The HolyCrab is a Horizontal Fill Seal (HFS) machine designed as an alternative to traditional Vertical Form Fill Seal (VFFS) systems. By filling pre-made bags horizontally instead of dropping products vertically, the machine helps minimise product damage, creates a more stable filling process and reduces packaging waste. Combined with a rotating bag magazine for 24/7 production and a compact machine layout, the HolyCrab offers a reliable and cost-efficient packaging solution.

Traditional VFFS systems rely on gravity to drop products into a bag that is formed from roll film. The HolyCrab fills pre-made bags horizontally, giving manufacturers more control over the product during filling.

This reduces product damage, eliminates many bag-forming issues and creates a more stable packaging process. For applications where packaging quality, reliability and low operating costs are important, a horizontal solution can offer significant advantages over traditional VFFS technology.

The HolyCrab uses two servo-driven Crab modules and a vertically moving support table that keeps the filling height as low as possible throughout the filling process.

As products are added to the bag, the support table moves down together with the product stack. This minimises drop height and allows products to be guided into the bag in a controlled manner, helping to virtually eliminate packaging-related product damage.

The HolyCrab is particularly suitable for products that benefit from a controlled filling process and minimal drop height.

Typical applications include buns, bread rolls, bread loaves, baguettes, batards, apples, fruits and vegetables, frozen products, powders, and meat and fish products. Because products are filled horizontally rather than dropped vertically, fragile products can often be handled much more gently than in conventional VFFS systems.

In practice, there are relatively few products that cannot be processed. The best way to determine suitability is by testing actual customer products during the engineering phase.

Horizontal filling offers greater control over the product throughout the packaging process. Because the product remains close to the bag opening during filling, the risk of product breakage is reduced and product flow is easier to control.

The result is a more stable filling process, more consistent pack quality and less product damage.

The HolyCrab is built around pre-made EasyOpen bags because Niverplast believes packaging should start with a perfect bag rather than creating one during production.

By using pre-made bags, manufacturers avoid sealing uncertainties, poorly formed bags, roll cores, leftover film and unnecessary material waste. There is no risk of bags being incorrectly formed during production and no wasted film from the bag-making process.

Simply put: if you buy 1,000 bags, you can use 1,000 bags.

Yes. The HolyCrab is designed to work with pre-made EasyOpen HDPE bags from as little as 15 micron thickness. This allows manufacturers to reduce packaging material consumption compared to many traditional roll-film applications.

Because there are no roll cores, no leftover film and virtually no bag waste, many producers can significantly reduce packaging material costs while improving packaging consistency.

The HolyCrab features a large rotating double bag magazine that can be replenished while the machine remains in operation.

A warning indicator informs operators when bags need to be added, allowing refilling without stopping production. This eliminates the downtime associated with roll-film changes and helps manufacturers maintain continuous production around the clock.

The HolyCrab can process up to 20 bags per minute.

The HolyCrab is designed for pre-made EasyOpen flat bags without side gussets and can process bag material down to 15 micron HDPE.

Custom bag sizes can be evaluated depending on the application.

Yes. The HolyCrab can operate as a stand-alone machine or be fully integrated into automated production lines.

The machine is available in both single-lane and dual-lane configurations and can easily be integrated with upstream and downstream equipment as part of a complete packaging line.

The HolyCrab can be equipped with DAMORE (Data Monitoring & Remote Engineering), Niverplast's platform for machine monitoring and remote support.

The machine also includes remote access functionality, allowing Niverplast service engineers to perform diagnostics, software updates and troubleshooting remotely. In addition, the HMI provides visual fault analysis, including on-screen images and corrective instructions to help operators resolve issues quickly.

The HolyCrab is particularly interesting for manufacturers that:

• currently use VFFS technology;
• experience product damage due to drop height;
• want to reduce packaging material consumption;
• experience high film costs or packaging waste;
• require 24/7 production;
• want to package multiple bags into a single box;
• have limited building height available;
• want to lower their total cost of ownership.