What to look for in an end-of-line automation partner and how PASCO delivers on every count
Choosing an end-of-line automation partner is one of the longer-lasting decisions a plant manager makes. When properly maintained, equipment may run for upwards of 20 years. This guide covers what to look for, what to ask, and how PASCO has been answering those questions since 1976.
End-of-line automation companies fall into two categories. Knowing the difference changes what you should expect from the relationship.
These surface in year 8 when a component needs replacing, or year 3 when your line goes down at 11pm. Ask them before you buy.
Do you manufacture the critical components, or source them from third parties?
“Who do I call when I need a part for a system you installed in 2018?”
When a component fails on an older system, the OEM manufacturer has the drawings and the institutional knowledge to solve it. A reseller has to make the same calls you would.
PASCO manufactures most critical components in-house and stocks 1,200+ parts ready to ship same-day. For non-PASCO components, our vendor network handles sourcing directly, with quotes in under an hour. See how parts and service works.
When something breaks, who shows up, your employees or a contractor?
“If my line goes down at 11pm on a Friday, who calls me back and when are they on-site?”
National service networks have coverage, but they also have hand-offs and response times measured in days. The technician who arrives may have never seen your specific installation.
PASCO has a full-scale in-house service team. Calls are answered within three rings, remote diagnostics start immediately, and we’re on-site within 24 hours if your line is down. The technician who shows up knows your system because we built it.
Are you a FANUC Certified Service Provider, not just an authorized integrator?
“If the robot needs warranty work, does that involve a separate call to FANUC or do you handle it?”
FANUC Authorized System Integrator (ASI) status is common. It means a company is approved to sell and install FANUC robots. FANUC Certified Service Provider (CSP) status is different and rare. Fewer than 5% of FANUC integrators hold it. CSP authorizes technicians to perform warranty repairs at the same level as FANUC factory engineers.
PASCO holds both ASI and CSP status. One call covers the full system, including the robot.
Will you still be the same company, with the same commitments, in year 15?
“Has your ownership structure changed recently, or are any changes anticipated?”
Acquisitions and divestitures happen regularly in this industry. When they do, service teams reorganize, parts networks shift, and the account relationship you built dissolves. For a 15 to 20 year equipment investment, vendor stability matters as much as equipment quality.
PASCO has been family-owned since 1976. The commitments made today are backed by the same people who will be here in year 15.
A good partner helps you build the business case before you commit. These are typical outcomes manufacturers see from end-of-line automation. See the full ROI breakdown.
| Metric | Typical impact | Payback period |
|---|---|---|
| Labor cost reduction | 40 to 50% savings on direct labor | 12 to 24 months |
| Throughput increase | 30 to 35% boost in production output | Immediate gains realized |
| Damage reduction | 20 to 30% fewer rejected or damaged items | 12 to 18 months |
| Space optimization | 15 to 20% footprint savings | 18 to 30 months |
50 years of answering these questions the same way
Here’s what that looks like in practice.
PASCO engineers end-of-line automation for manufacturers at any stage. The scope depends on where you are in the process.
Full end-of-line automation
A complete, connected end-of-line system engineered as a single sequence. Most critical components manufactured in-house, integrated and commissioned to run together.
Integrating with an existing line
A specific process at end of line, integrated cleanly with what you already have. Same equipment, same service model, scoped to fit your operation.
New facility buildout
End-of-line systems specified and supplied from the ground up. PASCO works from layout through commissioning for facilities equipping a new production line.
“It’s one manufacturing company talking to another manufacturing company. I don’t know if you get the gravity between that, but it feels like PASCO is one of us. We manufacture things, they manufacture things. We like that they understand us, and we understand them.”
Dimitri Frangiadis, Capital Project Manager, Croda
End-of-line automation looks different depending on what you’re packaging. PASCO engineers systems around your specific product, container, and production environment.
Bags
Open-mouth bag handling for agricultural products, pet food, and bulk materials. Engineered for consistent placement and stack integrity at production speed.
