Automation, compliance and robotics for food manufacturers
From compliance and packaging verification to robotics and factory automation, OAL systems run on more than 2,000 production lines across the UK and Europe.
What OAL does
Food manufacturers are under constant pressure. Retailer compliance requirements keep tightening, skilled labour is harder to find and production costs continue to rise.
OAL develops automation systems that help manufacturers tackle all three. We combine packaging verification and compliance systems, factory software and data integration, machine vision, and robotics to help factories move from manual processes to fully controlled production environments.
Compliance and traceability
OAL first became known for helping food manufacturers prevent costly packaging errors and product recalls.
Retailers increasingly require automated verification of packaging and date codes. We developed systems that verify labels, control printers and record a full audit trail for every product run.
Today these systems operate on more than 2,000 production lines, helping manufacturers supply major retailers with confidence.
This compliance capability forms the foundation of everything OAL does today.
Connecting the factory
Beyond compliance, OAL helps manufacturers connect the machines and systems that run their factories.
Our automation platforms integrate ERP systems, machine controls, production reporting and vision inspection. This gives production teams real-time visibility of what is happening across their lines.
Automation trusted on 2,000+ food production lines
Robotics for food manufacturing
OAL entered robotics in 2016, taking on some of the most technically demanding applications in food manufacturing, from robotic cooking to automated powder weighing.
Those systems are now running in food factories across the UK and Europe, including installations for Solina and Agrana.
More recently, we have expanded into end-of-line automation, including palletising robots, pick-and-place systems and fenceless robotic applications.
This allows manufacturers to automate repetitive manual tasks while maintaining production performance.
OAL combines robotics, vision and factory software to help food manufacturers automate production with confidence.
Engineering expertise
OAL's strength has always been its engineers. This team combines deep food manufacturing knowledge with advanced engineering capability.
Our robotics programme is led by our Technology Director, Mike O'Sullivan, formerly an engineer at KUKA robotics and Mercedes F1. He brings high-performance engineering thinking to food automation.
Our engineers design, build and commission systems that run on production lines, 24 hours a day, for some of the biggest names in food manufacturing.
Our Story
Harry in the early days
Founded in 1993, Harry Norman was just 28 when he decided to build OAL. Having stumbled across a robotics course at Coventry University, he fell in love with the technology and saw its potential to change the face of the food industry.
A newly married father of two very young children, it was a bold decision to set up a business on his own, especially as the family’s main breadwinner. But it was a risk that soon paid off as the company was profitable from the very first year. It’s this drive for success that has characterised the entire history of the company.
Today OAL remains a family business, led by the same drive for practical innovation that started it.
WHY MANUFACTURERS CHOOSE OAL
Food Industry Expertise
Over three decades working inside food factories. We understand the pressures manufacturers face because we have been solving them since 1993.
Proven compliance systems
Our automation systems protect more than 2,000 production lines, verifying over 8 billion packs per year.
Robotics Capability
Robotic systems designed, built and deployed in real food production environments across the UK and Europe.
Turnkey Delivery
We design, integrate, install and support automation systems. One team, from concept through to long-term support.
Managed Service Support
Performance SLAs, 24/7 remote access and a one-hour response time as standard. Our engineers are there when you need them.