A team of six people at Tiong Lian Food used to process 40 sides of pork an hour but, thanks to a new automation system, they have increased their production capabilities.
The same number of workers can now break down 50 to 60 sides of pork, which are between 25 and 30 whole pigs, in an hour.
Managing director Benson Teo said the conveyor belt system and its digital tools, which cost about $7 million, has helped boost productivity and reduced manual labour in other functions such as stocktaking.
The 58-year-old had visited other food manufacturing facilities in countries such as Australia, Germany and Thailand before investing in these new tools.
While it has been only a few months since the firm incorporated these digital solutions, he said it has already seen visible benefits, including higher productivity.
During a visit to Tiong Lian Food's facility in Pandan Loop yesterday, Minister of State for Trade and Industry Low Yen Ling announced the launch of a new industry digital plan to help firms in the food manufacturing industry develop digital capabilities and improve their processes.
Around 1,000 food manufacturers and more than 50,000 workers in the industry will benefit from it, she said.
Under the plan, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the food manufacturing industry learn through a step-by-step guide on digital solutions. There will also be training programmes available for their workers.
Ms Low said it is intended to help more food manufacturers reap productivity gains and streamline their operations, as well as lower costs and expand revenue channels, through digitalisation.
This industry plan will help firms identify their digital gaps and chart solutions suitable for their growth needs, she added.
Noting that Tiong Lian's automation solutions have also allowed for the redesigning of jobs, which makes some of the roles less labour-intensive, she said: "I think this makes the job position more attractive to younger people, and also to some part-timers, because it actually lowers the barrier to entry into the industry."
She added that digitalisation would also help SMEs recruit and retain talent, as employees would have the confidence that the firm would invest in them. Under the plan, employees can learn about social media marketing strategies, automation and digitalisation in food manufacturing, and robotics applications.
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1,000
Number of food manufacturers that will benefit from an industry plan to help them develop digital capabilities and improve their processes.
50,000
Number of workers who will benefit from the plan.
In a joint release yesterday, Enterprise Singapore (ESG) and the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) said more advanced skills, such as developing chatbots and cloud computing, are also available to other employees who use more sophisticated technologies in their work.
Firms can also look to adopt digital solutions which can help them in product authentication and the maintenance of machinery.
The plan was jointly developed by ESG and IMDA, following consultation with early adopters of digital solutions, as well as industry partners such as the Singapore Manufacturing Federation and the Food Innovation and Resource Centre.
The digital road map for the industry will be updated over time as new technologies are introduced to the sector.
ESG assistant chief executive Dilys Boey said: "By making use of digital tools to reap higher efficiencies, optimise resources and access new customers, our companies will be able to raise their competitive edge and scale up."
