Gerhard Schubert GmbH

Gerhard Schubert GmbH is a German manufacturer of packaging machinery headquartered in Crailsheim, Baden-Württemberg. Founded in 1966 by the trained mechanic Gerhard Schubert, the company began with a patented box-erecting and gluing machine (SKA) that introduced hot-melt adhesive for carton sealing. From these origins, Schubert grew into a specialist in secondary and primary packaging, and today its top-loading machines hold a 30% share of the global market. The company operates as the parent and central producer of packaging systems for the Schubert Group, which develops, produces, and distributes packaging machines worldwide. Schubert's early focus was on top-loading packaging machines, which were then considered inflexible because each packaging format required a dedicated machine. In 1972 the company introduced the SSB modular construction system (Schubert-Sondermaschinen-Baukasten), a kit of purely mechanical assemblies that allowed such machines to be built in series. The same year, Schubert moved to the Süd-Ost industrial estate and founded Internationale Verpackungsmaschinen Systeme GmbH (today Schubert Packaging Systems GmbH), a turnkey and consulting subsidiary. In 1975 the company developed the lifting-plate unit, a precursor to today's pick-and-place robots, which picked up items and, after a 180-degree turn, placed them into cartons in a single operation. A decisive step came in 1981, when Gerhard Schubert presented "Roby," the world's first four-axis packaging robot, at the Interpack trade fair in Düsseldorf. In 1984 the company built the world's first robotic praline packaging line for a French customer, consisting of twelve four-axis robots and twelve mechanical feed belts for different praline varieties. The two-axis SNC-F2 packaging robot followed in 1985, capable of erecting, filling, and closing cartons using robot tools. In 1987 Schubert brought the first praline packaging line with industrial image processing to market; the Speedline system with two robots using CCD cameras as eyes was shown at Interpack 1987, enabling fully automatic quality control and marking the start of serial use of machine vision in the industry. The founder's sons joined the business in the late 1980s and early 1990s: Gerald Schubert, the youngest son, joined in 1989 after studying mechanical engineering, and Ralf Schubert, the eldest son, joined in 1990 after two years as a computer scientist at a software company, initiating development of the company's own packaging machine control (VMS) and production planning system (Saturn). By 1992 Schubert generated sales of 72 million Deutsche Mark with 345 employees, exporting 50% of its output, mainly to France, England, the Benelux countries, and Scandinavia. Since 1994, all Schubert packaging machines have used the self-developed VMS control, which eliminated large separate control cabinets and integrated all control technology into the machine, reducing space requirements by up to 30% and shortening assembly and commissioning times. In 1995 the company presented the first continuously operating picker line with a patented counter-rotation principle, and in 1996 the first SMB packaging machine (Schubert Maschinen Baukasten) using the VMS control entered service at a customer. A new 4,000-square-meter assembly hall was begun in 1996 and opened as Hall 2 in 1998, the same year a subsidiary was founded in Texas. Today Gerhard Schubert GmbH remains a family-owned, privately held company and a leading global supplier of top-loading packaging machines and robotic packaging systems, serving food, confectionery, pharmaceutical, and consumer goods industries. Its headquarters and main production site remain in Crailsheim, where it also operates a staff restaurant, the Schubert-Casino, under the name Hägele Catering.

