Servo-pneumatic systems can provide an alternative to the use of conventional binary pneumatic drives and servo-electric systems. However, a migration path needs to be identified for this to become a practical reality in industry. In this paper, methods for employing pneumatic drives in applications with timing and profile control requirements are investigated. This study is based on a high speed food packaging machine used in industry which currently employs on/off pneumatic actuation. The paper illustrates how advanced features of modem motion controllers can be utilized and what control functions are required to exploit the potential of servo-pneumatic actuation. It also serves to illustrate how pneumatic servos may provide an effective alternative to the use of electric servo mechanisms in some applications. The contribution of this paper is significant in the sense that it illustrates the process of applying servo-pneumatic systems which are currently not well established in industry. The paper should be useful for machine designers who wish to gain an insight into the use of pneumatic servo drives.