For production managers, procurement specialists and business owners evaluating cartoning machine options, the critical variables are floor space, product format range, changeover time, and in regulated industries, compliance requirements. Getting these right before committing to a machine determines how well it will serve the business over its working life.
This article covers what to consider when specifying new cartoning equipment, and introduces the UET range of compact vertical cartoners available through Advanced Packaging Systems in New Zealand.
UET Stella 6
Cartoning Machine Options?
A cartoning machine erects flat-packed carton blanks, loads the product, and closes and seals the finished carton, all in a single automated or semi-automated process. The two principal configurations are:
- Vertical (top-load) cartoners: the carton is held upright while the product is inserted from above. Well suited to solid and stable products — blister packs, bottles, sachets, tubes, vials, and medical devices.
- Horizontal (end-load) cartoners: the product is inserted horizontally into the open end of the carton. Common in high-speed food and pharmaceutical production lines.
UET specialises in vertical cartoning machines — a configuration suited to mid-volume pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food applications where flexibility and compact footprint are primary requirements.
UET Compact 5
Key Factors When Specifying a Cartoning Machine
Before comparing models, the following should be defined:
Throughput. Cartoning machines are rated in cartons per minute (CPM). UET’s Compact range covers semi-automatic through to fully automatic production, accommodating lower-volume multi-product lines and higher-output dedicated runs.
Product and carton format range. The number of different SKUs, carton sizes and insert types a machine must handle determines how important changeover flexibility is. Frequent format changes add time and cost to production schedules. UET addresses this directly with the Stella size-star change-part system — a patented component that handles multiple carton formats without custom tooling, reducing changeover time and the engineering resources required.
Closing method. Cartons can be closed by tuck-in (mechanical fold-and-lock) or hot-melt adhesive. Tuck-in is tamper-evident and widely used in pharmaceutical and food applications. Hot-melt offers a more secure, cleaner closure and is common in cosmetics. The UET Compact 5 integrates both closing options in a single machine — a practical advantage for operations running varied product types.
Compliance and documentation. Pharmaceutical and nutraceutical manufacturers have additional requirements: GMP-compliant construction, materials traceability, and in regulated markets, serialisation or track-and-trace readiness. These specifications should be confirmed at the enquiry stage, not retrofitted.
Floor space. Available footprint often eliminates full-scale production cartoners early in the decision process. UET’s Compact 3 occupies just 1 m² — a bench-top configuration suited to laboratory-scale pharmaceutical production or low-volume specialist runs where space is at a premium.
The UET Compact Range
UET Bernd Siebler GmbH was established in Germany in 1985 and has more than 600 machines installed across global markets, with an export rate of 85%. The product range is built around a focused specialism: compact vertical cartoning for pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food applications.
COMPACT 3. A bench-top model with a footprint of just 1 m². Semi-automatic operation with manual or automatic product loading. Suited to pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food applications where space is constrained or production volumes are low to mid-range.
COMPACT 4. Incorporates UET’s patented Stella 8 size-star — the component that underpins UET’s claim to be the most flexible compact cartoning machine available. The Stella change-part handles a range of carton formats without custom tooling, making it a practical choice for multi-product production environments.
COMPACT 5. UET’s latest development, integrating tuck-in and hot-melt closing in a single machine. Particularly well suited to contract packers, pharmaceutical operations, and cosmetics manufacturers that need to accommodate different carton closure requirements within the same production schedule.
Compact Automatik. A fully automatic configuration with support for various product feeding systems. Designed for operations requiring higher throughput or minimal manual intervention in the cartoning process.
The Stella size-star system — available in Stella 6, 8 and 10 variants — is the design principle that runs through the UET range. One change-part handles a range of carton dimensions without custom components or specialist tooling, and format changes can be completed quickly by the operator without additional engineering support.
Planning a processing or packaging project?
Speak with Advanced Packaging Systems about equipment selection, line integration, and local support in New Zealand.
- Local technical and commercial support in New Zealand.
- Obligation-free advice on equipment and line fit.
- Useful next steps, even if your project is still early-stage.
Industries and Applications
UET cartoning machines are in use across pharmaceutical, cosmetics, food and medical device manufacturing. Typical products cartoned include:
- Blister packs, vials, bottles and tubes (pharmaceutical and nutraceutical)
- Ampoules, syringes and diagnostic kits (medical devices)
- Cosmetics and toiletry products
- Dry food products and baked goods
- Sachets and pouches
In pharmaceutical applications, UET equipment supports production from small-batch R&D through to mid-scale commercial output. The compact footprint makes the range practical for facilities where dedicated cartoning space is limited, and where GMP-compliant documentation and reliable format-change processes are operational requirements.
Available in New Zealand through Advanced Packaging Systems
Advanced Packaging Systems is the New Zealand distributor for UET cartoning equipment, supplying new machines to manufacturers across pharmaceutical, food, cosmetics and related industries. APS provides local pre-sales support to help buyers specify the right configuration for their product range, throughput requirements and available floor space.
Contact APS to discuss your cartoning requirements, request technical specifications, or arrange a consultation.
