Crane Garden Buildings, a UK leader in the manufacture and supply of premium garden buildings, has installed a state-of-the-art robotic spray paint line at its headquarters in Narford, Norfolk.

After planning this for a number of years, the multi-million pound conveyor line was publicly revealed for the first time at an on-site event to celebrate the family-run company’s 50th anniversary. It is the largest investment the company has ever made.  

Now fully operational, the investment is expected to be fundamental to the business’ plans to grow by 10% year-on-year over the forthcoming decade. 

The new line is a power-and-free overhead conveyor that moves the company’s buildings through the factory, removing approximately half a million manual lifts a year. Once on the conveyor, the building panels pass through the robotic paint line and then into a drying system, which ensures the paint is applied and dried under consistent ideal conditions.

As well as significantly improved health and safety for the company’s factory team, it will offer greater consistency and precision, give the team better control, and maximise the factory space the business has in Narford without having to purchase further land or facilities.

Crane Garden Buildings has also confirmed that no jobs will be impacted by the installation of the overhead conveyor. Instead, it will require a new skillset with its factory operatives moving from manual labour-centric roles to software management.

Speaking about the new robotic line now being operational, James Crane, Owner of Crane Garden Buildings, said: “This new robotic line paint spray line is the biggest investment we've ever made, without question. It represents our commitment to growth and quality for the future.

“This has been in the works for nearly a decade. Robots eliminate human error and ensure a consistent, high-quality finish every time. However, the robot is just one part of the story. The entire production line is where the real value lies. We deal with over 10 million different permutations of building designs, and each one is unique in size, colour, and components. Getting a system to manage that complexity has taken a lot of time.

“However, the real advantage of this line is that it eliminates around half a million manual lifts a year, which significantly improves health and safety for our team. We're shifting the skillset from manual labour to software management, which is a better fit for the new generation of workers.

“What this line also allows us to do is maximise the use of our existing space, so we don’t need to expand into a new facility. It also sets us up for the future, allowing for steady growth of around 10% per year over the next decade, without needing more physical space.

“I’m extremely pleased, especially for our people. We are, and always have been, a people-first company. The fact that we’re eliminating half a million manual lifts each year means we’re safeguarding the health of our employees. That’s the biggest win. Beyond that, the quality of our buildings is better than ever, which sets us apart in a crowded market.”