Software for the packaging industry

We support packaging machine manufacturers in their digital transformation: from operating and tracking software to AI-driven quality inspection and data-driven IIoT solutions.
Customer since 2005
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Customer since 2012
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Customer since 2024
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Customer since 2005
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Customer since 2008
Customer since 2022
Customer since 2022
Customer since 2017
Customer since 2019
Customer since 2012
Customer since 2018
Customer since 2012
Customer since 2018
Customer since 2024
Customer since 2005
Customer since 2016
Customer since 2023
Customer since 2005
Customer since 2022
Customer since 2008
Customer since 2022
Customer since 2022
Customer since 2017
Customer since 2019
Customer since 2012
Customer since 2018
Customer since 2012
Customer since 2018
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The packaging industry in transition

Standard software often reaches its limits in packaging technology: highly specialized custom systems, high cycle rates, strict regulations (e.g., pharma, food), and complex, legacy software landscapes. The true value of software is realized when functions, data, and processes work in harmony and communicate effectively with one another.

In practice, typical challenges arise:

  • Custom machines and equipment, lines, and levels of automation
  • Proprietary interfaces and protocols
  • Existing ERP, MES, and legacy systems
  • Individual requirements for traceability, compliance, and serialization

The real value for manufacturers and customers is only unlocked when data is made fully actionable through tailored software – for example, through supply chain track & trace, AI-supported inline quality inspection, or flexibly adaptable HMI controls for digital operating concepts.

Why generic.de is the right software partner for the packaging industry

We know your industry from hands-on project experience

Through our collaboration with companies like Uhlmann and our involvement in Packaging Valley, we understand how the packaging industry works – from serialization to traceability.

You start testing with real users up to 3x sooner

Thanks to our AI-driven software development, we deliver features up to 3x faster. You can start testing sooner and get real user feed­back earlier – while changes are still cost-effective.

Maintainable and scalable software for years to come

We are convinced that even in the AI era, industrial software must run for decades. That is why our clean code standard applies to AI-generated code as well. For sustainable, not disposable software.

No lock-in – switching is possible at any time

The source code, concepts, designs, and the AI dev­elopment environment belong to you. You could continue working with your own team tomorrow. We keep clients through results, not lock-ins.

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Julian Geiger
Agile Team Lead Digital Solutions
Uhlmann Pac-Systeme GmbH & Co. KG
We were impressed by how quickly the generic.de team got up to speed and the level of motivation they brought to such a complex subject. The team works very independently and, just like us, places the highest value on quality. It’s the perfect match for our software and our standards!
Moritz Pastow
PROGRAM MANAGER DIGITAL SERVICES & IIOT,
LEWA GMBH
Because everyone is interconnected and shares the same project expertise, it just works. Plus, I save time and money that would otherwise be spent on explanations, knowledge transfer, management, or coordination.
Alexander Strobl
DIRECTOR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IT
J. WAGNER GMBH
In the beginning, there was a lot of mocking and prototyping involved. You first have to find a service provider willing to go along with that. generic.de simply has the right mindset for challenges like these—the perfect hands-on approach.
Tobias Vock
Manager solutions
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‍Saatmann GmbH
The qualified software audit from generic.de helped us a great deal with the subsequent process. The result took a lot of pressure off us internally. We now had neutral, external confirmation that we were on the right track and knew exactly which levers we still needed to adjust.
Manuel Stuhlinger
APPLICATION ENGINEERING & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
BEST WOOD SCHNEIDER® GMBH
For me as a customer, clean code simply offers the security of being independent. I don't want to be stuck in 10 years with a piece of code that no one understands anymore and have to start all over again.
Nora Legittimo
CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER (CDO),
SCHÖCK BAUTEILE GMBH
I find a beta phase with absolutely no bugs or other issues in the software to be truly unusual. But, especially considering our industry's extreme focus on security, that is obviously a great thing.

How we can support the packaging industry with our solutions

Custom software for packaging technology becomes essential wherever machine control, line integration, serialization, and digital services need to converge within established system landscapes.

A person holding a tablet displaying industrial monitoring software with charts and asset information.

Serialization and traceability for packaging machines

Clear identification and tracking of products along the entire supply chain, right through to the end consumer. Our reference project with packaging specialist Uhlmann shows how we support them in developing highly sensitive track & trace software.

A man with a tablet operating a machine in a modern factory.

Condition and event monitoring for packaging machines

Transparency regarding machine status, line downtime, or deviations as a basis for operational decisions – from individual machines to complete packaging lines.

Automated packaging machine placing cartons on a conveyor belt in a factory.

AI-supported quality inspection for packaging lines

Automated inline defect detection and pass/fail sorting using camera systems, deep learning models, and real-time visualization. Our case study on AI-supported process control shows how these analytics minimize manufacturing error rates and reduce the burden on inspection staff.

A man with glasses looking at large screens displaying charts and data visualizations.

