DrinkPAK has positioned itself as a leader in high-speed, high-volume canned beverage production. Central to that growth is a strategic investment in automation and infrastructure—most notably at its flagship facility in Fort Worth, Texas—where collaboration with Siemens is delivering measurable operational gains.
Building a scalable, high-speed network
DrinkPAK operates one of the largest contract manufacturing platforms in North America, producing beverages for global brands at speeds of up to 3,000 cans per minute. Its facilities in Santa Clarita, Calif., and Fort Worth rank among the largest of their kind in the U.S., with a third site in Philadelphia slated to come online in 2027.
This expanding footprint reflects a clear priority: scale production without sacrificing flexibility, reliability, or efficiency. To achieve that, DrinkPAK turned to Siemens for an integrated automation and infrastructure approach.
“Partnering with Siemens gave us the flexibility to scale rapidly while investing in energy-efficient automation,” says Brian Aster, Chief Strategy Officer, DrinkPAK. “Their industry knowledge and tailored financing solutions have been critical to our growth and long-term success.”
Integrated automation drives operational efficiency
At the heart of DrinkPAK’s operations is Siemens’ BRAUMAT process control system, purpose-built for the brewing and beverage sector. The platform automates recipe-driven production, enabling consistent product quality while streamlining batch management.
By integrating programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and human-machine interfaces (HMIs), BRAUMAT provides real-time visibility into operations. This allows DrinkPAK to monitor performance, optimize throughput, and quickly respond to production variables—critical capabilities in a high-speed, multi-SKU environment.
The result is a more controlled and efficient production process, with reduced variability and improved overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
Intelligent infrastructure supports reliability and energy efficiency
Beyond process control, Siemens delivered a comprehensive energy and electrical infrastructure package at the Fort Worth facility. This includes switchboards, metering systems, and intelligent power monitoring tools that ensure stable, high-output operations.
These systems give DrinkPAK deeper insight into energy usage across the plant, enabling more informed decision making and supporting sustainability goals. By aligning energy management with production demands, the company can reduce waste while maintaining peak performance.
Automation extends into intralogistics
DrinkPAK’s automation strategy extends beyond production into warehouse and logistics operations. Through its partnership with E80 Group, the company implemented automated guided vehicle (AGV) systems to handle pallet movement, storage, and truck loading.
Siemens technology plays a key role in orchestrating this system. PLCs manage communication and control across each vehicle, coordinating movements with sensors, drives, and safety systems. Meanwhile, HMIs provide operators with real-time diagnostics and system visibility.
This level of integration enables precise, synchronized material flow, thereby reducing manual handling, minimizing errors, and supporting continuous operations across the facility.
Measurable benefits on the plant floor
The impact of Siemens’ technology is evident across DrinkPAK’s operations:
- Improved scalability: Standardized, modular automation allows the company to expand capacity quickly as demand grows.
- Higher reliability: Integrated systems and real-time monitoring reduce downtime and support predictive maintenance strategies.
- Enhanced efficiency: Coordinated production and intralogistics systems streamline workflows and maximize throughput.
- Energy optimization: Intelligent infrastructure provides visibility and control over power usage, supporting sustainability initiatives.
- Operational consistency: Recipe-based automation ensures repeatable quality across high-volume production runs.
Enabling long-term growth
A key differentiator in the partnership has been Siemens’ ability to combine automation technology with tailored financing solutions. This approach allows DrinkPAK to invest in advanced systems while aligning costs with performance outcome, which is an important factor in scaling capital-intensive operations.
“This project demonstrates the power of combining technology with tailored financing,” says Oleg Rakitsky, Head of Siemens Financial Services Commercial Finance Americas. “Our role is to make innovation accessible, supporting DrinkPAK with solutions that align investment with performance, and enable scalable, sustainable growth.”
For DrinkPAK, the Fort Worth facility represents more than a production site; it serves as a model for future expansion. By standardizing on Siemens’ automation platform, the company is building a cohesive, interoperable network that can be replicated across new facilities.
A foundation for digital transformation
DrinkPAK’s collaboration with Siemens highlights how integrated automation, infrastructure, and financial strategy can come together to solve complex manufacturing challenges. The result is a highly connected operation capable of delivering speed, flexibility, and efficiency at scale—key advantages in today’s competitive beverage market.
As the company continues to expand its coast-to-coast footprint, this digital foundation positions DrinkPAK to meet growing demand while maintaining the performance standards its customers expect.