Gerhard Schubert GmbH was founded in 1966 by the trained mechanic Gerhard Schubert. The first machine Schubert developed was a patented box-erecting and gluing machine (SKA) for fully automatic erecting and gluing of carton blanks; it was the first such machine to use hot-melt adhesive for sealing boxes. In its early years the company employed three people and focused on building small units, conveyor belts, and machines. In 1968 an 800-square-meter production and assembly hall was built in the Flügelau area, which had to be expanded just two years later. Schubert initially focused on developing top-loading packaging machines, which were then considered inflexible because each packaging format required its own dedicated machine. From the idea of building such individual packaging machines in series, the SSB modular construction system (Schubert-Sondermaschinen-Baukasten) was developed in 1972, consisting of purely mechanical assemblies. Due to steady growth, the company moved to the Süd-Ost industrial estate in 1972. Also in 1972, the turnkey and consulting subsidiary Internationale Verpackungsmaschinen Systeme GmbH (today Schubert Packaging Systems GmbH) was founded in Crailsheim. In 1975 the company developed the so-called lifting-plate unit, a precursor to today's pick-and-place robots: a pick-and-place assembly that picks up items to be packaged and, after a 180-degree turn, places them into packaging cartons, with pickup and placement occurring in a single operation. In 1977 the company acquired the parts manufacturing firm Schubert + Edelmann in Bartholomä, which today operates as Schubert Fertigungstechnik GmbH. After a US entrepreneur showed Schubert a first industrial robot in the late 1970s, Schubert decided to enter robot development as well. In 1981 Gerhard Schubert presented "Roby," the world's first four-axis packaging robot, at the Interpack trade fair in Düsseldorf. In 1984 the world's first robotic praline packaging line was built for a French customer, consisting of twelve four-axis robots and twelve mechanical feed belts for different praline varieties. The two-axis SNC-F2 packaging robot was presented at the Hannover Messe in 1985; with the SNC-F2, cartons could be erected, filled, and closed using robot tools. Along with the four-axis robot and the associated image processing system developed by Schubert, this was another important step toward a standard modular kit for packaging machines. The first praline packaging line with industrial image processing came to market in 1987. The technology recognized the shape and position of products on the belt so that they could be picked up precisely by the robots, and it allowed products not meeting the manufacturer's quality specifications to be sorted out, enabling fully automatic quality control for the first time. The Speedline system with two robots using CCD cameras as eyes was presented at Interpack 1987. Based on this technology, image processing systems were used in series production in the industry from that point on. Gerald Schubert, the youngest son of the founder, joined the company in 1989 after completing his mechanical engineering studies. In 1990 Ralf Schubert, the eldest son, joined after two years as a computer scientist at a software company and started development of the company's own packaging machine control (VMS) and its own production planning system (Saturn). In 1992 the company achieved sales of 72 million Deutsche Mark with 345 employees; the export share was 50%, and the most important markets were France, England, the Benelux countries, and Scandinavia. Since 1994, Schubert has used the self-developed VMS in all packaging machines, forming the basis for many of its packaging systems; the VMS was developed entirely in-house without standard components from other suppliers. Also in 1994, the Schubert-Casino, operating under the name Hägele Catering, opened as a restaurant for the company's own employees on the Crailsheim site. A year later, the first continuously operating picker line with a patented counter-rotation principle was presented. The first SMB packaging machine (Schubert Maschinen Baukasten) using the company's own VMS control entered service at a customer in 1996. The use of VMS completely eliminated the large, separate control cabinets previously customary on packaging machines and integrated all control technology into the machine, resulting in up to 30% less space required, significantly shorter assembly times, and faster commissioning. In the same year, construction began on another 4,000-square-meter assembly hall on the company site on Hofäckerstraße, which opened as Hall 2 in 1998. In 1998 the company founded a subsidiary in Texas.

• 1998

  Hall 2 assembly hall opened; subsidiary founded in Texas.

• 1996

  First SMB packaging machine with VMS control entered service; construction began on 4,000-square-meter assembly hall.

• 1995

  First continuously operating picker line with patented counter-rotation principle presented.

• 1994

  VMS control used in all packaging machines; Schubert-Casino staff restaurant opened.

• 1992

  Sales of 72 million Deutsche Mark with 345 employees; export share 50%.

• 1990

  Ralf Schubert, eldest son, joined and started development of VMS control and Saturn production planning system.

• 1989

  Gerald Schubert, youngest son of the founder, joined the company.

• 1987

  First praline packaging line with industrial image processing came to market; Speedline system shown at Interpack 1987.

• 1985

  Presented the two-axis SNC-F2 packaging robot at the Hannover Messe.

• 1984

  Built the world's first robotic praline packaging line for a French customer, with 12 four-axis robots.

• 1981

  Presented "Roby," the world's first four-axis packaging robot, at Interpack in Düsseldorf.

• 1977

  Acquired parts manufacturing firm Schubert + Edelmann in Bartholomä (today Schubert Fertigungstechnik GmbH).

• 1975

  Lifting-plate unit developed, a precursor to pick-and-place robots.

• 1972

  SSB modular construction system developed; company moved to Süd-Ost industrial estate; Internationale Verpackungsmaschinen Systeme GmbH founded.

• 1968

  800-square-meter production and assembly hall built in the Flügelau area.

• 1966

  Company founded by Gerhard Schubert; first machine was a patented box-erecting and gluing machine (SKA) using hot-melt adhesive.

Global market leader in top-loading packaging machines with a 30% worldwide market share; family-owned German engineering specialist in robotic packaging systems.

• SKA box-erecting and gluing machine

  Patented machine for fully automatic erecting and gluing of carton blanks, first to use hot-melt adhesive.

• SSB modular construction system

  Modular kit of purely mechanical assemblies for top-loading machines, introduced 1972.

• Lifting-plate unit

  Precursor to pick-and-place robots, developed 1975.

• Roby four-axis packaging robot

  World's first four-axis packaging robot, presented 1981.

• SNC-F2 two-axis packaging robot

  Robot capable of erecting, filling, and closing cartons, presented 1985.

• Speedline packaging line

  Line with two robots using CCD cameras for image processing, shown 1987.

• VMS machine control

  Self-developed packaging machine control used in all machines since 1994.

• SMB packaging machine

  Schubert Maschinen Baukasten modular machine using VMS control, first in service 1996.

1. 1Gerhard Schubert (Unternehmen) – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
2. 2Gerhard Schubert – Wikidatawikidata.org