New Cobot Transforms Safety and Production at Groupe TAQ

People are the core of not-for-profit social enterprise Groupe TAQ, which is why ensuring their health and well-being is paramount to the organization’s leaders. To help automate the company’s most physically demanding tasks, they reached out to FANUC ASI Premier Tech, maker of TOMA—an out-of-the-box palletizing solution featuring the CRX cobot.

With a goal of creating a safer and more intellectually stimulating environment, Groupe TAQ realized impressive results almost immediately after integrating TOMA. The system easily and efficiently loaded the 2,000 to 3,000 10-pound boxes produced on a line, then could be moved as necessary around the facility to other stations. Employees who had once rotated on and off the physically demanding line were assigned to other more enjoyable tasks. And injuries related to frequent, repetitive movements were greatly minimized if not completely eliminated, according to company leadership.

With an automated system now in place, the line is able to produce continually and at faster speeds. Employees that would have been assigned to palletizing are now relocated to less ergonomically stressful tasks on a second production line, while also being provided greater growth opportunities.

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I do a lot of employee rotations during my shift to avoid injuries because there are repetitive gestures. This greatly minimizes injuries if not completely eliminates them.

Christine Lajeunesse-Gaspar Forewoman – Groupe TAQ