Beverage Industry logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Beverage Industry logo
  • NEWS
    • R&D News
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Products
    • Reader's Choice Poll
  • CATEGORIES
    • Alternative Drinks
    • Beer
    • Bottled Water
    • Cannabis Beverages
    • Carbonated Soft Drinks
    • Energy Drinks & Shots
    • Juice & Juice Drinks
    • Plant-Based Beverages
    • Sports Drinks
    • Tea and Coffee
    • Wine & Spirits
  • R&D
    • Beverage R&D Features
    • Ingredient Spotlight
  • PACKAGING
    • New Packages
    • Packaging Equipment
    • Packaging Material
  • OPERATIONS
    • Distribution
    • Plant Focus
  • TOP LISTS
    • Beer Market Report
    • Executive of the Year
    • State of the Beverage Industry
    • Top 100 Beverage Companies
    • Truck Report
    • Wholesaler of the Year
  • MEDIA
    • eBook
    • Podcast
    • Polls
    • Videos
    • Webinars
  • DIRECTORIES
    • Annual Manual
    • Contract Packaging Guide
    • Take a Tour
  • MORE
    • Classifieds
    • Channel Strategies
    • eNewsletters
    • Events
      • Membrane Technology Forum
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
    • Market Insights
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • White Papers
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archived Issues
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
CommentaryPlant Focus

Operations Perspective

Beverage operations realize benefits of digital advancements

Formulation, packaging, storage and distribution all reap benefits

By John Peter Koss
John Peter Koss
May 5, 2020

Recently, a robust research effort was initiated to answer questions posed at a technical conference: “what does going digital mean?” and “what do you mean by digital?” The variety of answers received was interesting because they demonstrated different interpretations of the questions, as well as a real understanding of the term “digital.”

After discussions, reviews and observations of digital applications with beverage producers, equipment manufacturers and support service people, it became apparent that going digital meant whatever the individual interpreted it to mean. Therefore, the research effort concluded that to reasonably understand the digital syndrome, a basic and fundamental approach should be used to establish definition, application and answer the all-important question of why go digital?

From an operations perspective, based on six decades of experience in the beverage arena, using the supply chain format is a logical and inclusive approach to review and answer the “why go digital” question. The format sequentially covers the functional activities from materials processing, through salable product distribution, and provides the opportunity to focus on the feasibility of digital (or automation) application at each workstation. The approach involves analysis of input/output conditions at that operation, as well as possible interfacing with subsequent workstations in the line.

Such an approach can apply to any segment of the alcohol and non-alcohol beverage market. Taking this approach requires working knowledge of what digitalization means. Up front, going digital as a basic intent should be a program designed to be more efficient, improve productivity, provide instant monitoring and entail becoming more cost-effective with actionable data.

An initial step for implementing digitalization is to define what is meant by digital. One way is to compare digital and analog. An analog clock records time by mechanical gears and sprockets that move hands to denote time on a numerical face, while a digital clock records time using programmed chips and/or diodes that display digital numbers on a screen of some type.

Regardless, going digital for any accumulation of data requires the application of electronics where data can be programmed and displayed as digits. In other words, digital systems store data in a discreet way, while analog systems store data in a continuous way. For this reason, analog systems are difficult to interface with other applications, but digital systems using discreet storage can be programmed to interface with other applications, even on a global basis.

Once there is an understanding of digital and what labor, time and other cost-saving benefits can be derived from installing digital type systems, a digital team is needed to make comprehensive studies at workstations where data accumulation or monitoring is required to determine digital feasibility.

Beverages have been going through a subtle evolution into digital app-lications for at least 50 years. Many past digital approaches actually began through technology developments where machinery was designed to replace manual tasks throughout the chain. Following the chain will exemplify where beverages have gone digital in this evolution.

From an engineering viewpoint, two points should be considered: automation and digitalization.

Most beverages start with processing raw materials. Measurements are made using scales, stylus type charts and flow meters. Today, beverage processing centers are well advanced in digital technology using programmed devices that automatically control quantities, types of materials and even temperatures for most products. And, in some operations, instead of batch manufacture, product materials are now blended by type, quantity and temperature through pipelines directly into production lines. These digital applications have progressed to realizing fully automated processing centers.

Packaging displays also have seen what digital systems provide, such as packaging the product at the filling station. In most operations, manual control and attention have been replaced with automated measurements and digital acknowledgement of status.

