Three key recommendations for planning in automotive packaging

Closing out Automotive Logistics’ recent packaging livestream, Philip Bittermann, editor-in-chief of Automotive Logistics’ sister publications Neue Verpackung and Automation NEXT, shared his thoughts about the future of automotive packaging, including balancing regulatory compliance with automation compatibility.

Philip Bittermann, editor-in-chief of Automotive Logistics’ sister publications Neue Verpackung and Automation NEXT, joined the recent packaging livestream to share his insight into how the packaging landscape is shifting. He shared three key thoughts with the audience.

“Automation does not just transform the factory, it transforms packaging as well”

Referring back to comments made earlier in the livestream, Bittermann agreed that when it comes to packaging, automation requires tighter tolerances, consistent part presentation, and early development in development process. 

In a recent trends report, Bittermann interviewed experts in intralogistics, research and commodity manufacturing about new automation technology in packaging. Their assessment, in his words, was pragmatic.

For fixed tasks, traditional automation remains faster, more cost-effective and more reliable, he noted. He added that humanoids and autonomous mobile robots are complementary technologies, particularly in environments designed for humans and where tasks vary.

In terms of packaging requirements, Bittermann shared that in this report, three aspects of packaging stood out as the most important. The first was reusability – packaging with the same characteristics every time. The second was universal design – packaging that works equally well for people, machines, and recycling systems. And third was recognisability, clear orientation and permanently legible markings.

“What is ergonomic for a human operator often also makes it easier for robots to grasp and handle,” Bitterman said, expanding on this second point.

“From my perspective, it’s also important to acknowledge a potential trade-off between sustainability and automation,” Bittermann added. For example, he noted that some paper-based materials behave less predictably during handling than their plastic alternatives and that if this requires a more sophisticated gripper system, the overall carbon footprint must be assessed holistically.

He added that better handling performance may also require additional material usage or coating that can make recycling more difficult.

“Regulation and automation are part of the same causation”

Bittermann argued that regulation and automation are part of the same causation because both depend on data. 

He pointed towards the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which had obligations come into force across Europe in August this year relating to technical documentation, conformity assessment and declaration of conformity – with further requirements, including recyclability criteria, to be phased in over time.

“Market surveillance is not yet comprehensive, but companies must already be able to demonstrate compliance,” said Bittermann.

He noted that during a recent conversation with an expert from BMW International, it became apparent that the company had struggled to identify the packaging materials it used and their origins when customers began requesting declarations of conformity.

Hundreds of items lacked clear links to their associated packaging, while further details – from whether cartons were stapled to whether labels and tape were recyclable – required investigation. Supplier information arrived in different formats, including PDFs, images and emails, and sometimes conflicted with the company’s master data.

The lesson, Bittermann said, was that companies must first get their own master data in order. He added that packaging suppliers able to provide reliable information quickly could gain a competitive advantage, highlighting the importance of chain of custody.

“Companies that consider both aspects together make better connected decisions”

The final thought Bitterman shared with Automotive Logistics’ livestream viewers was firms need to consider both automation compatibility and regulatory compliance in tandem.

“Keep in mind that apparently simple changes such as switching a tape, introducing a new label or selecting a different material can have a far-reaching consequences,” he said. “It may affect whether the packaging is recyclable, whether it complies with PPWR requirements and whether it can be read correctly by a vision sensor. And when those questions are answered by three different teams at three different points in time, the consequences can become expensive.”

Watch the full livestream on demand here and don’t forget to register for Automotive Logistics’ next livestream – 2026 in review and trends for 2027 – on December 2, 2026.