Difficult Automation Made Easy
Challenge
Murry’s Inc., a family owned and operated company based in Lebanon, PA., mixes an old fashioned “can-do” attitude with a dedicated and experienced workforce to automate their operation and reduce costs.
As a 60-year-old company, Murry’s has had to make many changes in both their product and in their manufacturing operation. “As a company we are always able to adapt,” says Tony Lucci, senior vice president, Murry’s. “We used to be known for our steaks, but as the market has shifted, we have changed and now our French toast sticks are our biggest seller.”
But designing a line to automate the packaging operation was not easy. French toast sticks are a difficult product to handle because they do not lay flat in the package. Murry’s wanted to maintain their shelf presence in the retail outlets and keep the footprint of their carton consistent. The company packages three carton sizes on the line, 7-, 12- and 16-ounce weights. While the footprint is the same on all the cartons, the height of the carton varies with each size. When Murry’s first began processing French toast sticks, about 15 years ago, the packaging was done manually.
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