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Automation plays a crucial role in the agri-food sector today, where the increasing demand for quality products, the necessity to stay competitive, and the shortage of labor have driven companies to adopt advanced technologies. This digital transformation optimizes production processes, enhances product quality, and addresses the changing market needs, ensuring competitiveness and industry performance.

That's why at Storcan, we've dedicated a department to assist our customers in facing the challenge of automating their production lines. The internalization of this service allows us to provide more flexibility and responsiveness in our solution proposals.

Today, let's meet Pascal Forcier, the automation director, to better understand the stakes of this new automation department and Storcan's approach.

What does your role as the Director of Automation at Storcan involve?

As the Director of Automation, I must provide appropriate guidance and direction to the automation team members and other company members affected by the automation of our solutions. Additionally, I must stay actively engaged in technological advancements so that the team can focus on creating increasingly tailored automation solutions. I act as a facilitator for understanding, utilizing, and scaling technology across our products, solutions, and processes.

What services can your department offer Storcan's clients today?

Currently, our automation department can provide a range of products and services for automating our clients' factories. For example, but not limited to:

• Assessing current manufacturing processes to improve efficiency and reduce waste (time, quality, prints, etc.),
• Strengthening a long-term strategy to support the digital transformation planning of manufacturing and integrating automation technologies into operations,
• Designing and implementing automation solutions to automate repetitive tasks and enhance overall factory performance (Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI), and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems),
• Providing guidance on best practices for managing and maintaining industrial automation systems, offering continuous support and maintenance to ensure automated systems operate optimally and meet production goals,
• Offering customized training to internal resources on how to use and troubleshoot automated systems,
• Facilitating the transition to the industrial revolution (4.0) and reaping its benefits,
• Assisting in handling and managing complex regulatory compliance requirements, reducing non-compliance risks, and improving overall operations.

What are the main challenges that agri-food factories face today that automation can help address? What key processes should be automated to improve efficiency and quality?

Certainly, the shortage of labor, both on the operational and support sides (maintenance, quality control, etc.). A sound automation strategy and the modernization of existing automated processes can significantly reduce costs and enable improved operational continuity (business sustainability).

Quality controls, production efficiency, and failure predictability are three key processes to automate and enrich with real-time data to meet the demands of the employment market.

What advice do you have for factories to succeed in their transition to Industry 4.0?

Firstly, factories (companies) must prioritize establishing their digital transformation strategy. The digital transformation of the industry towards 4.0 is a strategy (short, medium, and long term), not a project. Once this strategy is established, it will be much easier and predictable to choose the right sections (machines, lines, departments) to start the transformation and reap the benefits early in this process.

Thanks to this new department, our range of 360 integration services is even more complete, and allows us to offer innovative and tailor-made turnkey solutions. Much more than an equipment supplier, Storcan is your partner par excellence for your existing or future production line projects.

Contact us for your automation projects via info@storcan.com.