September 4, 2024

Overview
The client is a large, global food and beverage manufacturer with multiple production facilities across North America. The client specializes in producing a wide range of products, including snacks, beverages, and frozen foods. To maintain their competitive edge, the client is constantly seeking to improve their supply chain and manufacturing processes. The client wanted to streamline their shipping operation by completely automatizing the palletizing of boxes, wrapping of the pallets, label printing, and automatic loading of those pallets in autonomous trucks.

Challenges
Prior to the implementation of this automated system, the client faced significant challenges related to the tracking and management of pallets throughout their production and distribution network. These challenges included:
1. Inaccurate Pallet Tracking: Tracking pallets accurately is a difficult task. This led to discrepancies in inventory levels, causing delays in shipping and higher operational costs.
2. Manual Processes: Existing process relied heavily on manual data entry, which was time-consuming, error-prone, and not scalable.
3. Labelling and Documentation: Ensuring that all pallets are correctly labelled with necessary regulatory information (e.g., batch numbers, expiration dates) is complex and challenging.
4. Inefficient Workflow: Lack of real-time visibility into pallet movements and status resulted in workflow inefficiencies, affecting overall productivity and cost.
5. Making All Systems Work in Sync: Automation of multiple systems that all need to talk together, from the plant floor to servers, is a difficult ask. How do you keep track of every transaction? What happens when things go wrong?

Solutions
To address these challenges, the client reached Grantek for help, to implement a proper Pallet Manifest solution – A state-of-the-art automated information exchange system that tracks pallets, ensure proper pallet labelling, with HMI on the plant floor that offers reports with real-time insights on what’s happening.
Key Features of Grantek’s Pallet Manifest Solution:
• Automated Data Transaction: Integration with PLCs, label printers, barcode scanners and ERP software to automate data flow and minimize human error.
• Real-time Tracking: Continuous monitoring of pallet movements throughout the production and distribution network, providing real-time visibility into inventory status.
• Compliance Management: Automated documentation and reporting to meet food safety and traceability standards. Also keeps logs of all operations made on pallets, from entry to exit. Helps troubleshooting when things go wrong.
• Integration with Existing Systems: Seamless integration with the client’s existing ERP and WMS systems to ensure data consistency and enhance operational efficiency.
• Streamlined Operations: Less involvement from the people on the floor. Fewer errors. Less cost. More pallets out the door.

Grantek’s team collaborated closely with the client, and the multiple contractors, to implement a fully working autonomous pallet shipping system. The implementation process included the following steps:
1. Assessment and Planning: Grantek conducted a comprehensive assessment of the client’s new systems and existing processes to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement.
2. System Integration: The Pallet Manifest solution was integrated with the client’s existing ERP and PLCs from all the new machines. This integration allowed for the seamless exchange of data across platforms.
3. Training and Change Management: Grantek provided extensive training sessions for the client’s staff to ensure a smooth transition to the new system. This included training on the use of new equipment and the software interface.
4. Testing and Optimization: A pilot phase was conducted to test the solution in a live environment. Feedback from this phase was used to fine-tune the system and address any issues before full-scale deployment.
5. Support: Grantek is always there. By providing continuous support, the client was easily able to step over the little hurdles that come with a greenfield system.

Grantek’s Pallet Manifest solution proved to be an effective tool for optimizing the client’s pallet management processes. By automating data capture and flow, enhancing real-time tracking, and making the different systems form a cohesive unit, the solution helped the client achieve significant operational improvements and set the stage for continued growth and innovation in their supply chain operations.