Scayl has been announced as the winner of the Automate UK Award for the Innovative Packaging System 2025 from their independent panel of judges. Triumphing in one of the most competitive categories at this year’s show, the award recognises the company’s cutting-edge 6-bowl counting and packing line developed for VitForLife, a subscription-based nutraceutical business.
This award celebrates manufacturers or users of packaging machinery who have introduced truly innovative solutions that enhance efficiency, reduce costs and waste, and improve production safety. Scayl’s system impressed judges with its intelligent integration of multiple packaging processes into a single, compact, high-speed line.
The win came in a category stacked with some of the most respected names in the sector, including Mespack, IMA Ilapak, Ishida Europe Ltd., Robatech Gluing Technology and Sidel. Scayl’s solution was recognised for its originality, functionality, and measurable business impact.
A Ground-Up Packaging Solution
The award-winning system was designed specifically to enable VitForLife to launch its tailored monthly supplement service. Each box contains 31 daily-use packs, each filled with a bespoke combination of up to six different supplements. The system was built entirely from scratch to deliver an automated, high-throughput line capable of handling this unique packaging challenge.
Key elements of the system include a 6-bowl tablet counter feeding a Vertical Form Fill Seal machine, which produces individual packs of supplements at high speed. From there, the packs transfer onto a purpose-built dual-lane, two-tier conveyor system. Intelligent sensor arrays count each finished pack as it exits the VFFS unit, and once thirty-one packs are accumulated, the system’s automated diverter swings to begin filling the next box seamlessly.
Intelligent Engineering and High-Speed Performance
Scayl’s packaging line is capable of producing approximately 1500 finished packs per hour, equating to 50 complete monthly boxes every hour. This throughput level is achieved while maintaining high accuracy and consistency across all stages of production.
The system’s software was developed to synchronise the operation of the tablet counter, VFFS unit, conveyor, and diverter logic. This integration eliminates manual intervention between processes, dramatically reducing labour requirements and human error. Each of the six bowls can be independently loaded with different supplements, allowing for fully customised daily-use packs tailored to each customer’s health profile.
Compact Footprint with Scalable Design
Despite its capabilities, the entire system has been engineered to occupy a minimal footprint. This was a key requirement for the client, enabling industrial-scale production without the factory space or infrastructure typically associated with high-speed packaging lines.
The modular nature of the design also means the line can be expanded or adapted in the future. Additional bowls, different pack sizes, or new product types can be incorporated with minimal disruption, ensuring the system remains future-ready as the customer’s business scales.
Reducing Waste and Enhancing Safety
The precision of Scayl’s counting and bagging system minimises product overfill and packaging waste. Combined with the VFFS unit’s optimised film usage, the line achieves lean, resource-efficient operation.
Operational safety was also a priority. By automating the entire process from supplement counting through to box filling, the line reduces the need for repetitive manual handling, lowering the risk of operator fatigue or injury.
The Industry Shift Toward Nutraceuticals
The global packaging industry is undergoing a major transformation as demand surges for nutraceuticals and personalised wellness products. Consumers are moving away from one-size-fits-all supplements and toward daily-use packs tailored to their health goals. This trend is fuelling the rise of subscription-based nutraceutical services that deliver convenience, consistency, and personalisation directly to consumers’ doors.
Traditional packaging machinery, designed for bulk or uniform products, often struggles to handle this new model. High-mix, small-batch, multi-component packaging requires precision, flexibility, and speed in a way that off-the-shelf equipment cannot deliver.
Scayl’s award-winning system directly addresses this shift. It represents a new generation of packaging machinery engineered specifically for nutraceuticals and personalised health products. By integrating counting, bagging, diverting, and boxing into a single automated workflow, it enables businesses to meet the unique demands of this market while maintaining efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Enabling New Business Models Through Packaging Innovation
What sets Scayl’s system apart is its ability to support a business model rather than just a production process. Subscription-based wellness products are a growing sector, but fulfilment has traditionally been labour-intensive and error-prone. Scayl’s solution delivers a purpose-built, automated line that makes personalised, high-volume fulfilment commercially viable.
This represents a significant leap forward in how packaging machinery can empower small and medium-sized enterprises to compete at scale with efficiency levels previously reserved for major corporations.
Recognition at the PPMA Awards
Winning the PPMA Award for Innovative Packaging System is a milestone for Scayl and its team of engineers. The judges highlighted the system’s unique integration of counting, bagging, diverting, and boxing functions within a compact footprint, as well as its ability to produce high-quality, personalised packs at industrial speeds.
To receive this recognition against a shortlist that included Mespack, IMA Ilapak, Ishida Europe Ltd, Robatech Gluing Technology, and Sidel underscores the significance of Scayl’s achievement and the strength of its engineering expertise.
Looking Ahead
Scayl continues to invest in developing bespoke packaging solutions that bring together mechanical design, software intelligence, and customer-focused innovation. The VitForLife line exemplifies how packaging machinery can be tailored to transform not only production lines but entire business models.
As Scayl looks ahead to the next PPMA Show, it remains focused on pushing the boundaries of packaging innovation, working with clients across industries to create solutions that deliver speed, accuracy, safety, and sustainability in one integrated package.
