Within the coronary heart of the Pacific Northwest, a frozen vegetable packaging firm confronted a rising problem: discovering and retaining employees for tedious, repetitive end-of-line duties. Being in a rural space, their labor pool was restricted, making hiring troublesome and turnover excessive. To keep up and scale their operations, they turned to automation—and after two years of exploration, they lastly took the leap.
The ache level: labor shortages and operational constraints
Operating two shifts a day, six days per week, this firm had a devoted operator on the finish of every of their 4 packaging traces. The issue? Recruiting and retaining folks in these roles was an ongoing battle. They knew automation might resolve this concern, however they wanted an answer that made monetary sense and match inside their house constraints.
Their ultimate return on funding (ROI) goal was 12 months, however given the severity of their labor challenges, they had been keen to stretch to 18 months. Ultimately, the automation resolution they selected got here in slightly below their authentic 12-month ROI purpose—making the choice a simple one as soon as inside approvals had been secured.
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Selecting the best automation resolution
Past fixing labor shortages, this firm had three key automation necessities:
- Compact Footprint – A big centralized palletizer wasn’t an choice. They wanted a system that match inside their present house whereas permitting for future growth.
- Ease of Use – With no in-house robotic programmers, they wanted a system easy sufficient for his or her present staff to function and troubleshoot.
- Scalability – Their SKUs assorted in run charges, weights, and capacities, in order that they wanted a versatile system that would deal with various product varieties effectively.
Over time, our robotic capabilities advanced to fulfill their wants. The power to carry out multi-pick operations and deal with extra weight made automation a fair higher match. After seeing our options at Pack Expo for 2 years in a row, they knew we had been the appropriate associate.
The lesson: don’t wait to automate
This firm, like many others, waited years earlier than making the leap to automation. In hindsight, that delay price them money and time. If they’d applied automation two years earlier, they’d have already recouped their funding and seen extra effectivity positive aspects.
For corporations contemplating automation, the important thing takeaway is evident: Begin early. Begin small if wanted, however begin. Doing nothing means dropping out on productiveness, effectivity, and value financial savings that would compound over time.
This firm’s story is a testomony to the facility of automation in overcoming workforce challenges and setting the stage for long-term development. When you’re dealing with comparable struggles, don’t wait—discover your choices at the moment.
