According to “2019 Trends and Advances in Food Packaging and Processing,” when looking at developments in operational improvement data over the last two years, automation installations retained the leading position, with more than half of food manufacturers using automation to fill gaps in worker availability.
Robotics rose to the second position on the list with 2 in 5 food companies deploying robotics currently, compared to 1 in 5 companies two years ago.
Said one Packaging System Development Engineer, “Installing more robotics depends on each business model, the line, the product, and the plant; we need greater involvement from our suppliers with robotics integration. “
Cost justification is the greatest obstacle to implementing more automation and robots, with 36% of respondents mentioning it. Lack of technical skills at 22%, and the need for more training at 14% are also considerations.
