Previously an entirely manual operation,
one skilled operative now oversees the
robotic lines, resulting in a significant
reduction in headcount.
Morrisons chooses Brillopak to automate
multiple fresh produce packing lines
In the last 18-months, Brillopak has product and efficiency improvements, potatoes every year, loaded bags of flow
installed a range of fully automated Jason says: “The characteristics fresh wrapped potatoes manually into crates.
pick and place packing lines at three produce means that gentle handling is Now, thanks to two fully-automated
of Morrisons fresh produce and fruit essential to prevent damage and costly and two semi-automated pick, pack and
manufacturing sites. waste. Equally important is the need to palletising lines, the Northamptonshire
retain product freshness.” site has enhanced its potato packing
Aligned to Morrisons’ strategy to provide
precision and transformed its operation
the retailer’s 11 million weekly shoppers Jason continues: “Rushden was the with the best quality fresh produce, Jason third multi-line implementation where Kelly, Head of Operations for Morrisons Morrisons worked with Brillopak. Rather Manufacturing has led the automation than creating individual autonomous potato packing process. Similar turnkey
strategy across their fresh produce operating units, we sought an integrated, lines were installed at Gadbrook.
business, which includes the recent comprehensive, more labour efficient Brillopak systems installed at Rushden, system that covered everything from Forming part of a company-wide
Thrapston and Gadbrook. packing produce to palletising. Brillopak’s investment in front and back end
modular automated concepts have manufacturing improvements, Rushden
All three sites are delivering improved proven to be extremely flexible and has significantly boosted its OEE within
in-store presentation for apples, reliable, accommodating variations in 12 months, reports Andy. Yet, most
potatoes and other root vegetables. speeds and packaging formats. The true importantly for the site manager, the
What’s more, the turnkey systems can measure though has been the almost be easily adapted to handle reusable and immediate improvements to operational renewable packaging formats reports efficiency effectiveness (OEE). waste is down, bottlenecks have been
Rushden’s site manager Andy Day.
from an unergonomic roundtable manual
crate separation and case loading
method, to a safer, high speed, optimised
way potatoes are presented in crates
has dramatically improved. Additionally,
virtually eliminated, reliance on agency
Historically, the Rushden packhouse, staff has reduced and workforce
Commenting on how automating fresh which cleans, stores, packs and wellbeing and satisfaction is the best it
produce lines can lead to a higher quality distributes thousands of tonnes of has ever been.
30 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk