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Fruta Viva ripens and selects bananas in Valladolid and sells fruit wholesale at the markets in Valladolid and Santander. All of that work was done by hand.
The company's latest advancement has been to automate the unloading, depalletizing, and palletizing of fruit.
Project Overview
| Client | Fresh Fruit |
|---|---|
| Sector | Banana ripening and selection; fruit wholesaler |
| Country | Spain (Valladolid) |
| Automated process | Unloading, Depalletizing, and Palletizing |
| Cell installed | Box palletizer |
| Startup | 2025 |
| Spokesperson | Emilio, Assistant Director |
The problem wasn't producing more—it was being able to
In the fruit industry, volume changes every day. With a manual end-of-line operation, that variability means relying on people being available—and on them being able to keep up.
The robot helps make the work much more ergonomic, allows people to work more comfortably, and enables us to increase production without having to rely on an excessive increase in staff and without being subject to the risks associated with staffing issues. Emilio, assistant director of Fruta Viva
Results
- Capacity of vary the amount produced each day without relying on the available staff
- End-of-line station open to female employees, which was previously excluded due to weight and load height restrictions
- More orders fulfilled without expanding the workforce
An effect not listed in the catalog: equality in the workplace
This is the point Emilio makes twice in the interview, and it’s not just marketing: Spanish regulations limit the weights a person can handle, and the lifting heights involved in manual depalletizing made that position inaccessible to a large portion of the workforce.
Automation gives us the opportunity to hire female employees, which we are currently unable to do because of the physically demanding nature of the work. It paves the way for greater equality in the workplace, which is also important. Emilio, Fruta Viva
The Full Interview
Transcript of the interview
Emilio, assistant director of Fruta Viva (Valladolid), interviewed by Atlas Robots. Transcript slightly edited for readability.
Atlas Robots: Today we're in Valladolid with Emilio from Fruta Viva. What does Fruta Viva do?
Emilio: On the one hand, the company focuses on ripening and sorting bananas—which is one of its main tasks—and then sells the fruit wholesale at markets in Valladolid, Santander…
Atlas Robots: What was it like to work at Fruta Viva when you started?
Emilio: The banana sorting process used to be very labor-intensive—extremely so. We began making changes as soon as I joined the company (though others had already been made before, of course) to adapt to our customers’ needs. We’re now taking the final steps forward with the automation of unloading, depalletizing, and palletizing the fruit.
Atlas Robots: We all know it's hard to find workers, especially for physically demanding jobs. Do you think the robot helps you recruit good people and keep them on board?
Emilio: Personally, I think it helps make the work much more ergonomic, allows people to work more comfortably, enables us to increase production without relying on an excessive increase in staff, and lets us vary the amount we produce each day without running the risk of facing staffing issues.
Atlas Robots: How do you think the person who founded Fruta Viva would view the factory you've set up?
Emilio: The founder is still with us; he's retired and enjoying his retirement. He stops by from time to time to learn about and analyze every innovation we're working on, and I can assure you he's amazed. When he sees this in action, he'll be blown away.
Atlas Robots: Are you happy with Atlas?
Emilio: I'm happy. I know it's a long road ahead; we'll continue to work together and support one another—that's what's needed.
Atlas Robots: Would you recommend automation? And would you recommend Atlas?
Emilio: Yes, of course. Yes, yes. I think it’s a necessary step. This gives us, for example, the opportunity to hire female staff, which we don’t have right now because of the physically demanding nature of the work: we have to lift loads at heights that women, in general, can’t reach—and that, by law, they wouldn’t be allowed to anyway. This opens the door to greater equality in the workplace, which is also important. And it gives us the option to increase the number of orders and the volume we can handle each day, and to be very flexible. I think there are nothing but advantages.
Atlas Robots: Thank you very much, Emilio. Your story is very important to us, because there’s still a lot of work to be automated, and seeing the positive experience of someone like you helps people overcome their fears.
Emilio: Let's help people overcome their fear. We need to be aware of how complicated it is to automate a process that's currently being done by hand: we have to be patient, observant, and always thinking about how to improve. That's the right path.
Advice for the customer who's on the fence
When asked why he would recommend that another manufacturer in his situation automate its production:
This is a mandatory step. You have to be aware of how complicated it is to automate a process that’s currently being done manually: you have to be patient, observant, and always thinking about how to improve. Emilio, Fruta Viva
If the volume at your plant changes every day and the end of the line depends on who shows up for work, let's talk. We'll tell you which cell is the best fit and how long it would take to get it up and running.