After years of hesitation, a well known chocolate producer in Quebec, Canada lastly took the leap and modernized their automated palletizing course of. What modified? The best timing, the best drawback, and the best answer. Their journey highlights key takeaways for meals producers contemplating upgrading their automation however uncertain when or tips on how to begin.
The Problem: A Bottleneck in Manufacturing
This firm, with a number of areas and over a thousand staff, had been increasing its retail choices. Extra merchandise meant extra demand—but in addition extra pressure on manufacturing.
Their greatest subject? The second shift. Like many producers, they struggled to seek out and retain employees, particularly for late-hour positions. On prime of that, their current industrial palletizer was unreliable, vulnerable to breakdowns, and finally failed fully final summer season. This left them with a transparent selection: both follow an outdated, labor-intensive course of or spend money on new automation to maintain up with demand.
The Turning Level: An Engineer Who Noticed the Massive Image
Automation wasn’t a brand new thought for them. The engineering supervisor had been in discussions with Robotiq about palletizing options for just a few years whereas working for a special firm, however by no means had the best alternative. When he joined this chocolate maker, he instantly acknowledged that upgrading to a contemporary, robotic palletizer may resolve their labor points and enhance effectivity.
With an ROI in underneath 2 years and the flexibleness to increase, the choice turned a straightforward one.
Key Advantages Achieved
- Area Optimization: Flooring house was tight, however the brand new palletizer’s superior software program allowed them to put in it near current constructions with out interfering with operations.
- Quick Set up: Inside someday, they have been working their first SKU. Inside two days, full integration was full.
- Ease of Use: The earlier system required a single professional to troubleshoot and keep it. Now, even second-shift upkeep workers may function the tools with confidence.
- Scalability: With their first robotic palletizer up and working, they’re already planning for a second one.
What Different Meals Producers Can Study
- Don’t Watch for a Breakdown to Automate. In case your tools is unreliable, don’t threat productiveness losses. The sooner you improve automation, the earlier you begin seeing returns.
- Assume Past Labor Shortages. Automation doesn’t simply resolve hiring challenges—it could optimize house, velocity up manufacturing, and enhance flexibility.
- Think about Ease of Use. Trendy options are designed for easy operation. Your staff doesn’t should be specialists in robotics to run and keep them.
- ROI Can Be Quicker Than You Assume. A payback interval underneath 2 years is affordable, however in lots of instances, advantages begin showing instantly with elevated productiveness and staff morale.
This chocolate maker is proof that automation doesn’t should be difficult or disruptive. When the best circumstances align, the transition could be clean—and the outcomes, game-changing.
Should you’re going through comparable challenges, now could be the best time to take that subsequent step.
