Pack Air - Scalable safety solutions for complex pallet handling systems

As pallet-handling systems grow more advanced and complex, OEMs like Pack Air are under increasing pressure to deliver safe, efficient, and scalable solutions. By partnering with Axelent, Pack Air has been able to streamline its guarding process, reduce engineering workload, and ensure reliable safety performance across a growing number of automation projects.

Growing with increased automation

Pack Air, based in Neenah, Wisconsin, designs and manufactures custom conveyor and automation solutions for leading consumer goods and industrial manufacturers. As the company expanded into full pallet-handling systems, the scale and complexity of their installations increased rapidly.

“While we are perfectly capable of creating our own guarding solutions, it’s not the best use of our resources,” said Michael Sohn, General Manager of Pack Air.

With larger systems came higher safety demands. Their previous approach of building guards in-house became time-consuming, costly, and difficult to scale. Engineering resources were tied up in non-core work and manual fabrication, slowing down production and creating unnecessary bottlenecks. Pack Air needed a smarter and more efficient way to secure their automated environments.

Axelent's machine guarding around a pallet handling system in a big warehouse

Test setup at Pack Air, where the entire system is assembled and verified before delivery. The guarding is temporarily placed on blocks to facilitate adjustments.

Palletizing system with Axelent's machine guarding fences around

Simplifying safety in complex environments

To support their growing portfolio, Pack Air required:

A modular and flexible safety solution that fits complex layouts and large system footprints.
A way to reduce internal engineering hours spent on designing and fabricating guarding.
Fast installation both in their own facility and at customer sites.
Guaranteed compliance with applicable safety standards.

A close partnership built on efficiency

Axelent partnered closely with Pack Air to streamline the guarding process from design to installation, supporting layout reviews, providing complete kits based on their drawings, and ensuring full compliance with safety standards — all of which made a significant difference. Using modular safety systems and ready-to-install kits, we supported Pack Air from early design discussions through to final integration.

The pre-assembled components and clear instructions enabled quick installation during test setups as well as at the end-customer’s facility. This minimized downtime, reduced risks, and ensured that the guarding fit seamlessly into the automated system. The high level of collaboration became a key success factor for Pack Air:

“That level of support was something other catalog suppliers weren’t willing to do.”

As an OEM, Pack Air often sets up Axelent guarding in a temporary environment for testing and quality checks before systems are shipped. Many integrators follow the same approach: assembling both machinery and safety protection on-site to demonstrate and verify performance for customers. Once approved, everything is disassembled, shipped, and reinstalled at the customer facility using Axelent’s clear instructions. This process ensures the guarding fits perfectly and integrates smoothly when the equipment is delivered.

Discover our safety solutions for automated warehouses

Two big boxes on a palletizing system in a warehouse with safety fences around

Reliable safety that supports growth

With Axelent as a partner, Pack Air reduced engineering time, eliminated internal fabrication, and achieved a more efficient and scalable workflow.

Engineering workload was significantly reduced by replacing in-house fabrication with standardized, pre-engineered solutions.
Costs linked to custom guarding were eliminated, improving project margins and reducing lead times.
Compliance with relevant safety standards was ensured across all installations.
Hundreds of systems have since been delivered without quality issues or customer concerns.