Use-Case – Pallet Strap Feeder B190

The Challenge

A retail distribution center near Graz, Austria processes around 350 palletized shipments per day, all secured with PP and PET straps. Operators had to bend or kneel to manually feed straps under pallets, a slow and physically demanding task.

Average under-pallet threading time had crept up to over 1 minute per pallet, creating bottlenecks at the shipping lanes. At the same time, the site recorded 4–5 minor back and knee incidents per year linked to strapping, driving up indirect costs and raising concerns from the safety committee.

Manual Process

Before introducing the Pallet Strap Feeder B190, operators used a traditional “hand push” method. They crouched down, tried to push the naturally curved strap under the pallet, then walked around to retrieve it. Straps frequently snagged on boards or broke alignment, requiring rethreading.

Before Automation:

• Daily volume: 350 pallets/day
• Cycle time per pallet (under-pallet threading only): 60 seconds
• Total daily time: 350 × 60 = 21,000 seconds ≈ 350 minutes (5.8 hours/day)
• Labor cost: 5.8 hours × €25/hour ≈ €144/day
• Rework/issues: About 10% of pallets required rethreading due to stuck or misaligned straps

The slow, ergonomically poor process tied up one full-time operator during peak hours. Supervisors also estimated around €1,500/year in indirect costs from minor musculoskeletal injuries and associated absenteeism.

Automated Solution

To improve ergonomics and speed without replacing existing manual and battery strapping tools, the site introduced the Pallet Strap Feeder B190 to all outbound lanes. Although it is a manual tool, it effectively “automates” the under-pallet threading step by guiding the strap with the flexible 1900 mm rod and polyurethane clip while operators remain standing.

After Installing Pallet Strap Feeder B190:

• Machine operates at 60% of maximum capacity for reliability
• New cycle time: 24 seconds per pallet (vs. 60 seconds before)
• Total daily time: 350 × 24 = 8,400 seconds ≈ 140 minutes (2.3 hours/day)
• Labor cost: 2.3 hours × €25/hour ≈ €58/day
• Quality improvement: Rethreading rate cut from 10% to below 2%, with operators staying fully upright

The B190’s curved head and flexible rod allow straps to slide smoothly under pallet decks on the first attempt. One operator can now support multiple lanes, and the HSE team noted a sharp drop in complaints about knee and lower-back strain within the first quarter.

ROI Calculation

Investment:
Machine price: €69
Daily savings: (€144 − €58) = €86/day
Monthly savings (22 working days): €86 × 22 = €1,892/month
Payback period: €69 ÷ €86/day ≈ 0.8 days (under 1 working day)

Even using a conservative assumption of only €83/day effective savings after factoring in change-management and occasional low-volume days, payback still occurs in well under a week. Additional soft benefits include reduced injury risk, fewer interruptions from rethreading, and a more consistent outbound flow.

Conclusion

By adding the low-cost Pallet Strap Feeder B190 to existing strapping stations, the Graz distribution center cut under-pallet threading time by around 60% and reduced daily labor from 5.8 to 2.3 hours. With daily savings in the €80–€90 range, the tool paid for itself in the first week of operation while improving ergonomics.

“With the B190 we reduced under-pallet threading from about 6 hours to just over 2 hours per day and are saving roughly €80 in labor costs every shift. The fact that staff can stay standing has also cut strapping-related complaints almost to zero.” — Sara T., Warehouse Manager, Graz Distribution Center (Austria)