This year’s record number of CPG companies will invest in production automation. The reason for this investment lasted over the years and continued in 2025. The necessity of challenging labor shortages, priority of employee safety, close focus on production efficiency and reducing factory costs.
In fact, DELOITTE’s digital maturity index found that 98%of manufacturers who participated in 800 surveys began their digital innovation in 2023, compared to 78%in 2019. Technologies such as automation are no longer options, efficient and competitive. It is a now, later.
Mi Rancho, a corn and salsa manufacturer, relies on end automation but is not a solo mission. Joe Santana, chief executive officer of MI Rancho, says automation is a strategy of the industry for efficiency.
“We run 24 hours a day and have three shifts, and 70%of this line will work three shifts this year,” he said. “We must be competitive. Labor costs continue to increase, so we must look at it. Robotics will be strategic not only in MI Rancho but also in the industry. ”
However, not all companies have sufficient (or any) CAPEX spending for automation of robot production, but are traditionally expensive and time -consuming. Business leaders are enough to focus on keeping consumer demand and being satisfied with their skilled people.
But 2025. Currently, CPG leaders have pre -investments, internal expertise or risks that can be automated by budget.
We are talking about full service robot automation rental. This can be truly accessible to automation and can be an easy -to -access key.
Can robot production automation be budget -friendly and flexible?
Historically, automation has been considered to be unavailable for small and medium -sized companies due to the high equipment cost and time consumed for internal expertise or training. This is still true for the purchase of traditional automation equipment. This requires internal resources so that large prerequisites (a lot of patience to see ROI) and the equipment are optimal and executed.
However, instead of purchasing equipment completely, there is a flexible option that provides robots in a time -based contract. Robot rents are often called robots or RAAs provided by robots. To place automated solutions in Layman’s terms: Instead of owning equipment, maintenance, equipment exchange and replacement parts are provided to the solution company at no additional cost. End -to -end solution specially built for each customer.
I know that it feels like a catch, but not. Many robot companies want US manufacturers allow the United States to access accessible and easy automation because the United States maintains the control of innovation.
For example, a company, such as formic, provides a subscription -based robot automation model that allows customers to shorten time to ROI without fixing them to long -term agreements and to grow into a system. Using formic allows customers literally built into the contract, so they ensure better production performance results. RAAS is an accessible option because it removes barriers, such as the necessity of preliminary agent costs, hardware and software maintenance teams and programs, and external consulting for industrial robots. It can also serve as an option instead of unreliable temporary labor.
At the point of view of a temporary worker, many manufacturers depend on this, which can be a problem for business in the long run. They are called temporary workers for reasons. Temporarily Be close to the labor gap, not permanent solution.
Robot production automation = investment in employees
Many roles were not safe, ergonomically impossible, and it was difficult to fill the essential production gap of the factory floor because it was monotonous and rewarded to employees.
According to a study conducted by Deloitte and Manufacturing Institute in 2024, the role that requires higher level of technology can grow the fastest between 2022 and 2032, and the combination of technology manufacturing, digital and soft technology is prioritized. Will.
Santana talked about Mi Rancho’s automation journey due to the company’s struggle to fill the role. “We will grow about 20 million pounds and produce about 70 million pounds, so it is a tremendous growth for us.” “It was not easy to find labor and could not fill all the positions we wanted. It was a big factor we had to go in the direction of automation. ”
One of the biggest misconceptions about automation is to replace human occupation. But this idea comes from fear of change. Automation does not perform tasks, changes old processes and creates new opportunities for human workers. Robot programmers/technicians, as well as roles such as software developers/engineers exist due to the development of technology.
By guaranteeing automation, if the company does not train employees who are not experts, the company will have a partner relationship with a robot company that provides team training to lead to strengthening work. For example, formic has a full service Paletizer program that includes team training, making it easy to switch to the end of the employees in a few days.
Full analysis of robot rental process
If so, what is the robot “renting” instead of promising one ownership? Several stages.
Prior to integration, automated companies will evaluate the factory requirements and processes for designing technology solutions. From there, tenants will receive subscription -based fees, and longer promises are often the same as the lowest quote. Buildings and development begin after signing a contract for the fee. This usually takes between 4-10 weeks and depends on the complexity of the system.
After the system is produced and added to the company’s production floor, the test is tested to integrate the current operation correctly without interruption. It is advantageous because a company that provides team training, such as format, spends a few days so that employees feel comfortable with the new robot system.
If the robot is optimally operated, the tenant begins to pay for the solution (it wasn’t 1 second before). Here, most robot rental companies offer monitoring, technical support, dedicated success teams and equipment exchange options as needed.
Finally, after the lease period (the contract is terminated), the company has an option to update, upgrade or return the system.
This process is different for each automation company, but it is a general overview of the process.
If you use a robot rent, the string is not attached after the contract is over, so there is no fear of the robot because the robot did not run on the production line as planned. this This is a method of automating CPG to CAPEX or budget without risk.
When we talked with Adam Bragg, the factory technical director of Cameron’s Coffee, he brought the value of End-to-end solution robot rentals as Cameron’s production floor. “We like to provide full solutions, including dedicated operation time and service.”
Is the robot rent the only option? No, but the best
Between 2024 and 2034, the RAAS market will grow with an annual growth rate of 17%.
Shoe ring innovation is about the available resource optimization. Is there a greater optimization than relying on other companies to increase production efficiency and pay only when it works? If so, I did not hear it.
If you want to learn more about the formic robot rental process or talk with customers, please contact us here.
