The mechanization and automation in meat supply chains is a strategic and determinant stake for the companies in this sector, still poorly automated, in order to cope with the changes in production and consumption of meat products in a globalised market with stiffer and stiffer competition. The challenges are to remain competitive in light of countries with low labour costs, cope with the drain in qualified personnel in these professions and to reduce the societal issues linked to occupational accidents and musculoskeletal disorders.

Success in mechanizing or automating one or more unitary operations involves technological successes, but also taking the economic, organisational, and social consequences of such a change into account, while still remaining in close contact with the professional world and by analysing their practical needs in the middle and long term.

This UMT is located in Clermont-Ferrand.

In order to meet these expectations, the UMT is carrying out several additional research axes:

Axis 1: applied research and technological developments
Carry out research programmes that make it possible to obtain functional prototypes targeted to unitary operations defined with an innovative approach concerning operating procedures and technological solutions, within the framework of requesting national and european proposals for projects.

Axis 2: prospective and technical-economic studies
Select the target unitary operations, by carrying out prospective technical-economic studies in order to guide and supervise the technological developments to be carried out.

Axis 3: organisation of production systems
Study and anticipate the consequences of the mechanization-automation of certain unitary operations, from a production management standpoint and from a human skills development standpoint, re-thinking the operating methods and how production is organised.
And conduct promotion and valorisation efforts, entailing presentations at congresses, physical demonstrations of the advances with prototypes...