'Technology as an amplifier of craftsman­ship'

Sometimes you walk into a production facility and feel it instantly: something special is happening here. I had that exact experience recently at Hessing Supervers, where I was a guest for the second Company in Focus interview. What stuck with me most was how effortlessly automation has been integrated there. Two hundred AMRs (autonomous mobile robots) move through the plant, ensuring products continuously end up in the right place. It isn’t some futuristic experiment, but daily practice—and that is precisely what made such an impression.

Automation and robotics are perhaps the most talked-about topics in the food industry right now. Rather than begin the objective, they serve as an answer to urgent challenges: labor shortages, scalability, consistent quality, and flexibility. What I witnessed at Hessing was that automation isn't just deployed to tackle staffing issues, but to make processes more robust, smarter, and future-proof. It is technology acting as an amplifier of craftsmanship. Behind the impressive tech lies a clear vision for production, growth, and continuous improvement. The video will be online soon and will undoubtedly be a source of inspiration. Not because everyone needs two hundred AMRs by tomorrow, but because it demonstrates what is possible when you dare to invest in smart solutions.

This perspective is exactly what the Food Tech Event is all about. Automation is one of our core pillars, yet it is always connected to practical application. After all, the real questions go beyond "which robot fits here?" They are about integration, change management, data, hygiene requirements, and the role of people in an increasingly smart factory. These specific issues take center stage at the event. On day one, within this theme, there will be a panel discussion regarding innovations on the shop floor. It won't be an abstract vision of the future, but the daily reality of the factory.

That is exactly where the sector stands today: beyond the hype and right in the middle of reality. In this context, automation is not a finish line, but a means to create space: for quality, for growth, and for people.

Judith van den Nieuwenhuijzen
Programmamanager Evenementen at Mikrocentrum