Festo and CODI Showcase a New Palletizing Solution at MODEX 2026
As labor shortages and liability risks increase across warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing facilities, companies are under pressure to automate palletizing and material handling.
Festo and CODI Manufacturing, Littleton, Colorado, feature at MODEX 2026 the FlexStack Pro, a gantry-style palletizing platform loaded with features and advantages, most notably fast return on investment (ROI), a compact footprint, ease-of-use, and industrial performance. Festo Booth # B9127 at MODEX 2026, Atlanta, April 13–16.
Gantry robots require minimum floor space as the handling system is directly above the work envelope, a plus when automation is added to existing facilities. Gantries are also easier and less expensive to maintain than either cobots or 4- and 6-axis industrial robots. The FlexStack Pro depalletizes or palletizes 44- to 110-lb. boxes at a rate of 4 to 10 per minute. Depending on local hourly wage rates, CODI’s FlexStack Pro can provide a one-year return on investment (ROI).
The FlexStack Pro is based on Festo’s new FPaKit, which is a pre-configured and tested multi-axis handling system with accessories and software – for all intents and purposes, the FPaKit is a palletizer in a box.
CODI and other OEMs utilizing the kit design the layout of the cell, build the frame, and install the handling system after it arrives from Festo. CODI specifies the entire multi-axis system, including axes, motors, drives, energy chain, and other accessories, in minutes, not hours, by using Festo’s Handling Guide Online, a free online sizing and configuration tool.
CODI options include a stainless-steel frame for washdown capability and long life, 3D vision capabilities for greater flexibility in handling variable loads, slip sheet capabilities, an integrated stretch wrapper, mounting on a skid, and Category 3 safety.
Smaller producers, such as regional wineries, can automate palletizing in tight spaces where labor is limited. Mid-sized operations can deploy compact cells for package rework or mixed-product palletizing without expanding their plant. Major consumer product companies can use the system for offline customization, building retail displays or variety packs without retooling primary high-speed lines.
The FlexStack Pro features Festo’s new browser-based palletizing software with a quick-learning and easy-to-use interface. Pack patterns are entered directly on a screen rather than on a teach pendant, and pack patterns can be generated offline and reviewed in a 3D pallet view before production begins.
CODI offers the optional Festo AX Motion Insights AI-based predictive analytics solution for electric and/or pneumatic components. Motion Insights captures wear data in an actionable format that maintenance teams can use without specialized data expertise. By identifying wear trends early, the facility reduces the risk, cost, and production headaches of unplanned downtime because maintenance teams replace units before they fail.
“There is a clear gap in the palletizing market where cobots are too slow, too hard to program, and too limited in weight and reach capacity,” said Jared Jones, COO of CODI Manufacturing. “The FlexStack Pro platform fills that gap. FlexStack Pro is a safe and capable automation solution that saves time and labor costs.”
For more information about the FlexStack Pro, contact CODI Manufacturing sales@codimfg.com, 303-277-1542 ext. 1.
OEMs interested in Festo’s FPaKit gantry platform should contact a Festo sales representative or distribution partner. Visit http://www.festo.com/ to learn more about automation solutions that help warehouses, distribution centers, and production operations increase throughput while managing labor constraints.
About CODI Manufacturing
For more than 30 years, CODI Manufacturing has provided packaging solutions to the food, beverage, and consumer products industries. From its beginnings in a 5,000 sq. ft. rented warehouse to the newly built 100,000 sq. ft. facility in Littleton, Colorado, CODI has always developed innovative solutions to customers’ needs. CODI Manufacturing innovates and is not satisfied unless it is expanding automation solutions for its global customers. www.codimfg.com
