OAL celebrates double win at MiCE awards 2020!
We’re delighted to announce that we have won two awards at the Made in Central & East (MiCE) awards! We took home the Manufacturing Innovation Award for our APRIL™ Robotics Ingredient Handling System, and we were also presented with the Manufacturing Apprentice/Training Scheme Award. We were up against some tough competition so we’re thrilled to have been recognised by the judges and are extremely proud of the hard work of our teams. Following on from the regional awards we’ve been entered into the national finals in Liverpool – hopefully we can repeat our success in June 2020!
Innovative APRIL
Our APRIL Robotics Ingredient Handling system revolutionises the way that ingredients and components are handled in industrial facilities. The judging panel was impressed with our innovative design and our goal to improve operations in facilities across the globe. Weighing and scaling of powders is a key task in nearly all manufacturing operations everywhere but it can prove costly to manufacturers, primarily due to labour costs. Manual handling in harsh and dusty environments can also have an extremely detrimental impact on employees’ health but there hasn’t been a viable alternative before now.
The APRIL Robotics Ingredient Weighing system offers a real alternative to operators on the factory floor. Not only does the system’s cells automatically weigh powders to an accuracy up to +/- 1g at weigh-up rates of up to 1,000kg/hr, but it also offers full traceability and can help to reduce waste. What’s more, with wages on the rise, the APRIL Robotics Ingredient Handling System can help to reduce labour costs by allowing you to implement unmanned operations in your facility.
Dedicated to development
We also took home the Manufacturing Apprenticeship/Training Scheme Award! We’re dedicated to supporting training and development, and at any one time we have an average of 15% of our workforce completing further studies or an apprenticeship. The judges highlighted our commitment to investing in training to ensure that the right people are in place to drive the business forward and offer solutions to meet the challenges of tomorrow in the food industry. Our partnership with the University of Lincoln, among other education providers, allows us to invest in our people so our employees benefit from recognised qualifications. We’re extremely proud of the hard work and commitment put in by our staff and are truly honoured to have been awarded the accolade by the judges.