One of Spain’s leading producers and exporters of sparkling wine is currently celebrating a successful 20-year collaboration with FANUC, the global manufacturer of factory automation solutions.
Freixenet, a family-owned business that produces brands such as Cordón Negro and Carta Nevada, uses a production line of 36 FANUC robots to bottle, store and palletise its products at its headquarters in the Catalan region.
The robots, which have been named after popular cartoon characters, have helped Freixenet to boost the quality of its product, as well as its production efficiency. By 2000, the company was producing more than half of Spain’s sparkling wine. Its products are now sold in over 150 countries, with more than 80% of its wine exported.
Freixenet has been no stranger to reinvention and innovation since it was founded in 1914, having been the first company in Spain to pneumatically press grapes and use refrigerated vats to control fermentation. The company first installed two 410-series FANUC robots in 1996, and expanded its automation capabilities as production increased. The entire process of filling bottles is now automated, although Freixenet’s wines are still produced traditionally at the winery in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia.
Pere Gibert Guasch, Maintenance Manager at Freixenet, says: “Twenty years ago, introducing robots to our production would have been seen as a “crazy idea” by some. But where other robot manufacturers saw difficulties, FANUC saw opportunities, and encouraged us to pursue the project.
“Being the world’s best cava is still our biggest asset, but automation enables us to bottle our wines safely, and in the most efficient and sustainable way.”
For more information on FANUC, please click here.
To find out more about FANUC’s automation solutions, please visit: http://www.fanuc.eu/uk/en/industrial-automation
FANUC UK
At its state-of-the-art headquarters in Ansty Park, Coventry, FANUC UK brings together world-leading capabilities in industrial robots, machine tools and plastic injection moulding machines to facilitate the complete integration of factory automation systems for UK manufacturers.
FANUC UK works in partnership with FANUC Europe Corporation to provide a range of customer support services, including sales, product support, parts, repairs, and training, as well as development of bespoke engineering systems. FANUC UK is a subsidiary of FANUC Europe Corporation and employs approximately 107 staff.
FANUC Corporation
FANUC is a leading global manufacturer of factory automation solutions using Computer Numerical Control (CNC) systems. From its international headquarters at the base of Mount Fuji in Japan, FANUC specialises in the development and manufacture of factory robots and automation machinery, including wire EDM machinery (ROBOCUT), high-speed milling machinery (ROBODRILL) and injection moulding machinery (ROBOSHOT). More than 400,000 FANUC robots are currently operating worldwide.
FANUC develops and manufactures all of its components in-house, and provides lifetime parts, repairs and support to its customers.
Based on more than 60 years of research, FANUC’s CNC systems allow manufacturers to maximise their productivity, while minimising downtime. All FANUC systems offer high reliability, strength, control and precision. They are also equipped with intelligent energy management systems, which provide optimum performance using the least energy possible. FANUC is a global leader in CNC systems, currently holding 65 per cent of the market share in the global CNC sector.
FANUC was founded in 1956 by Dr Seiuemon Inaba. The corporation now has more than 2000 robots working on its own lines, with more than 250 offices and 5,200 employees worldwide.
For more information on FANUC, or to see its current product range, please visit: www.fanuc.eu/uk/en.
