The packaging of cat litter and the construction of turnkey plants meets the need to adapt to an ever-expanding market.

The cat litter sector is becoming increasingly competitive due to the growing focus on hygiene in domestic environments and the spread of pets.

In this context, the adoption of modern, reliable and highly productive packaging solutions proves to be strategic.

MF TECNO, specialising in the design and manufacture of complete packaging systems, is the ideal partner to meet the challenges of this market.

Let's look below at a concrete example of a turnkey system created for packaging cat litter.

Growth of the cat litter market

According to research by Grand View Research, the cat litter market will continue to grow at a CAGR of 5.2% in the coming years. This increase is mainly due to two factors:

• Increase in the pet population, especially cats in urban areas.
• Evolving consumer needs, increasingly oriented towards products that are hygienic, convenient to use and environmentally friendly.

This reflects the growing consumer search for practical, hygienic and sustainable solutions.

Manufacturers are thus faced with the need to innovate their production processes and technologies in order to improve their versatility, productivity and scalability.

Specificity of the project

The case we are analysing involves a cat litter manufacturer that wanted to increase its production capacity and manage two different sizes. A small one up to 3.5 kg and a medium one up to 9 kg.

The system was designed to handle square-bottomed packs with side handles, a particularly suitable choice for transport and storage. The solution implemented by MF TECNO covers all stages of the process:

• Product packaging;
• Bundle formation;
• Automatic palletising;
• Final pallet wrapping.

With production rates of up to 1200 bags/hour.

Machinery involved

The entire plant incorporates machines designed and manufactured in-house by MF TECNO. Each machine was selected and configured to meet the customer's specific requirements in terms of format, speed and type of pack.

The choice of package type and the high productivity required led to the selection of the following machines:

• SBS bagging machine
• V Bundler
• 6-column palletiser
• MF WRAP 60 rotary arm wrapper

1. SBS bagging machine

The SBS 1200 bagging machine is the heart of the packaging line. It is designed to form square-bottom bags of up to 15 kg. Its main strengths include:

• High dosing accuracy;
• Speed up to 1200 kg/hour;
• Compatibility with secondary packaging systems;
• Extensive customisation possibilities: from inserting folders to different closure systems.

The touch screen panel provides an intuitive operator interface, while the self-diagnosis system ensures a high level of operational reliability.

2. MF-V shrinkwrapper

The MF-V shrink wrapper is designed to pack square-bottom bags, bricks and cartons upright with shrink film.

 The vertically arranged bags are wrapped in multipacks by a machine made entirely of stainless steel, an ideal choice for dusty or humid environments.

Key features:

• Production of up to 10 bundles/minute;
• Format flexibility;
• Reliability and ease of maintenance.

3. 6-Column Palletiser

To support the high packaging speeds, a top-loading palletiser with 6 columns was installed, capable of reaching

• 1200 sacks/hour in single pick-up;
• 2000 bags/hour in double pick-up.

The use of brushless motors, side compactors and a reel-to-reel interlayer system allows the formation of stable and compact pallets.

In fact, the bags can be partially overlapped, both head-on and sideways, and can be pressed both vertically and horizontally.

The palletising pattern is controlled by a state-of-the-art PLC panel.

There are also a number of safety guards.

4. MF WRAP 60 winder

Completing the line-up is the MF WRAP 60 automatic rotary arm winder, ideal for heavy loads up to 2000 kg. This machine ensures:

• Maximum pallet stability during handling;
• Adaptability to new or existing palletising lines;
• Reduced final packing time.

Benefits of an MF TECNO turnkey system

An integrated project such as this offers numerous advantages:

• Single point of contact

 The entire line is designed, manufactured, installed and tested by a single supplier. This reduces management complexity and enables more effective communication throughout all project phases.

• Reduced downtime

Full automation enables continuous production with minimal need for manual intervention.

• Centralised management

All machines are connected by a centralised management system, which allows real-time monitoring and optimisation of the production cycle. This leads to reduced downtimes and increased efficiency.

• Bespoke customisation

Each system is custom-built, taking into account product specifications, factory layout and production targets. A high degree of design flexibility is one of the hallmarks of MF TECNO's approach.

• Space optimisation

MF TECNO solutions are designed to adapt perfectly to the customer's production environment, making the most of every available square metre.

Conclusion

Cat litter packaging today requires advanced technological solutions capable of combining productivity, flexibility and attention to detail.

The packaging of cat litter is no longer a simple ancillary phase, but a strategic component of production.

Companies that invest in automated, flexible and technologically advanced plants are able to meet the demands of an increasingly demanding market.

Thanks to a turnkey system made up of reliable and interconnected machinery, it is possible to face the challenges of the market with security and competitiveness.

MF TECNO confirms itself as a reference partner for all companies operating in the pet care sector and looking for a concrete evolution of their production lines.