Valve bags
Automated valve bag placing and filling for powdered and granular materials including cement, fertilizer, and feed. 99.5% placement success rate across 100 million bags placed.
Cases
Complete case handling from erection through packing and palletizing. Integrated vision inspection and reject handling for food and beverage, building products, and consumer goods.
Drums
Where PASCO started in 1976. Heavy-duty drum handling for paint, coatings, lubes, and petro-chem in corrosive and demanding environments where standard equipment struggles.
Kegs
Robotic keg palletizing for beverage and brewing operations. Handles full and empty kegs with consistent layer patterns and load stability for safe transport.
Pails
Pail handling for paint, coatings, and chemical products. Systems engineered for the weight, shape, and throughput requirements of industrial pail lines.
Every piece of equipment below is designed, manufactured, and serviced by PASCO. Most critical components are built in-house at our St. Louis facility.
Palletizers
Robotic, conventional, and cobot options for stacking any package type at production speed.
Depalletizers
Automated unstacking for incoming loads. Handles full pallets of product for inline feeding.
Case erectors
High-speed case forming for corrugated cartons, engineered to run in sequence with downstream packing and palletizing.
Case packers
Automated product loading into cases across a range of product types, sizes, and pack patterns.
Valve bag placers
Precision placement of valve bags onto fill spouts for powdered and granular materials.
Valve bag fillers
Automated filling systems for valve bags, designed for consistent weight accuracy at production speed.
Conveyors
Connecting every step of the end-of-line sequence. Designed to integrate cleanly with existing equipment and controls.
Standard components
Turntables, pallet dispensers, stretch wrappers, and other components that complete the line.
End-of-arm tooling
PASCO designs tooling for your specific product and sources components through our vendor network. Engineered for bags, pails, drums, cases, or kegs.
The credentials and experience behind every system we build.
50 years in end-of-line automation
Started solving a drum palletizing problem at Monsanto in 1976, and every system since has been in this application. 70% of our annual business comes from repeat customers.
OEM manufacturer
Most critical components are manufactured at our St. Louis facility, which means we know every part in your system. For components we don’t make ourselves, we handle sourcing through our vendor network — one call and we take it from there. See parts and service.
FANUC Certified Service Provider and Authorized System Integrator
CSP status is held by fewer than 5% of integrators and authorizes our technicians to handle FANUC warranty repairs directly, at the same level as FANUC factory engineers. No separate call to FANUC when something goes wrong on your line.
Certified across FANUC, ABB, Kawasaki, and Yaskawa
The robot platform gets chosen based on what the application needs, not vendor preference. Every platform is serviced by the same in-house team.
Family-owned since 1976
No acquisitions, no restructuring, no new ownership changing the terms of the relationship. The people who sold you the system are the ones who service it.
The service relationship and guarantees that apply once your system is running.
Dedicated in-house service team
Calls answered within three rings, remote diagnostics start immediately, and for down lines on-site response within 24 hours is what we aim for and typically hit. Our technicians, not contractors. Learn about service response.
1,200+ parts stocked and ready to ship
Most parts ship same-day from our facility, and for anything we don’t stock, our vendor network turns quotes around in under an hour. You don’t have to track anything down. See parts availability.
One-year zero-cost warranty on new systems
Every PASCO system includes standard warranty coverage for the first year after commissioning. Parts and labor, no cost to you.
Throughput buyback guarantee on new systems
Every system is engineered to documented line speeds and real throughput targets. If it doesn’t hit quoted throughput, we’ll buy it right back.
No machine left behind
Our engineers maintain detailed records of every build, which means we can repair, retrofit, or replace any component today or ten years from now. Age doesn’t make your system obsolete.
A closer look at the work behind the commitments.
Let’s talk automation
Whether you’re exploring automation for the first time or just have questions about your current line, our engineers are here to talk it through. Tell us a little about your process and someone from our applications team will follow up within one business day. No fully scoped project required.
