Supply chains are often long and difficult to manage. At Atria, every single aspect of the supply chain is honed to perfection, thanks to the seasoned professionals working throughout the process, starting from the farms, all the way through to logistics.
“We control the whole chain, starting from the farms that raise the chickens. We work closely with the farmers, implementing specific methods and feeding solutions to ensure the consistency of the end products,” Tommi Leikkari, Vice President of Atria logistics and poultry production explains.
The chicken and poultry chain has the fastest turnaround time
Chicken production starts 10 weeks before the product is needed. The eggs are taken to a hatchery, where they are incubated for about three weeks. After hatching it takes approximately 35 days before the chicken is taken to slaughter.
At its absolute quickest, Atria’s poultry processing can get the chickens in, slaughtered, processed, packed and out the door in the span of one day.
“A big part of the efficiency comes from the fact that at our Nurmo plant, where we currently have 14 hectares of production area, we have everything on the same lot: the slaughterhouse, processing plant, and logistics centre. The complete operation is honed to perfection,” Leikkari explains.
Robotics and technology play a surprising role in Atria’s meat production
Atria’s approach to production is based on high levels of automation and the utilization of technology. These Finnish ideals make the process not only efficient but also sustainable. One of the most surprising facts about Atria’s production methods is that the Nurmo plant has one of the biggest concentrations of robotics in use in Finland.
“Many don’t consider our industry to be very technologically advanced, but it really is. We use robotics and machine learning every day, making Atria a very versatile workplace,” Leikkari notes.
The secret to success, however, is not just in the advanced robotics or cutting-edge technology, it’s also about the people involved:
“I think one of the biggest benefits we have is the fact that we have highly educated and well-trained people working throughout the chain, starting at the farms. Everyone understands the importance of their work in the bigger scheme of things,” Leikkari says.
99,9% delivery reliability makes Atria a great partner
Atria always sets targets high, but for delivery reliability, the target is a whopping 99,9%. That means that nearly every order that has been taken in is delivered to the customer in the agreed time.
“What’s the secret? It’s the people. We have dedicated people with decade-long careers at Atria, working seamlessly together to ensure that we can deliver what we promise. And we do!” says Saija Ylihärsilä, Planning Manager, logistics.
The reliability of deliveries is one of the aspects that makes Atria such a great partner for customers in Finland and all over the world.
“We all share the very Finnish mindset of keeping our promises. We take our partnerships very seriously and we want to build long-term relationships with our customers, developing our processes in collaboration with them. It’s the Atria way,” Leikkari concludes.