by the delivery of the next eleven machines between September and December 2025. La Linea Verde now has twelve identical machines that manage the entire production range on a single technology platform, achieving the required output and ensuring maximum operating flexibility.

A partnership that turned dimensional constraints into an opportunity for innovation.