Employees of Dongsuh Foods work in a smart factory in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. Courtesy of Dongsuh Foods

Dongsuh Foods, a food and beverage firm, said its commitment to digitalization is bearing meaningful outcomes, as evidenced by higher productivity and overall safer manufacturing process after investing 41.8 billion won ($31.5 million) for the construction of two smart factories over the past few years.

The firm said factories with automated production of instant coffee in Incheon's Bupyeong District began operation in May 2020. One in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province, began operation in July.

The firm has led the digitalization drive since 2015, aiming for a more tailored approach to better meet the needs of consumers with varying taste preferences. Different beans were needed for different blends and roasts.

The latest trend and rapidly changing consumer preferences led to the launch of a special digitalization task force to review the viability of building and operating a smart factory.

The task force members following months of discussion were able to find ways to modernize the production facilities and establish an integrated and computerized operating system.

The new system introduced dramatic improvements from the previous one, mostly through real-time monitoring of the production volume total as well as progress on roasting, extraction, concentration, freezing and drying in stages.

We are able to provide beverages of greater quality, as enabled by the new smart factory system," a Dongsuh official said. "Also enhanced were efficiency in production and quality control."

The plant in Changwon has adopted an advanced version of the Bupyeong plant, distinguished by the high-tech automated system whereby supply and demand for key ingredients can be more accurately projected and managed with the utilization of big data, the firm said.

"The plant in Changwon is optimized for timely production to best meet the market demands," the official said. "Smart factories are an essential part of instant coffee and confectionery manufacturing. We will supply high-quality coffee products to meet the consumers' needs." (Advertorial)