Fresh from the field,
packed without a bruise.

It depends on the product and format. Tubs, clamshells and rigid containers case-pack at high rates on the Hawk; loose or variable produce sets a lower, gentler ceiling. JLS sizes the system around your actual product, container and target rate — and for seasonal crops, around the peak, not the average. Rate and performance are validated during the project FAT before shipment, with final commissioning completed at your facility.

Changeover between produce SKUs — different tub or clamshell sizes, case counts or pack patterns — is recipe-driven through the HMI, with tooling and format changes designed to be simple and repeatable. Produce operations often switch products by season rather than by shift, so JLS reviews the full year's container range up front and designs tooling to cover as much of it as possible without a swap.

Yes. Flexible tooling and recipe-driven changeover help produce packers handle seasonal volume and SKU changes while keeping consistent throughput when labor is tight.

Yes, where the product suits it. Produce varies by size, weight and firmness within a single lot, so JLS tests representative samples — not the best-looking ones — in the York, PA Flight Lab with tooling configured for the tub, clamshell or container format. The goal is to establish the pick method and bruise risk before the design is finalized. Samples or a close proxy are tested subject to project scope and availability. It is a feasibility test, not a production-rate run; rate is validated during FAT before shipment, with final commissioning completed at your facility.

Often, yes. Produce case packing is usually added downstream of existing filling or tray-sealing equipment. The final design depends on floor space, line speed, how containers present, controls and the case erector and sealer already in place. JLS reviews the full line so the case packer fits the existing flow.

For a produce quote JLS typically reviews the container formats — tub, clamshell, tray — and their dimensions and weights; the case format and pack pattern; target rates at seasonal peak; photos or video of the current line; available floor space; the filler, sealer, case erector and sealer already in place; and your labor model.

Produce systems are designed, built and programmed at JLS in York, Pennsylvania. The Hawk case packers that handle tubs, clamshells and rigid containers, and the Osprey systems behind them, are supported by an in-house team backed by direct access to JLS engineering and controls expertise — remote diagnostics, on-site service, training and parts. For seasonal produce operations, that includes support during the compressed windows when the line cannot afford to be down.