At Zippy Ice, stacking bags of ice onto pallets had been a manual operation. When employees started to retire, the company considered two options - hiring and training new employees to take on this cold and backbreaking task, or automation. Zippy Ice partnered with MMCI, and after evaluating production needs and workspace constraints, MMCI recommended a small-footprint palletizing system featuring the FANUC R-1000iA/80H compact material handling robot. The robot uses an MMCI designed innovative end-of-arm-tool that can efficiently stack different sized bags, and the system includes an automated pallet conveyor that accommodates pallets of different sizes and styles. 

Today, the robotic system consistently and reliably palletizes orders and has expanded Zippy’s capacity to take on new customers and continue to grow the business. Equally important is that Zippy’s skilled workforce now manages the automation to keep production running consistently. 

At Zippy Ice, stacking bags of ice onto pallets had been a manual operation. When employees started to retire, the company considered two options - hiring and training new employees to take on this cold and backbreaking task, or automation. Zippy Ice partnered with MMCI, and after evaluating production needs and workspace constraints, MMCI recommended a small-footprint palletizing system featuring the FANUC R-1000iA/80H compact material handling robot. The robot uses an MMCI designed innovative end-of-arm-tool that can efficiently stack different sized bags, and the system includes an automated pallet conveyor that accommodates pallets of different sizes and styles. 

Today, the robotic system consistently and reliably palletizes orders and has expanded Zippy’s capacity to take on new customers and continue to grow the business. Equally important is that Zippy’s skilled workforce now manages the automation to keep production running consistently.