Survey checks automation attitudes in food sector

A survey in the UK food industry aims to engage senior food industry decision makers in a debate about the prizes and pitfalls from the industry's attitudes to automation.

A UK survey is being launched to gauge automation progress in the UK food industry.

Called Appetite for Automation, it is being conducted with the British Automation and Robotics Association, Food Processing Faraday Partnership and the North West Food Alliance.

Sponsored by RTS Flexible Systems, the survey aims to engage senior food industry decision makers in a debate about the prizes and pitfalls resulting from the industry's attitudes to automation.

Managing Director of RTS Flexible Systems, David Bradford, said: "Despite being the largest manufacturing sector in the UK, the food and drink industry invests comparatively little in automation and robotics compared to its counterparts".

"Our aim is to investigate this apparent paradox by gaining a better understanding of the industry's experiences of both the benefits and risks associated with automation".

"Can we expect a brave new world of robotics and automated handling systems in the future or will food production and packaging always remain highly labour intensive?".

"Food manufacturers are subject to increasing financial pressures to improve productivity and profitability".

"Do they recognise the potential of automation to increase capacity and improve yields?".

"Why don't more manufacturers solve perplexing staff and skills shortages by replacing menial, repetitive or health-averse tasks with flexible, robotics-based technologies?".

The goal of Appetite for Automation is to try to find answers to these and more questions and to share the experiences of those who have invested in automation.

The survey will also invite opinions about how robotics and automation suppliers can best address the perceived risks associated with investment in automation.

The survey will be carried out by market research firm IAS Marketing and Communication during the early part of 2006.

The research will be conducted through interviews with senior engineers, production managers and project managers across a range of food and packaging applications.

It is hoped the findings of the survey will be of value to all those involved in food production and packaging in the UK.

The results will be collated and analysed in a final report in consultation with RTS and the survey's partners.

The final report will be provided free of charge to senior industry personnel, industry bodies and engineering societies.

The report will share key industry experiences of automation and consider potential responses to the perceptions and any misperceptions that may be revealed.

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