Manufacturer and supplier of pallets and protective packaging goods CMTP turns to technology to increase its productivity.
The national provider of pallets, crates, cartons and customised packaging has spent $800,000 on two fully-automatic optimiser machines and a customised, robotic assembly machine, in a bid to increase productivity and cut timber waste.
CMTP managing director Chris Meade says keeping up with modern technology helps the company improve its efficiency.
“Modern technology allows us to maximise the efficiency of labour force by taking out any of the mundane tasks, manual handling and risk factors,” Meade says.
“Being a local manufacturer is probably a little tough competing on the world stage but we have to make the most of what opportunities we have got.”
The company has received a $195,000 grant by the Victorian Government to purchase the equipment under the Investing in Manufacturing Technology program.
Having spent nearly $300,000 on the robotic machine, production has tripled and product accuracy improved, Meade adds.
“It’s made us more competitive and we’re aiming to be competitive on all basis; we’re providing a lot more export opportunities for our customers so that’s growing the market which grows our market which retains employment.”
CMTP was established in 1976 in Colac and has grown into six national warehouses.
It services the manufacturing, livestock, fresh produce, automotive and export industries.
CMTP uses 20 freight providers, exporting around 20 per cent of its product.
Having invested over $3 million into technology, it now plans to send fresh food to Asia.
“Customers’ expectations are changing in terms of the level of technology and sophistication in the speed of being able to deliver both the solution and a product,” Meade says.
“From Australia we need to be able to compete with any country in the world; we’ve been operating globally for the last eight to 10 years on a small basis but we are winding up to that more all the time.”
Read more about CMTP in the October issue of ATN, and subscribe here to have a copy delivered to your door.