Oct 08, 2025 by Matt Nichol
In the fast-moving world of food manufacturing, packhouses are under more pressure than ever. Whether you’re handling fresh produce, meat, dairy or packaged goods, your packhouse plays a crucial role in getting products to market quickly, accurately and in the best condition.
But for many producers, the packhouse remains a source of inefficiency. The burden of manual tasks, disconnected systems and limited visibility can lead to costly mistakes, rework and lost time.
That’s where smart software can make a real difference.
A Packhouse Management System (PMS) is a software platform designed to streamline and connect your entire packing process, from sorting and grading to labelling, inventory and dispatch. By digitising manual tasks and integrating your equipment, a PMS helps you gain greater control, reduce waste and improve product quality. This not only enhances your operational efficiency but also leads to significant cost savings in the long run.
At Matthews, our iDSnet Packhouse Software takes this even further. It not only integrates with your existing systems but also gives you deeper insights into your packing line’s performance, helping you make smarter, faster decisions.
Here are the key benefits of using smart software in your packhouse:
With real-time oversight across the packing floor, you can track what’s happening at every step, from the moment your produce enters the line to the second it’s bagged, palletised and dispatched. This level of control empowers you to make informed, data-backed decisions.
iDSnet gives you granular insights into quantity and quality of fruit grades, packer performance and line efficiency, helping you:
iDSnet for fresh produce packing can track and identify every carton that leaves the packing floor via its grade, its packer and even associate it to customers’ orders or farms where the fruit came from. This provides businesses with more insights into the quantity and quality associated with each grade of produce and their packers.
Food safety and traceability are crucial, particularly in the fresh produce and export markets. Smart packhouse software, such as iDSnet, tracks every carton packed, including what’s in it, who packed it, when it was packed, and the quality of the packing. This provides more information for QA checkers.
This means:
With carton-level traceability, if the quality is not up to scratch, you don’t need to recall an entire shipment — just the affected products. With iDSnet, you can easily identify the affected cartons, when they were packed and where they went, reducing the need for all your products to be removed from the supermarket shelves and incurring the high associated costs.
It also enables businesses to provide more information to consumers about the origin of products they are consuming, which helps build trust.
Manual data entry for labelling is not only slow, but it also introduces risk. iDSnet Packhouse Software integrates with your coding and labelling equipment to apply the right label, every time.
With automated product changeovers and centralised control, you can:
Each carton barcode/label is marked with the grade, who packed it, and when it was packed, which means recalls are more straightforward and pain-free.
Labour shortages are hitting many sectors hard. By automating tasks, such as sorting, grading and labelling, packhouse software reduces your reliance on manual labour while maintaining throughput.
Because iDSnet Packhouse Software tracks packer performance and output, you can also:
Our iDSnet Packhouse Software is designed with user-friendliness in mind, making it easy for your staff to use effectively. This reduces the need for extensive training and ensures a smooth transition to the new system.
With precise grading, accurate labelling and smarter inventory control, you can reduce product losses caused by human error or inefficiencies.
iDSnet also helps you:
Less waste means more sustainable operations and more products reaching your customers in peak condition.
Already using a PMS or ERP system? iDSnet integrates seamlessly with your standard packhouse management software, so you can gain greater insights and connectivity into the efficiency and effectiveness of your packing lines. It enhances the data you collect and closes the loop between packing and enterprise systems.
That means:
You get all the benefits of digitisation without disrupting your current workflows.
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As your business grows, your software should grow with you. Whether you’re adding new lines, expanding into export markets, or managing multiple sites, iDSnet Packhouse Software is built to scale.
Its modular, flexible design allows you to:
If your packhouse still relies on spreadsheets, manual checks or disconnected systems, it’s time to rethink your setup. With iDSnet Packhouse Software, you can digitise your packing floor, improve traceability, reduce errors, and gain the insights you need to run a more efficient, competitive operation.
Talk to the team at Matthews. We’ll help you streamline your packhouse and maximise your productivity on every shift.