Krones Unveils Varioline 1M Packaging Machine
The single-end design reverses crate flow by 180 degrees and processes up to 103,000 containers per hour.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Beer
Krones has introduced the Varioline 1M, a packaging configuration featuring a single-end design that reverses crate direction by 180 degrees. Krombacher has ordered two units as part of its packaging-line investment programme.
Why it matters
The machine's high throughput and compact single-lane layout address demand for efficient container handling in beverage production. Its introduction reflects continued investment in automated packaging technology across the brewing sector.
The single-lane pick-and-place machine can process up to 103,000 containers per hour, roughly 4,300 packs. The first machine of this variant entered operation in early 2025, and Krombacher ordered two units.
The players
Krones
Krones is a German manufacturer of beverage filling, packaging and processing machinery, serving breweries and bottling operations worldwide.
Krombacher
Krombacher is a German brewery group and one of the country's largest beer producers, known for its brewing and packaging operations.
The details
A synchronised robot picks up containers while they move continuously along the conveyor, with the infeed and discharge conveyors running parallel on the same side. Krones uses continuous crate handling and specialised axis technology to position crates before bottle insertion.
Timeline
Early 2025: First machine of this variant entered operation.
5 November 2026: Krones announced the Varioline 1M configuration.
Roadmap
The Varioline 1M extends Krones' Varioline pick-and-place platform with a single-end layout that reverses crate flow by 180 degrees. Its placement in German brewery investment reflects a broader push toward compact, high-throughput packaging lines in the beverage sector.
For brewery operators and beverage producers, the machine's compact single-lane footprint and high throughput could shape decisions about packaging-line capacity. Consumers are unlikely to notice a direct change, as the effect is on production efficiency rather than retail product.
The takeaway
Equipment such as the Varioline 1M shows how packaging automation is increasingly focused on throughput within limited floor space. Readers following beverage production can watch how breweries adopt these configurations over the coming years.
Further reading
For more on brewing equipment and packaging trends, explore our Beer section.
