FOOD & BEVERAGE AUTOMATION ROUNDTABLE
Key Takeaways
Food and beverage executives discussed the impacts automation has had on their operations and how it will shape the future of the industry .
CHALLENGE
Food and beverage packaging can be labor intensive . By the time the process is automated , the skew changes and the automation needs to be recalibrated .
SOLUTION
Investing in higher quality , more detail-oriented equipment adds more flexibility to facilities to quickly change skews for all different packaging needs .
FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS
P Many companies are implementing new ERP systems and production machinery to prepare for expanding capabilities and customer mix .
P Investing in alternate packaging is imperative to keep up with the evolving market .
P As robots become increasingly popular , some food and beverage facilities can operate with up to 25 % fewer employees if needed .
CHALLENGES & SOLUTIONS
P Automated temperature taking technologies eliminate the risk of assigning an employee to this task and also help to have a perfect record of who is in the plant at any given time .
CHALLENGE
Staffing is a major concern in many food and beverage facilities . It is difficult to keep processes consistent and repeatable with the high employee turnover .
SOLUTION
Many processes can be automated so that fewer people are needed . Some companies have invested in Automated Guided Vehicles ( AGV ) to help move products more efficiently and with less errors .
P Automation can enhance throughput and quality as well as lower product cost and improve the quality of the output .