In a claimed world first, KLM’s president and CEO, Pieter Elbers, has officially activated a new robot for the production of ICA M-class (economy class) meals at KLM Catering Services (KCS) in Schiphol, The Netherlands.
The robot system is designed to reduce handling costs and make it easier for KLM to effect meal tray adjustments, reducing production costs while increasing flexibility. The robot will make it easier to serve a wider range of products on different types of trays and to cater for diverse special requests. According to KLM the rate of production will also double in comparison to the previous system, to 30,000 meal trays per day.
“The new robot has been taken into operation at KCS against the very real backdrop of Covid-19. We could never have imagined today’s predicament at the time the decision was taken a few years ago. It embodies a great piece of innovation and investment in the future. We now only use a fraction of the capacity of 30,000 meals a day. Nonetheless, I’m pleased we’ve taken this step. After all, we must continue to innovate and look to the future – especially now,” stated Elbers.
“It’s important to continue to innovate and invest, even in these difficult times. It serves to increase the quality of our products. I’m very proud that KCS is the only catering company in the world to apply such mechanisation,” added Maarten Stienen, managing director of KCS.
