South Africa’s Eskort rolls out robotic slicing line for premium meats

SOUTH AFRICA – Eskort, a leading South African pork producer, has invested an unknown amount of money into a robotic slicing, weighing, and packaging line at its Heidelberg factory in Gauteng.

According to CEO Arnold Prinsloo, the overhaul has raised throughput, enhanced how the products look, and extended their shelf life, while also cutting energy use.

The newly installed system handles Eskort’s premium sliced range, which includes gypsy ham, pork pastrami, sandwich ham, cooked ham, and sliced gammon.

He explains that the process begins with a slicing and check‑weighing stage: each slice is measured, and equipment settings such as thickness and speed are adjusted in real time to ensure uniform portions.

This approach, Prinsloo says, helps Eskort make the best use of its raw materials and maintain a steady product quality.

After slicing, the individual cuts are grouped into the right quantities and moved along a conveyor belt to a “pick‑and‑place” robot, which then positions them on the packaging line to optimise presentation and reduce waste.

The robot handles the meat without any human touch, using vacuum grippers and precision servo drives to gently manipulate delicate slices.

The entire setup is designed to comply with strict food‑safety standards, and the robots and grippers are tailored to handle fragile items, such as thinly sliced meats, without damage.

Eskort expects the new production line to operate for up to ten years.

The investment follows a major expansion at the Heidelberg plant: in February 2024, the company added a 10,000 m² extension that boosted its capacity by 50 percent.

The enlarged facility now houses Africa’s largest continuous box freezer, capable of chilling 120,000 kg of products down to –18 °C every 24 hours.

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