The wine industry is undergoing rapid change across all aspects of its business. From vineyard to shelf, achieving success against the headwinds of lower alcohol consumption requires adaptation.
As industry awareness of consumers’ changing preferences grows, wineries are increasingly offering alternative formats, including single-serve bottles and cans that appeal to active young consumers with on-the-go lifestyles. They are also exploring other alternatives, including cartons, Tetra Paks and ready-to-drink formats.
Automation Must Evolve as Fast as the Wine Industry
Changing from 750 ml bottles to these new formats requires revisions to existing bottling lines. Different equipment is needed to handle new packaging requirements and enable the higher throughput to meet market demand and ensure a profitable margin. But each new material, every upgrade or any increase in line speed means changes in operator routines and fresh demands on existing automation.
John Feely, Service and After Sales Manager for Clevertech North America, notes that wineries often underestimate how much these transitions impact their equipment.
“When a winery adds a new format, everything downstream changes,” he says. “Case configurations, pallet patterns, material handling — even small adjustments can ripple across the line. The key is having a support structure that helps you adapt quickly and confidently.”
Choosing the right system for a winery’s specific needs is essential, but the real determinant of long-term success occurs after the machinery is up and running.
Feely explains: “Installation is a milestone, but it’s not the finish line. The performance of any automated system depends on how it’s supported, maintained and adapted over time. It’s also where wineries see the biggest gains — or the biggest challenges.”
“Installation is a milestone, but it’s not the finish line.”
Lifecycle Support Boosts Uptime and Efficiency
Having a structured after-purchase support keeps winery lines running efficiently by preventing problems instead of reacting to crises.
“Reactive support is expensive,” Feely says. “Proactive support protects uptime, extends equipment life and gives wineries predictability, which is what wineries really need.”
Clevertech’s service puts its emphasis on preparedness, expertise and structured lifecycle engagement — ensuring that automation continues to perform reliably as production demands change. The company’s maintenance program is preventive, aligning with production cycles, using remote diagnostics to identify issues before they cause downtime, providing operator training and planning ahead for spare part availability.
This approach not only reduces disruptions but also helps wineries maintain consistency even during seasonal peaks.
“Choosing the machinery is important,” says Feely, “but the relationship behind it is what carries you forward. Support is the part of automation that stays with you for years. It’s the difference between equipment that runs and equipment that helps a winery grow.”
Clevertech’s commitment to lifecycle partnership ensures dedicated support is always available, allowing wineries to move from treating automation as a static asset to viewing it as a dynamic system that will evolve with their business.
Choosing an Automation Partner for the Long Term
The company has an experienced network of more than 30 technicians throughout North America who provide 24-hour support. But it is the regularly scheduled service planning calls and ability to work remotely from machine-generated data that make the real difference.
For wineries planning expansions, exploring new formats, or optimizing existing lines, this level of post‑installation support is not a secondary consideration — it’s a strategic one.
As packaging formats become more diverse, automation grows more flexible to meet the increasing complexity of production demands. In an environment like this, wineries benefit the most when they choose partners who stay engaged long after the equipment is installed.
“Your opportunities should be flexible. Your production should be scalable. And your automation partner should help you grow with confidence,” Feely says.
To learn more about how Clevertech’s lifestage service and support can make a difference in the long term, contact Clevertech Sales Manager Beth Zarnick-Duffy at 814-571-1768 or by email: b.zarnick@clevertech-group.com.
Clevertech North America delivers packaging‑line automation from design, engineering, and integration through startup, service, and support. Service Manager Yvan Montauti has 20+ years of experience in the food and beverage industry and now has 3 years at Clevertech, building customer‑first partnerships that extend equipment life.
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From bottles to barrels, cartons to cases - whatever you’re packaging, we’ve got the depalletizer for you. Let’s talk about your next depalletizer project.
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Stop by to meet sales representatives Giorgio Zanardi, Beth Zarnick-Duffy, and Ildiko Nyeste to discover how automated palletizing and depalletizing can help your operation work safer, smarter, and more efficiently while protecting your products.
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Meet John, our After Sales Manager at 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 👏
For the past four years, John has been dedicated to supporting our customers with outstanding service and expertise. His commitment to building strong relationships and delivering reliable after-sales support makes him an invaluable part of our team.
Thanks, John, for everything you do! We're proud to have you on the 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 team and look forward to many more successes together!
When wineries invest in automation, they're investing in efficiency, productivity, and long-term growth. But the true value of that investment depends on the support that follows.
In this video, Clevertech Group highlights its commitment to customer success through a dedicated After-Market Service Team designed to keep production lines operating at peak performance. From preventative maintenance and software audits to remote diagnostics, spare parts support, and rapid-response troubleshooting, Clevertech provides the expertise and resources wineries need to minimize downtime and maximize confidence.
With a North American service and support headquarters in Fort Myers, Florida, and more than 30 mechanical, electrical, and automation technicians positioned throughout North America, Clevertech delivers responsive, practical support when it matters most.
