Verbruggen Palletizing Solutions is renowned for its global commitment to producing reliable and innovative palletizing machines, having successfully enhanced the box and crate stacking sector. Managing Director Maarten Verbruggen and Director Global Sales & Marketing Tom Rosier discussed the latest developments, in conversation with Imogen Ward.
Established in 1991, Verbruggen began by servicing the agricultural fresh produce industry, a segment of the market that swiftly evolved into one of the major cornerstones of the company’s continued growth.
“The agricultural fresh produce industry has been our bread and butter over the years,” explained Managing Director Maarten Verbruggen. “Our stacking bins completely changed the game in an industry that’s produce is renowned for being difficult to stack.
“As the years went by, this solution garnered interest from producers covering rice, sugar and flour, and eventually paved the way for the boxed and crated palletizers we offer today.”
An expert in boxed palletizing
Although Verbruggen made a name for itself serving customers with hard-to-stack produce, the company has been working hard to improve the end-of-line efficiency for boxed goods manufacturers too.
“We are one of the only fully focused palletizers on the market and are proud to be moving upstream rather than downstream,” revealed Mr Verbruggen. “This has only been possible thank to our new facility, which has provided the space to be able to do that.”
Having previously operated out of four separate buildings that were limited on space, the transition to a larger, purpose-built area has been a real game changer for Verbruggen.
“The new facility afforded us a strong move towards better efficiency, larger production capacity and shorter lead times,” continued Mr Verbruggen. “That is what our customers needed, and we are excited to be able to offer that to them.”
With customers a core priority for Verbruggen, making sure that the move led to minimal disruption was crucial. To accomplish this, the company made the big move during the summer break of 2025.
“We began developing the new location ahead of time, which also helped to ensure any disruption was limited,” shared Mr Verbruggen.
“75 per cent of the employees went on summer holiday and came back to an entirely new building,” added Director Global Sales & Marketing Tom Rosier. “They really appreciated being able to get straight back into their work, but it certainly took a major team effort to facilitate.”
A strategy for growth
Firmly believing that the employees have the best insider knowledge, Verbruggen relied on their input throughout the development of its new factory. Thanks to their feedback, the company was able to implement a lot of practical improvements, including key environmental enhancements.
“Light and ventilation are two major elements that were absolutely vital,” said Mr Verbruggen. “We also received great suggestions relating to energy consumption, and, as a result, we have been able to reduce our energy consumption by 70 per cent.”
This is a huge achievement for Verbruggen, especially with the company focusing heavily on improving its operations and enhancing its portfolio. In line with this strategy, the company has recently extended its portfolio for the fresh produce market, adding new packaging solutions.
“Our customers are constantly looking for new ways to improve the efficiency of their processes,” explained Mr Rosier. “As a well-established and highly regarded company in the market, it made sense for us to build on that reputation by expanding our portfolio with a solution beyond palletizing and wrapping.”
“While the upstream market is increasingly moving towards palletizing, we are taking the opposite approach by expanding further into packaging,” added Mr Verbruggen. “Our new machines complement our existing palletizing solutions perfectly, adding weighing, bagging and sewing capabilities to the process.”
The addition of the V-Weigh, V-Load and V-Pack has enabled Verbruggen to deliver a powerful end-of-line automation solution that’s a real game changer. From V-Load’s automatic bag placing capabilities to V-Weigh’s reliable automatic weighing and V-Pack’s semi-automated bag sewing line, these new products are set to increase efficiency industry wide.
For Verbruggen, the continuous development of its technology is crucial as the industry evolves, with collaboration playing a key role in driving innovation and ensuring its solutions continue to meet the changing needs of its customers.
One recent example is the company’s collaboration on PARADAIM, a project focused on AI-supported product development.
“PARADAIM is something that companies from multiple different sectors are taking part in,” said Mr Verbruggen. “From a broader perspective, we are trying to share knowledge with one another, but as a machine manufacturer, naturally we are working to apply AI to our solutions. Currently, AI plays a huge role in software development, and I believe the next step will see AI expanding further into the manufacturing space – whether that be in relation to machine safety, improved efficiency in project development, or even programming patterns for palletizing, there is a lot of potential for us to explore.”
A team effort
Verbruggen has also enjoyed working with its suppliers to enhance its offering. According to Mr Rosier, the company has been involved in some nice projects in the frozen foods sector and is seeing demand from this area increasing consistently as it continues to deliver above and beyond customer expectations.
The snacks industry is also another firm favourite for Verbruggen, with its machines operating all over the world, from Germany to India and the United States to Australia. The company’s solutions are even being used by top chocolatier Tony’s Chocolonely.
“We would not have achieved these amazing milestones without the support of our supply chain,” shared Mr Verbruggen. “These companies are crucial to our success. We work with around 150 different suppliers, large and small, and we appreciate every one of them and their continued loyalty.
“In appreciation of their dedication, we invest a lot of time into these relationships. Names like SMC, SEW and Beckoff have been a part of our chain for a long time, and they really help ensure our solutions are the best they can be.”
Looking to the future, Verbruggen intends to continue working alongside these amazing partners, bringing new solutions to the market that help enhance its customers’ operations.
“We intend to become the global leader for palletizing,” said Mr Verbruggen, in conclusion. “We want to be the first company that comes to mind when someone needs a palletizer.
“Of course, we have a long way to go to achieve that ambition, but we are on the right track. Along the way, we will remain focused on improving our processes and expanding our portfolio without losing sight of what matters most: delivering high-quality solutions, maintaining strict safety standards and finding new ways to improve sustainability and reduce our waste.
“Above all else, we want to create a company where everyone can work in a safe environment and earn enough to support themselves and their families. That is the kind of company we set out to build, and if we can continue to provide that for our people, then we will have done our job well.”