Alita, celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, has received an investment of more than EUR 2 million for the robotization of production lines. This is the largest investment the factory has received in its entire lifetime. MV GROUP Production, the company that manages Alita and made the investment, plans to complete the planned automation later this year.
The robotization of Alita’s seven production lines will be carried out by “Qimarox“, a Dutch company that won an international tender for the development and production of components for automated sorting, conveying and palletizing processes, and “Inna“, a Lithuanian engineering solutions company.
Experts from the winning companies will install a packaging transport and automatic palletizing system at the Alita factory, which can palletize more than 100 pallets (up to 5,693 packs) per hour.
According to Algirdas Čiburys, Managing Director of MV GROUP Production, this robotization project is one of the largest in the Baltic region, and the implementation of the project will help the factory to achieve several goals at once.
“Firstly, this robotization will allow us to optimize and streamline the operations of the factory, while allowing us to increase output and sales. In 2022, the Alita factory produced more than 22 million litres of various beverages, almost a third of which was exported to foreign markets,” says A. Čiburys.
In addition, automated processes will make working conditions in the factory much easier: “What robots can easily do, some of the factory’s colleagues are currently doing with their own hands. With the new equipment in place, employees will be able to use it to gain new knowledge of modern systems and improve their skills at the same time. Finally, this robotization will help to address the market’s recruitment challenges, significantly reducing the regular lack of workers.”
Recently Alita has received another investment. A solar power plant, in which MV GROUP Production has invested more than EUR 1 million, will soon be installed on the roof of the factory. This is a consistent continuation of MV GROUP Production’s sustainability policy, as the company uses 100% green electricity in its production.
Having its own power plant will allow Alita to produce some of the energy it needs itself, rather than buying it. The company estimates that this 1 megawatt (MW) solar power plant will generate about one third of the factory‘s annual electricity consumption. The plant is expected to be operational by the end of summer. The capacity of the plant is expected to be expanded in the future.
“Products made by Alita go to 43 countries, so our competitive field is the whole world. It is essential to continuously carry out modernisation projects and ensure that our equipment is updated to the highest global standards. But iron alone doesn’t achieve ambitious goals – people do. That’s why we have been focusing on our production management system for many years, using the LEAN methodology. Our experience shows that it is not only modern equipment that helps to achieve the targets, but also the company’s culture and the commitment of its employees,” says A. Čiburys.
