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 Automation your way

We help food manufacturers automate

We’re here to make food manufacturing profitable, sustainable and safe.

AI, automation and robotics are transforming manufacturing, and we’re here to help.

We’re a market-leading technology and system integration business founded in Peterborough, UK, in 1993.

50% Output Boost with Zero Labelling Errors

See how Ilchester cheese did it

Discover how a leading cheese manufacturer partnered with OAL to automate label verification and double their line capacity.

In this in-depth case study, learn how AI vision technology eliminated manual checks, ensured compliance with retailer codes and made traceability 5× faster.

Right date code and packaging

Eliminate errors, protect your brand and boost productivity

Remove the risk of costly errors and product recalls from your business with a single automation partner.

Our market-leading AI Label Verification and Autocoding systems are installed on over 2,000 lines, ensuring full compliance with retailers' codes of practice to prevent product recalls while boosting efficiency.

Once protected, food manufacturers can achieve fast payback using proven modules to add OEE productivity measurement, connectivity to line equipment, paperless quality checks, traceability and SCADA integration.

OAL x Worldwide Fruit: Accelerating digital transformation

See how automation is driving smarter operations in fresh produce

OAL is proud to support Worldwide Fruit on their journey to smarter manufacturing, helping them digitise key processes, boost efficiency and improve quality across their operations.

In this case study, you'll see how we helped:

  • Automate label and date code verification

  • Integrate their ERP with Redzone for real-time visibility and control

  • Deliver 24/7 support and onboarding to ensure smooth daily operations

Are you humanoid ready?

See how humanoids are transforming food factories

Discover how OAL is exploring the next frontier in food manufacturing by deploying humanoid robots.

Learn how humanoids support teams by taking on repetitive tasks and enabling smarter improvements on the shop floor.

Automate complex powder weighing

Secure quality and overcome labour shortages by automating your pre-weigh and “making” processes.

Automatically store over 100 raw materials and accurately dose 500,000 additions per year direct from your ERP.

Dose to an accuracy of +/- 0.5% on additions from 100g to 50kg.

The APRIL Weighing System automatically weighs out powders and liquids to a recipe, creating the perfect premix or direct addition into a mixer/vessel.

Latest case studies

Discover how OAL has helped market-leading food manufacturers automate.

Featured
ADM Milling UK - Smooth upgrade of production-critical 1980s control panel
ADM Milling UK - Smooth upgrade of production-critical 1980s control panel

ADM Milling is a market leader for flour and bakery ingredients with a strong reputation for product quality, technical support and customer service. At their Corby mill, OAL has seamlessly upgraded and modernised production-critical control panels, achieving zero unplanned plant downtime - a notable achievement given the complexities involved.

Edwards the Welsh Butcher, UK - Eliminate errors with OAL's AI-Driven Label and Date Code Verification System 
Edwards the Welsh Butcher, UK - Eliminate errors with OAL's AI-Driven Label and Date Code Verification System 

As a fast-growing leader in the high-quality convenience meats industry, Edwards needed to ensure the correct application of labels and date codes on its expanding range of award-winning products. OAL automated their manual processes with a state-of-the-art, AI-driven label and date code verification system that has been critical in Edwards growth plans.

Worldwide Fruit, UK - Stopping human error with automated product label verification
Worldwide Fruit, UK - Stopping human error with automated product label verification

Worldwide Fruit is a growing £200+ million turnover fruit marketing and distribution business. Quality is critical to their customers, and they wanted a solution that could scale across their complex operations handling thousands of SKUs from over 1,000 global growers. OAL has helped Worldwide Fruit automate to ensure all its products have the right date code, right packaging and country of origin.

Wealmoor, UK - Improving Quality with Automation
Wealmoor, UK - Improving Quality with Automation

Wealmoor has built a reputation for specialty fruit and vegetables, supplying high-volume, high-quality produce every week. Across their UK factories, they have automated their date coding and packaging processes with the OAL Connected system including Autocoding and APRIL Eye functionality. Going digital has enabled them to eliminate product packaging and quality issues and significantly reduce food waste.

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Latest insights

Featured
Are You Ready for Humanoid Robots in Your Food Factory?
Are You Ready for Humanoid Robots in Your Food Factory?

Why were food recalls on the rise in 2024?
Why were food recalls on the rise in 2024?

Food recalls have become an increasingly common headline in recent years, raising questions and concerns about the safety of what we eat.

2024 is one of the most disruptive years, seeing an increase of 10%.

Due to the increasing number of incorrect labelling, Incorrect date codes, and undeclared allergens, recalls are gaining more public attention than ever before.

Kick off your promotions with confidence
Kick off your promotions with confidence

In the consumer goods industry, the ability to swiftly and accurately update packaging for seasonal events. Automated label verification systems, such as those offered by OAL, play a vital role in managing these changes efficiently.

9 key benefits of ERP Integration with your Packaging Line
9 key benefits of ERP Integration with your Packaging Line

Digital transformation within fresh produce and food manufacturing businesses requires enterprise resource planning (ERP) integration with manufacturing and shopfloor operations

Five challenges to running a profitable fresh produce business...and how automation can help 
Five challenges to running a profitable fresh produce business...and how automation can help 

Fresh produce businesses are facing a “perfect storm of challenges” tackling erratic weather and soaring input costs exacerbated by shocks including Brexit, Covid and the cost-of-living crisis. Discover how automation helps fresh produce businesses succeed.

Top 10 AI Verification Quality Checks for Food Packaging
Top 10 AI Verification Quality Checks for Food Packaging

AI has the potential to transform every process in every industry; the secret is not to simply view it as what manual processes can AI replace, but how AI can transform what you do.

