Automation after COVID-19: Pandemic Presses Food Manufacturers to Automate

To address these gaps and create a transparent, fully efficient supply chain, companies should invest in solutions that help simplify business processes and increase operational efficiency. A centralized ERP system, for example, can provide insight into the supply chain where shipments are reported by lot number and location. “This solution also provides helpful tools such as temperature regulation, in which alerts are sent to food manufacturers in real time, so they are conscious of any sudden changes,” Zimmerman says.

Manufacturers can also implement blockchain technology to track products by the unit. Information is placed on a transaction record that can’t be altered. Blockchain records the location and time of shipments, helping manufacturers to locate any issues that may arise—which helps to save time and money within the supply chain, Zimmerman says. Additionally, going forward, personnel will likely be placed in a way that includes social distancing on the shop floor. Or, robotics might replace some of them.

Along these lines, Burnstein says he expects to see the adoption of robots accelerate in food manufacturing and processing due to COVID-19. Robots can help with social distancing, reduce human touches on items, grow food in indoor environments, and keep facilities running during a pandemic.

Biggest Benefits

All areas of food manufacturing could benefit from automation and robotics in different ways, especially now, Zimmerman says. Different food manufacturers, such as baking or meat processing, have unique operations that require different tracking capabilities. For example, technologies such as blockchain and ERP can provide complete insight into the supply chain with automated tracking, helping to avoid contamination and potential recalls.

As warehouse worker safety is currently top of mind, warehouse automation could be the key to food processors meeting food safety standards without a hands-on approach from employees. “Given required temperature levels, demanding supply chains, storage requirements, and transportation—it’s already difficult for workers to track and manage everything on their own,” Zimmerman says. “By implementing automation technology, it takes some of the burden of manually tracking product information out of the equation and keeps workers safe.”

To keep consumers and businesses safe, food manufacturers must diligently follow food safety regulations. Applying technology solutions such as blockchain and ERP can help companies remain compliant in the supply chain. These systems track important factors such as expiration dates, temperatures, and precise origins such as a crop row on a farm, which can reduce the size of a recall, thereby reducing costs. “Future regulations will likely tighten after COVID-19, giving food manufacturers an early warning to implement solutions that will help control their supply chain operations,” Zimmerman says.

Other food manufacturers, especially those impacted by seasonality, may benefit from supply and demand applications. If a manufacturer experiences issues with shipping expired products or a surplus of products in the warehouse, this solution helps to track order trends and invoice history—which keeps unused products at a minimum. Additionally, supply and demand applications have the ability to complete purchase forecasting, helping manufacturers ensure that they are stocking necessary products. This eliminates waste from warehouses and enhances supply chain operations.

New Advancements

As the food supply chain becomes more sophisticated and digital, it’s imperative that food manufacturers use automated tools to speed up processes and keep up with demand, Zimmerman says.

Sean M. Riley, senior director of media and industry communications at PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, based in Herndon, Va., says that the trend toward smaller, more compact robots has expanded the potential application areas for robotics in general. Smaller robots are a less burdensome capital investment, opening up robotics to operations that previously couldn’t afford them. In addition, the precision and dexterity of smaller robots allows them to be used in industries that were previously a poor fit for robotics.