AFA Systems

AFA SYSTEMS LTD. soon be connected via tablets. They’ll be able to view drawings, find out what parts are missing, find out how to assemble the components, take high-speed video for troubleshooting projects, and be connected, not only with the internet, but with teams throughout the organization. All this is happening in the next few months. As for energy conservation, Paul admits, “We’re not a heavy user of power ourselves, so we don’t have that many opportunities to do ‘green’ operations, but we have gone to LED lighting. And we’re try- ing to become far more electronic than pneumat- ic in our machinery, which uses significantly less energy to operate on a consistent basis.” Looking five years ahead, the plan is to con- tinue to grow the business, grow the foot- print, and expand and improve AFA coverage throughout the globe. According to Paul, “We’re looking at some joint ventures, particularly in southeast Asia, China, and South America. These are things we’re studying strategically, to evaluate the benefits of being local, while also having the ability to provide world-class engineering and machinery. The marketplace is changing so rapidly with the introduction of more electronic motion control systems, robotics, etc. It’s the old story of keeping up with the Joneses. We’re unusual in the Canadian market, as Canada is certainly not known as a hotbed for packag- ing automation, but we’re known well as an innovative company supplying very cost-effec- tive solutions.” Eric chimes in on the power of diversity for building a strong company. “We have a very diverse culture here at AFA. About 90 percent of our workforce is from different countries –China, Hong Kong, Romania, India, all over the world. Di- versity helps sponsor a culture of innovation here, and that’s reflected in our machine designs and I think it also helps us export our machinery world- wide.We have an international culture and we’re open to new ideas, open to exporting machines to different countries such as Ecuador, Brazil, and Argentina. Those factors have really promoted growth in our company and made it unique in the marketplace.” PREFERRED VENDOR n Anubis Industrial Solutions Inc. www.anubis3d.com Anubis Industrial Solutions specializes in providing pro- fessional engineering services to companies with industrial manufacturing operations. Strategically placed, with offices in Canada and Egypt, the company offers services throughout North America, Europe, The Middle East, and Africa, serving the pharmaceutical, consumer goods, chemical processing, and food and beverage packaging sectors. Anubis has the experience to effectively offer the most efficient, cost-effective, custom engineered solutions aimed at optimizing and simplifying the most complex of manufacturing challenges; its strength lies in its ability to integrate all aspects of a project from the feasibility review stage to project start–up. Anubis launched Anubis 3D, the new Additive Manufacturing “3D Printing” division for functional prototypes and short pro- duction runs. Anubis3D is comprised of a team of highly trained designers and engineers who consistently produce the best me- chanical design and solution for all 3D printing projects, and the company’s expertise in product development and prototyping has positioned it for leadership in this rapidly emerging field. The company’s goal is to provide every customer with the un- surpassed excellence of engineering expertise and unmatched customer service. Anubis is committed to establishing long-term relationships with its clients so that it may successfully serve all their growing needs.