ABB event set to explain how UK food and beverage sector can boost its productivity with robotics
ABB’s forthcoming UK Food & Beverage Solutions event will explain how robot technology and other automation solutions can help the industry boost its productivity and become more competitive on a global scale. Taking place at ABB’s Milton Keynes site on Wednesday 23 November 2016, the event will highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the UK Food & Beverage industry today, as well as introduce a step-by-step approach to devising a successful automation strategy.
In order to overcome common issues such as health and safety risks, the rising cost of labour and increasing raw materials costs, UK Food & Beverage manufacturers must consider automation as part of their overall business strategy. A study of automation, labour productivity and employment by Copenhagen Business School found that if the UK were to match Finland, the most automated country within the Food & Beverage sector, the industry could boost productivity by 13.7 per cent. This could be achieved through the combination of many benefits such as increased flexibility, reduced operation costs and higher speeds leading to a higher output of products with reduced wastage and greater profitability following the installation of automation.
ABB’s UK Food & Beverage Solutions event will explore these factors in closer detail through a series of presentations given by ABB experts. There will be a presentation given by an experienced robot user from the Food & Beverage industry, as well as a tour including demonstrations. The event will provide UK Food & Beverage manufacturers with the opportunity to see the latest robot technology, including ABB’s RobotStudio offline programming software. ABB’s RobotStudio offline programming software helps to greatly reduce the time and cost of setting up a robot system by enabling robot cells to be modelled and tested offline.
“Misconceptions about the cost, flexibility and complexity of robot technology and other automation solutions are stopping many UK Food & Beverage manufacturers from realising their true potential,” says Mike Wilson, general industry sales manager for ABB Robotics in the UK and Ireland. “Our Food & Beverage Solutions event has been designed with this in mind and aims to educate the Food & Beverage community about the steps to take in specifying and installing the best automation technologies for their requirements.”