Within the coronary heart of the Pacific Northwest, a frozen vegetable packaging firm confronted a rising problem: discovering and retaining staff 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 every week, this firm had a devoted operator on the finish of every of their 4 packaging traces. The issue? Recruiting and preserving individuals in these roles was an ongoing battle. They knew automation may remedy this concern, however they wanted an answer that made monetary sense and match inside their area constraints.
Their very best return on funding (ROI) goal was 12 months, however given the severity of their labor challenges, they have been keen to stretch to 18 months. In the long run, the automation answer they selected got here in just below their unique 12-month ROI purpose—making the choice a simple one as soon as inner approvals have been secured.
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Choosing the proper automation answer
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 area 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 workers to function and troubleshoot.
- Scalability – Their SKUs diverse in run charges, weights, and capacities, in order that they wanted a versatile system that would deal with numerous product varieties effectively.
Over time, our robotic capabilities advanced to fulfill their wants. The flexibility to carry out multi-pick operations and deal with further weight made automation a fair higher match. After seeing our options at Pack Expo for 2 years in a row, they knew we have been the proper companion.
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 that they had carried out automation two years earlier, they’d have already recouped their funding and seen further effectivity good points.
For firms contemplating automation, the important thing takeaway is obvious: Begin early. Begin small if wanted, however begin. Doing nothing means shedding out on productiveness, effectivity, and price 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 progress. In the event you’re dealing with related struggles, don’t wait—discover your choices right this moment.
