Page 32 - Food & Drink Business August 2018

BEVERAGES
equipment data to monitor system performance.
“In addition to line monitoring systems, a pilot trial is underway to understand the operational benefit of ‘big data collection’ at a machine component level. The trials will provide insights for machine and process optimisation as well as optimal network architecture for data collection from hardwired systems through to cloud options,” Grant says.
NEW AGV FLEET
The distribution facilities on the site have also been significantly expanded so all finished goods produced in Richlands can move through an onsite
which means a huge reduction in transportation, cutting about 16,000 truck movements from Queensland roads between the warehouses
and factory,” Grant says.
LIVE TRANSFORMATION
Embedding the multitude of new systems and technologies to enable this level of transformation has not always been a smooth journey, Grant says.
“Building a new facility is challenging at the best of times, but working state-of- the-art technology and infrastructure around a live processing environment takes the build process to another level.”
The largest hurdle has been doing this scale of work on a site that is also operating as ‘business as usual’ in full production.
“We were installing all the new equipment and building the new warehouse on the site, which meant managing both safety and traffic movement across the entire site,” Grant says.
So while the integration team had a precise set of targets on their time and budget, their needs could not supersede the normal sphere of operations responding to customer requirements and demand forecasts.
“They need to react quickly to respond to their customers requirements, and might suddenly require a space to put raw materials — possibly in the same spot where the team had been hoping to unload a new piece of equipment.”
The second part of the equation was the need to move the project from design to completion.
“This was not a traditional turnkey operation where someone comes in and builds things from scratch. We spent a lot of time in the planning and product implementation stage to ensure we got the best result,” Grant says.
“At some point you need to move on from being an installation to a fully operational production line and warehouse.
“But in spite of the many challenges, the implementation has been completed with minimal disruption to our supply chain and to customers.” ✷
“ Products now come distribution centre.
ABOVE: CCA’s upgrade enabled the creation of a new range of Barista Bros flavoured milks with reduced sugar content.
straight from the production centre into the warehouse, which means a huge reduction in transportation.”
To achieve this, Grant says the company consolidated its three external warehouse sites within Queensland into a single warehouse at the site, which “brings manufacturing and logistics together on the site for the first time”.
To streamline these operations, CCA has introduced cutting edge technology such as automated storage and retrieval systems and Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) to the new facility, which has significantly reduced truck, pallet and finished goods movements.
“All finished goods from the dairy and other lines at Richlands will be moved from the product lines to the warehouse by a new squad of AGVs and a pallet conveyor, which will also move finished goods into an automated storage and retrieval system.”
The fleet of 12 double-tine AGV units use laser guidance navigation and have a payload of up to 2,700 kg. They can lift to a maximum height of four metres, and will convey goods from the production lines to the in-feed of the new warehouse automation system.
To keep its squad of AGVs powered up, the company has deployed opportunity charging for batteries when vehicles are not in use, and the units communicate via the WiFi network.
“Products now come straight from the production centre into the warehouse,
32 | Food&Drink business | August 2018 | www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au