Digitalisation Is The Secret To Traceability - Right First Time Ingredients Drives Finished Product Quality
Digitalisation Is The Secret To Traceability - Right First Time Ingredients Drives Finished Product Quality
How Steam Infusion Technology is Redefining Efficiency, Flavour, and Sustainability.png
6 Ways To Make Cooking Soups and Sauces More Efficient In Food Manufacturing

Efficiency, taste, and sustainability are paramount in food manufacturing, particularly when producing soups and sauces. Traditional methods often fall short, being labor-intensive and energy-consuming. Discover how Steam Infusion can redefine your production metrics—reach out to the OAL team today.

Breaking The Myths of Robots in Powder Weighing
Breaking The Myths of Robots in Powder Weighing

Our focus in this blog is to challenge the myths preventing the adoption of robotic automation in powder weighing and handling. Fear of the unknown and failure often deter progress, but by confronting these misconceptions, we can ease the path towards inevitable automation across various industries.

Meet Harry Norman.jpg
Meet Harry

Celebrate OAL's 30th anniversary by getting to know our founder, Harry Norman. A visionary who fell in love with robotics, Harry saw its potential in the food and beverage industry and founded OAL at just 28. His knack for innovation led to groundbreaking solutions like OAL Connected and Steam Infusion, transforming food manufacturing. Today, Harry's passion for robotics and automation continues to drive OAL's success.

Top 5 Reasons to Automate Powder Weighing
Top 5 Reasons to Automate Powder Weighing

Self-contained pods capable of storing 100+ raw materials, along with a central robot for automatic ingredient selection, weighing, and pouring, have digitalized and modernized the crucial Powder Weighing step in manufacturing. This automation offers key benefits you should be aware of.

Pre-Weigh Automation is Key to Resolving Labour and Safety Challenges in Personal Care Manufacturing
Pre-Weigh Automation is Key to Resolving Labour and Safety Challenges in Personal Care Manufacturing

Personal care manufacturing has two big problems on its hands: not enough workers and the need for safer working conditions. These issues meet head-on in pre-weigh operations - an area that hasn't seen much digital change yet. 

This key area of production, traditionally reliant on manual labour, has its fair share of safety concerns and efficiency issues. However, there's a clear answer to these challenges: automation. 

Why Every F&B Manufacturer Needs Automated Packaging & Labelling Alongside Date Code Checks
Why Every F&B Manufacturer Needs Automated Packaging & Labelling Alongside Date Code Checks

As a responsible food and drink manufacturer, you understand the significance of delivering safe and trustworthy products to consumers worldwide. Customers trust your brand to give them safe, tasty products, and they want to know they can trust what's on the label. That’s why automated packaging and label verification alongside date code checks play a crucial role, serving as your dedicated quality control team to guarantee perfection.

5 Compelling Reasons to Prioritise Pre-Weigh Automation in Your Next Personal Care Digitalisation Initiative
5 Compelling Reasons to Prioritise Pre-Weigh Automation in Your Next Personal Care Digitalisation Initiative

Industry 4.0's wave is reshaping the personal care sector, merging the digital and physical worlds to create smart factories. However, this digitalisation journey often neglects a crucial stage - pre-weigh operations, which remain labour-intensive and unchanged. As part of the industry's nascent digitisation, it's crucial to prioritise pre-weigh operations automation, providing a springboard towards operational excellence.

Protecting Workers' Health: The Call for Powder Handling Automation in Food Manufacturing
Protecting Workers' Health: The Call for Powder Handling Automation in Food Manufacturing

The food industry is constantly evolving, and companies that recognise the importance of worker safety and well-being are leading the way. However, protecting workers from the risks of powder exposure has always been a challenging task. Often, traditional solutions to these risks are not practical or cost-effective. Fortunately, with the advent of robotics and automation, a solution is now available.

The Future of Food Safety: How Robotic Automation is Taking on Food Contamination
The Future of Food Safety: How Robotic Automation is Taking on Food Contamination

The use of robotics and automation is gaining immense popularity in the food and beverage industry, with the potential to revolutionise how food is produced, processed, and delivered. Automation systems are playing a pivotal role in reducing the risk of contamination by minimising human intervention and improving product traceability.

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Auger vs. Robotic Powder Dosing: Exploring the Future of Powder Handling Technology

Precise dosing and handling of powders is critical in ensuring product quality and consistency in batch manufacturing. Auger-based powder dosing has been the go to technology for many years but robotic powder dosing is revolutionising how powders are dosed and handled. Here we will compare these two technologies, examining their advantages and limitations, to help you decide when choosing the right powder dosing solution for your application.

The Three Critical Ingredients for Automation Success in the Fresh Produce Industry
The Three Critical Ingredients for Automation Success in the Fresh Produce Industry

With 30 years of experience helping food companies automate, we have identified three key ingredients for success: starting with the end in mind, building internal capability with time to play and test technology, and choosing a software platform over a product.

The Future of Powder Handling Health & Safety: Robotics Takes the Lead
The Future of Powder Handling Health & Safety: Robotics Takes the Lead

If you’re in the bakery business, you’ll already be familiar with the many health & safety considerations that must be monitored and mitigated. There are the usual ones that come with any industrial facility, but there are a whole host of those specific to the powders and dust and how to protect your operators, without a simple and cost-effective solution. But that’s where robotics comes in.

How much does a label and date code verification system cost?
How much does a label and date code verification system cost?

We take you through the factors that affect the price of a label and date code verification system. Every business has its own requirements, so a single price can’t cover every packaging line scenario but by the end of this article you will have a solid understanding of the factors that drive cost.