Harvest automation spacing robots
Labour and logistics Smart ideas for labour challenges AHDB project code: SmartHort Term: 2018–2019 Project leader: Neil Feddon, Feddon USP For horticulture, labour can account for up to 70% of total variable production costs. The continuous rise in the national living wage is resulting in labour costs increasing substantially, at a time when margins are being squeezed by retailers. The geopolitical environment, such as Brexit and the strengthening of economies in countries from which many seasonal workers migrate, may also significantly impact the future availability of workers.
The project Increasing productivity and addressing the challenge of limited labour is at the heart of the SmartHort programme. Its core principles are increasing labour efficiency, improving management practices, supporting skills development and identifying new technologies that can be introduced into the workplace, such as autonomous guided vehicles (CP 187) and robotics. This will help the horticultural industry strive towards greater efficiency and get the best out of its resources and workforce.
Results During 2019, AHDB established three strategic SmartHort Centres. These centres have a focus on increasing labour efficiency by introducing Lean business management principles – a practice that champions continuous improvement by systematically implementing small, incremental changes in processes in order to improve efficiency, quality and reduce waste. In partnership with Fedden USP, the SmartHort Centres are aspiring for productivity improvements in the region of 25–40%. The three host businesses were selected following an open call and include: Haygrove Ltd, Herefordshire; Volmary Ltd, Cambridgeshire, and Thomas Thomson Ltd, Perthshire. In total, there have been three events at each business over the year and all delegates have been guided through the process of Lean implementation and how to develop an action plan specific to their own business.
Robot arm for box making 32 Labour and logistics