Containerized product is configured into units by digitally controlled equipment and automatically unitized for movement to storage. The unitized packages are subsequently palletized by equipment that is digitally controlled to form patterned layers onto a pallet to interface with the possibly automated warehouse.

Finally, after packaging and movement to storage, automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) with related software programs are essentially digital location applications that are used in fully automated beverage warehouses. 

These operations exemplify the digitalization that has occurred and been necessitated by the SKU explosion, as well as the need for controlling inventories and distribution logistics. 

KEYWORDS: automation supply chain Warehouse

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

John peter koss beverage industry

John Peter Koss, the beverage operations advisor, has more than 60 years of beverage industry experience, was an operations executive for a Fortune 500 company and can be contacted at bossole2@gmail.com.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • top 100 beverage companies

    Top 100 Beverage Companies of 2024

    For the global beverage market, mergers and acquisitions...
    Beer
  • Chocolate, Strawberry, Vanilla shakes

    Classic flavors provide reliable, consistent results for beverage-makers

    Classic flavors of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry...
    Ingredient Spotlight
    By: Chloe Alverson
  • Free Spirits Instant Bar Bundle

    Lifestyle trends drive growth for non-alcohol category

    As lifestyle trends continue to drive growth for the...
    Alternative Drinks
    By: Lauren Sabetta
Manage My Account
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Manage My Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Beverage Industry audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Beverage Industry or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • Fourpeople toasting with cocktails made with low-sugar ingredients, celebrating healthier drink options.
    Sponsored byCargill

    What’s Hot in Sugar Reduction: Beverages

  • chocolate milk
    Sponsored byCargill

    Sweetening the Future for Dairy and Dairy-Alternative Beverages

  • woman pouring a drink
    Sponsored byFFP

    Building a Beverage System: Meeting Consumer Demand for Precision Wellness

Popular Stories

Celsius Fizz Free

CELSIUS launches new Fizz-Free flavors

PepsiCo.jpg

PepsiCo advances AI agenda

Narragansett Beer 1975 cans

Narragansett Beer celebrates 50 years of ‘Jaws’

Top 100 Beverage Companies of 2024

Events

April 16, 2025

2025 State of the Industry Series: Alcoholic Beverages

On Demand In Beverage Industry’s annual State of the Industry: The Alcohol Beverage Market, analysts at S&D Insights LLC delve into these trends and how they’re shaping the industry.

July 15, 2025

Understanding the Best Material Type for Your Conveyor Systems

Leveraging decades of beverage production expertise, join Regal Rexnord’s Jeremy Fryman, Beverage Industry Marketing Manager and Tom Eure, Senior Account Executive as they dive into the landscape of plastic conveyor belt materials on the market and how to select the proper material type by application.

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Retail Coffee Segment

What retail coffee segments will fare well into the next year?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

Milk and Dairy Foods Nutrition, Processing and Healthy Aging

Milk and Dairy Foods Nutrition, Processing and Healthy Aging

See More Products

Related Articles

  • John Peter Koss

    Beverage Operations Explore Benefits of Automation

    See More
  • John Peter Koss

    Assessing the progress of beverage operations technology

    See More
  • John Peter Koss

    Processing technology makes advancements within beverage market

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • beer.jpg

    The Chemistry of Beer: The Science in the Suds, 2nd Edition

  • ency brew.jpg

    Encyclopaedia of Brewing

See More Products

Events

View AllSubmit An Event
  • April 26, 2012

    Food Plant of the Future: Raising the Bar on Plant Air Quality

    AVAILABLE ON DEMAND Exclusively for thought-leaders in food and beverage processing facility management, Food Plant of the Future webinars are presented by Hixson, a leading design and engineering firm of food processing facilities in North America.
  • November 8, 2012

    Food Plant of the Future: Hazardous Materials Storage and Use

    AVAILABLE ON DEMAND Concerns over food safety, reliability, and traceability get a great deal of attention within plants.  Yet the highly regulated – but often-overlooked – concern for the storage and use of hazardous materials is also important.
View AllSubmit An Event

Related Directories

  • Yaskawa America Inc.

    Yaskawa Motoman's integrated packaging solutions are designed specifically to meet industry-specific requirements and are accompanied by application enabling software and vision capabilities. Our easy-to-use robotic packaging systems bring speed and flexibility to help you meet the demands of today’s challenging beverage marketplace.
×

Elevate your expertise in the beverage marketplace with unparalleled insights and connections.

Join thousands of beverage professionals today. Shouldn’t you know what they know?

JOIN NOW!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing