Economic uncertainty, rising tariffs, and ongoing labor challenges are making it more durable than ever for meals producers to plan their subsequent transfer. But one Canadian potato chip maker discovered a method to enhance productiveness, cut back prices, and preserve flexibility—all with out hiring a single further employee.
A crunch-time determination that paid off quick
When this 100-employee snack meals producer first reached out to us, they weren’t robotics consultants. They simply knew one thing needed to change. Their manufacturing traces wanted revamping, upkeep was turning into a headache, and so they have been feeling the strain to remain aggressive in a troublesome market.
What began as a single automated palletizer venture rapidly turned a strategic funding. Using our ROI calculator and an in depth wants evaluation, the corporate projected an 18-month payback. The actual end result? Just 16 months. That’s once they ordered their second palletizer.
And they’re not alone. More and extra meals producers are realizing that automation doesn’t need to be difficult—or dangerous—to ship actual worth.
Why the ROI beat expectations
Many producers calculate ROI based mostly solely on headcount financial savings. But this buyer rapidly found added advantages they hadn’t deliberate for:
- Lower overhead from diminished handbook dealing with
- More constant manufacturing output
- Easier upkeep, even with seasoning traces close by
- Reduced coaching time due to intuitive, easy-to-use robotics
What’s extra, they didn’t need to pause different initiatives to make automation work. Despite additionally investing in a brand new facility, they nonetheless managed to efficiently roll out the palletizing system with out disrupting manufacturing.
Flexibility that grows with you
A key motive for his or her second buy? Flexibility.
Rather than locking them right into a inflexible structure, the palletizing system allowed them to reorganize 4 traces with out main prices. They now have two automated cells that may evolve with their wants over time—serving to them construct momentum with out shedding agility.
A phrase to fellow meals producers
As I all the time say, “Start somewhere. Even in uncertain times, investing in automation doesn’t have to be disruptive. Done right, it’s a fast path to resilience.”
Food producers throughout Canada are going through actual pressures. But automation isn’t nearly surviving—it’s about constructing a basis for development. If you are questioning whether or not now could be the precise time, run the numbers your self. Or higher but, see the total story behind how actual prospects are making it work.