Discover why wineries trust Clevertech as more than an equipment manufacturer—it's a long-term operational partner committed to protecting your investment long after installation is complete.
Learn more about Clevertech North America: https://www.clevertech-group.com
DISCOVER CLEVER PEOPLE AT CLEVERTECH
After 30 years in packaging automation, I’ve seen one piece of equipment consistently deliver immediate impact: Conversion to a fully automatic bulk depalletizer.
Why? Because it directly addresses some of the biggest challenges wineries face today - line efficiency, labor savings, and material handling.
Bulk glass depalletizing enables wineries to move more product with less labor while maximizing existing floor space. A bulk glass depalletizer isn’t just a piece of equipment - it’s a strategic upgrade for modern wine production.
As a Sales Manager at Clevertech North America, I leverage more than 30 years of experience in the packaging automation industry to help wineries implement automation solutions that don’t just improve daily operations but create long-term value.
I’d be glad to share what we’re seeing across the industry.
Let’s connect and find the right bulk glass solution for your operation. Contact me at 814-571-1768 or by email: b.zarnick@clevertech-group.com.
Insights from a bottling manager and how Clevertech’s team backed him at every step
When wineries invest in automation - whether to reduce manual labor, boost performance, or keep production running smoothly - another question becomes just as important: Will the supplier be there to support us when we need them?
At Oak Ridge Winery, Bottling Manager Steven Uline recently oversaw the installation of a Clevertech bulk depalletizer, case erector, and partition inserter into their existing bottling line. For him, the decision wasn’t only about the capabilities of the machinery. It was also about having confidence that the level of after-sales service and support would remain dependable over the long term.
“Clevertech’s quality of support is great,” Uline says. “They were very responsive to our specific challenges and committed to finding solutions that worked for us. During installation, we kept a punch list of open items and worked through it together.” His team adapted to the new equipment quickly, and when questions came up, assistance often arrived the same day. That responsiveness made the integration smoother and gave mechanics and operators confidence as they learned the system.
Clevertech’s After-Sales Manager John Feeley explains that the company’s North American service structure is designed with this kind of customer experience in mind. For more than a decade, Clevertech has operated a full service and support headquarters in Fort Myers, Florida, staffed with more than 30 mechanical, electrical, and automation technicians positioned throughout North America. Their familiarity with U.S. production environments allows them to provide practical, rapid assistance when it matters most.
"This service-first structure reflects how Clevertech positions itself, not just as an equipment provider, but as a long-term operational partner." Feeley notes that the Fort Myers facility stocks commonly needed spare parts, with the ability to source or produce specialized components when required. Many issues can also be resolved through Clevertech’s remote-diagnostics capabilities, which help reduce—or even prevent—downtime by eliminating the need for an onsite visit.
Service Manager Yvan Montauti adds that consistent communication is another core part of their approach. Some companies prefer weekly or monthly check-ins to review system performance or planned maintenance, and the service team adjusts to each site’s preferences. For operations seeking additional coverage, Clevertech offers scheduled preventive maintenance and software audits tailored to each facility.
For Uline, the combination of responsive communication, effective problem-solving, and knowledgeable technicians made the transition to new automation far less daunting. Instead of wondering whom to call or how long a fix might take, he found the support to be steady, straightforward, and reliable.
Oak Ridge’s experience working with Clevertech reflects this approach: equipment that performs reliably, backed by a U.S.-based support team that responds quickly, communicates clearly, and remains engaged well beyond installation.
As wineries consider new investments in bottling or packaging automation, it becomes clear that the equipment itself is only part of the decision. The long-term relationship—how installation is handled, how quickly issues are addressed, and how well the supplier understands the customer’s operation—often has just as much impact on day-to-day performance.
To learn more about Clevertech’s support services or equipment options, contact Beth Zarnick-Duffy, Sales Manager, at 814-571-1768 or by email: b.zarnick@clevertech-group.com.
𝗖𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵’𝘀 high‑speed end‑of‑line systems set the pace for modern packaging lines, consistently delivering the throughput operations demand.
Speed isn’t just a fixed number — it’s maintaining the right rate at the right moment. Systems must sustain required production speeds, provide surge capacity when needed, and ramp down smoothly when product flow is reduced. The goal is stable, predictable performance that adapts as demands change.
If consistent, reliable speed is a priority, let’s connect!
WIN Expo was a success - and if you missed it, here’s the big takeaway: Clevertech North America makes bottling automation simple, scalable, and cost-effective.
Our modular approach means you start with what you need now—depalletizer, case packer, or palletizer-and add more as your production grows. Seamless integration minimizes downtime and maximizes ROI.
Wondering how Clevertech’s technology can fit into your space? Schedule a meeting with one of our Sales Managers to see how we can enhance your plant's performance. Whether you run a small winery or a large-scale operation, Clevertech is here to help you overcome labor, space, and budget challenges—one smart step at a time.
Contact Clevertech today to learn how modular automation can transform your bottling line.