Baking & Snack - August 2015 - 14

Rise of the machines
I'm a sucker for the big-budget summer blockbusters. This year has me wondering which is going to get us first: the robots or the dinosaurs?
In this line of work, the answer is obvious.
We are an industry of automation. But it's not just about replacing people
with machines. It's about the relationship between the two and understanding
that, like it or not, people and machines have a lot in common. The trick is to
remember they all have the potential to break down.
At Oak State Products, robotics have become an important part of the
bakery's operations, but - as Byron Goulding, Oak State Products president,
reminded me when I recently visited the bakery in Wenona, IL - they are
meant to streamline the process, not replace the people.
Instead, Mr. Goulding invests in training current workers and seeking out
potential employees who can become operators and programmers, not just
line workers. "Training is critical when you use robotics," he said, pointing
out that "robots do get sick," and operators need to step in to keep automated
equipment running.
In our technology-driven world, though, we must take care to not automate ourselves. Remember, people get sick, too. But in an industry that has
you thinking about how many cookies, bars or loaves of bread are being made
every minute, it's fair to say that every second counts.
When Arianna Huffington, founder of the Huffington Post, spoke at the
International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association (IDDBA)'s seminar and expo in
Atlanta last month, I was positive the founder of one of the most successful
digital media companies would impart wisdom on how to churn out more ...
better ... faster.
Instead, she offered caution. "There are people who pride themselves
on having 99.9% uptime. But that's not possible for human beings." And
she should know; eight years ago, just as her website was taking off, Ms.
Huffington collapsed from exhaustion, breaking her cheek bone in the fall.
"By conventional definitions, I was successful. But by any sane definition, if
you come to in a pool of your own blood, you're not."
Today, she runs her business with well-being and a team mentality at
the forefront. "You're in a customer-based business," she told IDDBA
attendees. "So am I. Somebody has to be 'on' all the time - it just
doesn't have to be the same person." It's about teams, collaboration and the understanding that people are not machines and
can't run 24/7.
Even an iPhone needs to recharge.
Ms. Huffington said it's like the safety instructions on an
airplane: Put your own oxygen mask on first.
Yes, automation makes life in the bakery easier, but people
must be at their best to ensure the machines are working their
best as well.
- Joanie Spencer, editor/managing editor
jspencer@sosland.com

14 Baking & Snack August 2015 / www.bakingandsnack.com

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Contributing Editors:
Donna Berry
donnaberry@dairy-food.com
Theresa Cogswell
bakercogs@sbcglobal.net
Jim Kline
jkline@theensolgroup.com
Joe Stout
joe.stout@cf-san.com
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Baking & Snack - August 2015

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