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 take care of 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
Working 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 holding folks in these roles was an ongoing battle. They knew automation might resolve this difficulty, however they wanted an answer that made monetary sense and match inside their house 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. Ultimately, the automation resolution they selected got here in slightly below their unique 12-month ROI purpose—making the choice a straightforward one as soon as inside approvals have been secured.
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Choosing the proper 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 enlargement.
- 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 different in run charges, weights, and capacities, so that they wanted a versatile system that might deal with various product sorts effectively.
Over time, our robotic capabilities advanced to fulfill their wants. The flexibility to carry out multi-pick operations and deal with extra weight made automation an excellent higher match. After seeing our options at Pack Expo for 2 years in a row, they knew we have been the precise 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 carried out automation two years earlier, they might have already recouped their funding and seen extra effectivity positive factors.
For corporations contemplating automation, the important thing takeaway is obvious: Start early. Start small if needed, but start. Doing nothing means shedding out on productiveness, effectivity, and value financial savings that might 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. If you happen to’re going through comparable struggles, don’t wait—discover your choices right this moment.
