Upside down: 30 years of tna and robag
February 24, 2012
4 reasons why we’ve stood the test of time
If the message hadn’t already reached you by now, 2012 marks tna’s 30th birthday. A lot has happened in that time and I thought it would be interesting
to take a few moments to reflect on quite how this upstart business with an idea to turn a machine on its head led to a company 30 years on running 6,000 production lines in 120 countries.
By any stretch, that is some achievement. But how did we do it? And how can we continue to do it? I think there are four areas that we embed into our strategy.
Belief in our product
We have unwaivering belief in what we’re trying to achieve and are constantly striving to innovate. The first tna robag® conceived in 1983 and put to work at Smiths Snack Foods plant in Sydney in 1986 utilised continuous rotary motion, the use of all servo controls and our now famous rotary continuous motion jaws with their stripping action. By 2004, the robag® 3 VFFS was offering bagging speeds up to 220 bags per minute. Our next generation of VFFS (which are right around the corner are going to be more efficient and productive still.)
Steady international expansion
We’ve been careful to locate where the business is, operating for around a decade before taking the decision to open a facility outside Sydney. In 1991 after attending Interpack as the first Australian exhibitor, we felt a UK base would be ideal for supporting efforts in Europe. Expansion into North American came in 1995, with Mexico, South Africa, Asia and the Middle East quickly following. With manufacturing on three continents, we now have an enviable infrastructure which means we can quickly collaborate on opportunities anywhere in the world.
Belief in our people
Anyone who knows anything about tna knows we’re big on people. Ultimately we are where we are because of a shared passion and steadfast belief in what we offer. Many members of the tna team, at all levels of the business, measure their time with the business in decades, and this strong foundation allows us to grow and plan for the future with confidence.
Customer focus
Customers are, ultimately, at the heart of everything we do. Every one of our 6,000 installed systems is bespoked in some way for the customer. This can be a challenge but it keeps us on our toes and ensures customers get the best solution and the best service anywhere in the world.
So, here’s to 30 years. And here’s to 30 more. We hope you join us for the ride and get involved in our Anniversary competition to have a chance of joining us at PackExpo in Chicago and potentially taking home a $5000 diamond!
Alf & Nadia Taylor
