- ABB Robotics system integrator HMPS was awarded the Authorized Value Provider SOMA region Lifetime Achievement Award 2022
- HMPS was recognised for over 25 years of partnership with ABB, throughout which they’ve been including ABB robotics to design and engineer robotic and automation machinery for applications in picking, packing, and palletising
- The award was presented to Mark Emmett, Managing Director at HMPS, in a ceremony that included Peter Bradbury, Channel Sales Manager at ABB Australia, and Peter Katsos, Head of Robotics at ABB Australia
HMPS is a robotic and automation design and engineering system developer based in Adelaide, South Australia. Since 1980, they’ve been creating bespoke packaging machinery that allows their customers to tailor the machines to fit their unique requirements. HMPS’s designs has allowed businesses in industries such as beverages, dairy, industrial, pet food, ready meals, commercial food packaging, and more, to quickly respond to changing market conditions.
HMPS was recently recognised for their achievements supplying ground-breaking robotic automation systems to their customers using ABB robotic technology. They’ve been doing so for over 25 years, and as such were awarded the Authorized Value Provider SOMA region Lifetime Achievement Award 2022 in a global ceremony.
As part of the recognition HMPS received their very own ABB robotic-carved award and Mark Emmett, Managing Director at HMPS, had his acceptance speech streamed to the event audience online, who were attending from all over the globe.
When asked what this award means to him Mark says, “this highlights the strength of the relationship between HMPS and ABB, and the longevity. As one of the largest Australian companies in this industry, we pride ourselves on being Australian designed and engineered, and place great importance on ensuring the innovation of robotics and engineering continues to develop and remain in Australia. That’s why it’s important to us to have the product and technical services support of ABB here in Australia.”
Mark also addressed the impact of ABB robotics in being able to design automated solutions for their customers in the food and beverage industry, a major sector in which HMPS is actively involved, “ABB's robots are flexible, fast, and adaptable – even when it comes to strict hygienic demands. They’re designed and built to suit all aspects of different processes within food and beverage industries to serve the customers in their efforts to increase productivity and optimise the product quality. This is also important for helping Australian companies grow, particularly with the current labour shortages in our country. We’re able to help businesses increase output without impacting existing labour.”
"HMPS’s association with ABB undoubtedly gives us greater recognition and presence in the market"
He continues to reflect on the difference ABB robotics has made to his business saying, “the technology has elevated the status of HMPS’s equipment. Instead of our system offering being mechanical, old technology, it’s been lifted to be seen as achieving greater functionality and more flexibility. HMPS’s association with ABB undoubtedly gives us greater recognition and presence in the market.”
Peter Bradbury, Channel Sales Manager at ABB Australia says, “I’m honoured to be able to provide the recognition to Mark and his team. We’re celebrating a long 25 years of working in partnership together, where ABB started as their primary robotics supplier, to then have HMPS become one of our very first official ABB Authorized Value Provider partners in 2002.”
Some noteworthy projects delivered by HMPS have included the first robot-integrated case packer system for one of Australia’s largest dairy product companies which was exhibited at AUSPACK, Sydney, in 2001. The market took notice because it was faster, simpler, and more flexible than traditional methods. It was also the first time an Australian case packer had been exhibited with a robot built into the machine. Mark recalls comments received by booth visitors which included remarks on the system’s uniqueness and an interest in people to understand how it could be so flexible.
Another milestone project was a complete packaging and palletizing line for a major cereal producer with the functionality to rapidly pick and place packets into distribution cases with extreme precision at a rate of over 180 packets per minute. The system featured three ABB IRB 360 FlexPicker® Delta robots for picking and ABB articulated robots for packing and palletizing.
Peter continues, “I always try to keep focused on the needs of our partners and identify ways in which I can help them develop their business further. The market is constantly changing, and the need for robotic automation technology is consistently advancing. Having these close and supportive relationships with our partners facilitates trust which maximises bidirectional potential to inevitably support Australian businesses.”
What’s next for HMPS? Mark says the company is looking to introduce ABB’s collaborative robots into their portfolio line-up. These cobots will support in their designs for packing applications where customers are using a mixture of equipment and people to load cartons in food and beverage applications.
Additionally, HMPS is looking to add ABB’s five axes Delta robot, the IRB 365, to their offering, which is the fastest solution for help with lightweight product picking, packing & re-orientation. Mark says, “this solution will be a game-changer for our customers requiring flexibility in a range of applications- from shelf ready packaging, to picking, stacking, and reorientating into trays, where production line speed and adaptability are essential.”
Some of the automated systems created by HMPS over the years, featuring ABB robotic technology:
Watching the event being streamed live online 
The Award received by HMPS 
(L-R): Peter Bradbury, Channel Sales Manager at ABB Australia, Mark Emmett, Managing Director at HMPS, with Peter Katsos, Head of Robotics at ABB Australia 
Entire end of line solution with 4 robot cells and a centralised palletiser 
A line picking and placing breakfast bars into a flow wrapper infeed 
A turnkey line for flatbread picking and placing flatbreads into cartons with a palletiser on the end of the line 
4 robotic warp-around case packers for ready meals with semi auto palletising on end of the line 
4 line infeed centralised palletiser with integrated pallet stack and stretch wrapping cell 
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