Maintenance and repair support for packaging machines

Use operational data to better plan maintenance and reduce unplanned downtime – especially critical for high-cycle rates and regulated environments. Link production and quality data for root cause analysis and process improvement. Learn how AI-supported analytics minimize manufacturing error rates in our process control case study.
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Our references

Selected case study

Uhlmann Pac-Systeme GmbH & Co. KG

Development support for Track & Trace software for pharmaceutical packaging

How we support packaging specialist Uhlmann in developing highly sensitive tracking software – efficiently, independently, and to the highest quality standards.
  • Rapid onboarding into complex domains thanks to many years of industry experience
  • Fully integrated development team as part of the Uhlmann Group – coordinated within the same Scrum process
  • Clean Code Schulungen
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Common challenges in software projects and how we solve them

Challenges & Solutions

Unclear project scoping: Scope, timelines, and budgets are difficult to estimate before a project starts.
Upfront concept development: Assess risks and develop a reliable effort­ estimate – before development begins.
Lack of prioritization: Too many features, too little focus – in the end, a lot is started, but nothing is truly finished.
Dual Track Agile: Parallelizing design and development – continuously prioritizing features based on business value.
Increasing compliance requirements: CRA, NIS2, ISO 27001 – regulatory pressure is mounting, and retrofitting security is expensive.
Security-by-Design: Security and compliance requirements are integrated into the development­ process from day one.

This is how we develop custom solutions for the packaging industry

DESIGN
Process Analysis & Ideation
1-2 weeks

Together, we analyze your processes and identify your use cases. From there, we develop ideas for software solutions. If you already have a specific idea, we evaluate it for business viability and technical feasibility.

DISCOVER
Concept Development & Knowledge Graph
4-8 weeks

We design your software solution at the intersection of biz, tech, and user requirements. The result is a sophisticated solution concept structured as a machine-readable knowledge graph – perfectly suited for development with AI agents.
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DEVELOP
AI-driven Software Development
6-X months

Development in Dual Track Agile: In our AI development environment, AI agents handle routine tasks, code, and testing according to clean code standards. Our experts continuously design, verify, and enrich the knowledge graph.

DEVOPS
Support & Maintenance
continuously

We operate and maintain your software, monitor system performance, and ensure sustainable, secure operation through regular updates and ongoing technological development.

Your benefits

AI-driven development makes coding up to 3x faster

AI-driven software development accelerates implementation – standards and clean code ensure that speed does not come at the expense of maintainability.

Over 25 years of enterprise experience

For over 25 years, we have been developing custom software for the industrial sector, combining deep industry expertise with a collaborative, peer-to-peer approach.

No hidden Lock-In

The source code, concepts, designs, and AI development environment belong to you – they are readable and can be further developed with other partners at any time.

We protect your investment with Clean Code

Whether using AI or done by hand – Clean Code is our standard. This ensures that your software remains flexible and expandable even years down the road.

Software development in Dual Track Agile

Design and development proceed in parallel – only what has been validated and generates added value is developed.

Compliance-driven development

ISO-compliant processes and CRA readiness are built in – compliance from the start, not as a costly add-on.

User-centric design from the start

Prototypes and usability tests before any code is written – for software that users embrace and that delivers a return on investment.

Experts in every project role

Our employees are experts in their fields, receive ongoing training, and have a generous annual training budget.

API-first

Clearly define interfaces so that ERP, MES, and machines can work together seamlessly and scalably.

Your entry to software solutions for the packaging industry – just a phone call away

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Jörg Lenz
Key Account Manager
FAQs

Frequently asked questions about software projects in the packaging industry

When is a software project involving packaging machinery economically viable?

Such a project is worthwhile if you achieve measurable improvements – for example, in availability, service costs, quality rates, or more transparent operation of machines and lines. Typical effects: fewer unplanned downtimes, automated quality inspection instead of manual checks, or seamless traceability along the supply chain.

What are the risks – and how can they be reduced?

Common risks include unclear goals, insufficient integration of existing systems (controllers, MES, ERP, SAP EWM), and overly optimistic integration assumptions. Clearly defining requirements and interfaces, as well as having a technically sound concept, significantly reduces risks. Pilot projects with a manageable scope help to develop the right thing in the right way.

Which departments is the topic of software most relevant to?

It is not just an IT issue: specialized departments provide machine expertise and process requirements (e.g., format changes, serialization, quality inspection). IT is responsible for integration, security, and operations. Profitable projects emerge where both sides work together early on.

Does a completely new IT infrastructure have to be built?

Many solutions connect to existing systems – such as controllers, MES, ERP, or SAP EWM. For AI-supported process control, for example, the solution runs as a Windows service in the production LAN with a TCP/IP connection to existing systems. Instead of parallel isolated solutions, a step-by-step expansion is recommended.

What role do cloud and edge play?

Edge and cloud complement each other: data can be prepared and time-critical functions executed close to the machine – such as real-time image analysis for AI-supported process control. The cloud is used for consolidating multiple locations, long-term analysis, and scaling. In practice, a hybrid architecture is standard.

What scope should an initial software project in this environment have?

Small and clearly defined: a manageable use case with recognizable benefits – e.g., track & trace for a product line, AI-based quality inspection on a packaging line, or a defined service use case. The software can then be expanded in a targeted manner.

What internal resources does a typical software project in the packaging machinery industry require?

Typically, you will need points of contact from product & development, application engineering, IT, and, if necessary, quality assurance. Clear responsibilities and regular communication are essential.

How long does it take to implement a software project like this?

The duration depends on the scope and integration effort – ranging from a few months for focused enhancements to longer timeframes for comprehensive platforms. Pilot projects provide reliable results early on.

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Industrial AI: 20 real-world use cases

AI in industry is no longer a topic for the future, but where is it really worth getting started? This whitepaper presents 20 anonymized real-world examples of where AI is delivering measurable value in core processes today – from quality assurance and predictive maintenance to intelligent production planning.

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WHITEPAPER

Industrial AI: 20 real-world use cases