Double Head Packing Machine for French Insect Protein Producer: 3-Machine Line for Feed Worm Packaging
- Ordered Machine: 3-machine packing line: a Z-type feeder, a double head packing machine, and a small elevator
- Client: Worm Farmer
- Location: France
The customer is a producer of dried mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) and black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) for the European pet-food and aquafeed market. After 90 days of operation, daily output rose from 380 to 2,050 retail bags per shift, defect rate fell from 3.8% to 0.4%, and the line cleared EU Regulation 2017/893 traceability on the first SGS audit. The full delivery ran on a single 220V/50Hz single-phase socket, and ROI was achieved in 6 weeks.
Customer Background
The company rears mealworms and BSF larvae, then dries and packages them into 100 g, 250 g, 500 g, and 1 kg retail packs for premium pet-food brands and a growing aquafeed customer in Norway.
Before 2026, every retail pack was hand-weighed, hand-sealed, and hand-stamped with the batch code. Four workers on a single shift could pack about 380 bags per 8-hour day, but the output was limited by the company.
The Challenge Before the 3-Machine Line
By late 2025, the company faced four simultaneous problems:
- Volume bottleneck — hand-weighing capped output at 380 bags per shift, blocking the Norwegian aquafeed contract that required 2,000 bags per week.
- EU traceability gap — Regulation (EU) 2017/893 requires every retail pack of insect PAP to carry a printed batch code, best-before date, and approved-species declaration. Hand-stamping was inconsistent and failed a 2025 SGS pre-audit.
- Multi-format complexity — customers order four pack sizes (100 g, 250 g, 500 g, 1 kg); switching formats on the manual line took 25–40 minutes and produced up to 6% give-away.
- Single-phase power limit — the 14-hectare farm only has 220V / 50Hz single-phase supply, ruling out industrial 380V three-phase machines.
Why the Shuliy 3-Machine Line
The full technical configuration of the line delivered to France is summarized below.
| Nom | Spec | QTY |
 | Dimension : 2440*820*2460 millimètre Feeding capacity: 500-1 tons/h Tension : 220 V/50 Hz Power: 0.4kw Matériel: acier inoxydable | 1 pc |
 | Dimension : 770*660*1830mm Packing Speed: 8-16 pcs/min Capacité d'emballage: 10-999g Volume de la trémie : 44 L Packing Method: back seal Voltage: 220V 50Hz Functions: Can be available for packing particles, such as tea leaves, salt, sugar and others. | 1 pc |
 | Dimension: width 200 mm Height: 1100mm Transport Power: 0.5 KW Tension : 220 V/50 Hz. Material: PVC | 1 pc |
Five design points matched his needs:
- 220V single-phase compatibility — the entire double head packing machine line draws under 2 kW from a single household-style socket; no electrical upgrade was needed.
- Dual 10–999 g range with 90-second changeover — the small head handles 100 g / 250 g / 500 g; the pneumatic large-bag head handles 1 kg; switching between formats is a recipe selection on the touch screen.
- ±0.1 g fill accuracy — eliminate the 6% give-away and pass EU 2017/893 net-weight checks on the first audit.
- 44 mm-pitch film (max 440 mm width) — a single film roll covers all four retail formats, halving the customer’s film inventory.
- 304 stainless contact parts on the Z-feeder — corrosion-resistant for the Breton humid coastal climate (75% average relative humidity).
Results After 90 Days of Operation
| Metric | Before (hand-weighing) | After 90 days (3-machine line) |
|---|---|---|
| Retail bags per 8-hour shift | 380 | 2,050 |
| Defect rate (seal / coding) | 3.8% | 0.4% (QC report FR-IP-2026-019) |
| Packing staff per shift | 4 | 1 |
| Format changeover time | 25–40 minutes | 90 seconds (recipe selection) |
| Average give-away | 6.0% | 0.6% |
| EU 2017/893 traceability audit | Failed 2025 SGS pre-audit | Passed Q1 2026 SGS audit (zero findings) |
| Monthly output | 1.0 tons (Q4 2025) | 2.4 tons (May 2026, trending to 3 tons) |
| ROI | – | 6 weeks (vs. 14-week projection) |
Customer Review
“The whole double head packing machine line plugged into a single 220V socket — that alone saved us a €14,000 electrical upgrade that two French competitors required. The double head switches between our 250 g retail packs and our 1 kg aquafeed bags in 90 seconds, and we passed the Q1 2026 SGS audit for EU 2017/893 traceability with zero findings.
We are now able to honour the Norwegian contract we turned away in 2025, and we are already planning a second identical line for our new dried-cricket product.”
— Founder & Managing Director, Insect Company, France
Get a Quote for Your Insect Protein Packing Line
The 999 double head packing machine is part of the Shuliy Granule Packing Machine family, which spans 5 g single-serve units up to 5 kg bulk baggers.
To request a tailored configuration, packing-speed video, or CIF quotation, contact our export team at sales@tianhuipackingmachine.com or via WhatsApp +86-13673689272.
