Industrial automation & AI unlock multi-million savings in food & beverage manufacturing

From data gaps to data-driven production in high-volume food and beverage operations

In today’s food and beverage sector, manufacturers are under increasing pressure to reduce waste, improve traceability, and optimise production at scale as part of food and beverage automation and process optimisation initiatives. Nowhere is this more critical than in high-value processes such as spirits manufacturing, where even marginal losses translate into significant commercial impact.

This article shows how Actemium UK’s specialist business Kigtek uses AI-enabled automation to transform high-volume spirits manufacturing into an intelligent, traceable, and data-driven operation. By deploying their CaskTEK platform with AI vision, QR-led end-to-end traceability, automated quality capture, and real-time analytics, it overcomes barcode variability and cask-level visibility gaps.

The result is safer, more consistent throughput, reduced product loss, and data-led lifecycle decisions, delivering potential savings in the tens of millions annually. It reflects the start of a wider industry shift toward AI-driven optimisation, smart factories, and predictive analytics as competitive advantage.

The challenge: Managing loss, complexity and scale in food manufacturing

For a famous global spirits manufacturer operating one of Europe’s largest maturation and disgorging facilities, the challenge was clear.

During the maturation process, natural evaporation – known as the “Angel’s Share” – leads to ongoing product loss, with up to 2% permitted annually. However, limited visibility at individual cask level made it difficult to optimise performance and reduce avoidable waste through cask leakage.

At the same time, operational complexity was increasing:

• Multiple casks were processed simultaneously on palletised systems
• Inconsistent barcode positioning was present throughout
• High-throughput was essential without compromising accuracy

The result was a classic industry challenge: high-volume production without granular, actionable data.

The solution: AI-enabled automation for intelligent production

Kigtek delivered a bespoke engineering solution built around the client’s operation, combining automation, advanced vision systems, AI-driven analytics and AI vision systems manufacturing expertise.

At the core of the solution is their proprietary CaskTEK platform, integrated with a high-speed, AI-enabled monitoring system designed specifically for palletised disgorging operations, supporting food and beverage automation at scale.

This transformed the facility into an intelligent production environment capable of capturing and analysing data in real time.

Key capabilities included:

• AI-powered vision systems
• Automated barcode detection regardless of orientation
• Accurate mapping of each cask within palletised operations
• Validation of correct blends prior to processing

End-to-end traceability

• Unique QR codes assigned to each cask
• Full lifecycle tracking across multiple fill cycles
• Scalable identification across high-throughput environments

Automated quality capture

• Real-time measurement of key parameters such as Alcohol by Volume (ABV) and tint
• Data automatically assigned to individual casks

Advanced data analytics

• Real-time processing via CaskTEK
• Performance benchmarking against fill records
• Data-driven decisions on reuse, repair, or replacement

Operational impact: Automation delivering consistency and control

By embedding AI into the production process, the system enabled safer, more efficient operations without compromising throughput via:

• Scalable traceability across complex palletised operations
• Removal of manual intervention, improving accuracy and repeatability
• High-volume data capture, converting process data into actionable insight
• Standardised quality measurement, ensuring consistent product output

Commercial outcomes: Turning data into measurable value

The real value of AI in food and beverage manufacturing lies in its ability to deliver commercial impact. In this case, the deployment is expected to generate:

• Potential savings in the tens of millions of pounds annually
• Reduced product loss through improved visibility
• Enhanced cask lifecycle management
• Increased operational efficiency and productivity at scale

By enabling data-led decision-making, the client now benefits from a future-ready production model that continues to deliver value across ongoing and future maturation cycles.

Read the full case study by visiting the Kigtek case studies page.

Why AI and automation are critical for the future of food & beverage

This project highlights a wider industry shift. Food and beverage manufacturers are moving beyond traditional automation towards:

• AI-driven optimisation
• Smart factory environments
• End-to-end digital traceability
• Predictive performance analytics

For businesses operating at scale, the ability to harness data is no longer optional – it is a competitive necessity.

Engineered for Performance: Actemium in food & beverage automation

Actemium UK is trusted to deliver advanced automation solutions across the food and beverage sector, combining deep industrial expertise with cutting-edge digital technologies – including food and beverage industrial automation delivered by multidisciplinary teams.

From initial advice and system design through to build, commissioning and ongoing optimisation, we provide end-to-end engineering support tailored to each client’s operation.

This Kigtek project demonstrates how bespoke engineering solutions built around the customer can unlock measurable performance gains – reducing waste, improving efficiency, and enabling smarter decision-making.