WMH is celebrating a remarkable double milestone in 2026, marking 50 years in business while also receiving the prestigious Automate UK Innovative Robotics / Automation Solution Award for its groundbreaking Robotic Pizza Laning System.
Founded in 1976, WMH has spent five decades helping food manufacturers improve productivity, efficiency and competitiveness through automation. Over the years, the company has built a reputation for delivering practical engineering solutions that solve real-world manufacturing challenges, a commitment that has now been recognised with national industry acclaim.
The award-winning Robotic Pizza Laning System was developed to overcome one of the most common productivity bottlenecks in high-speed food manufacturing. Traditionally, pizza production lines are forced to slow down or stop when packaging machine film reels need changing, resulting in lost throughput and reduced operational efficiency.
WMH’s innovative solution eliminates this issue by enabling production to continue uninterrupted during flow-wrapper film changes. Under normal operation, three pizza lanes feed three flow wrappers. When one wrapper is temporarily taken offline for a reel change, the system automatically redistributes pizzas across the remaining packaging lines, seamlessly converting three lanes into two balanced output streams without operator intervention.
At the heart of the installation are three Mitsubishi gantry robots fitted with bespoke hygienic end-effectors specifically designed for pizza handling. Working alongside intelligent lane-balancing software developed by WMH, the system can accurately collate and distribute up to 140 pizzas per minute while maintaining product quality and presentation standards.
A key element of the innovation is its elegant simplicity. Rather than relying on complex machine vision technology, WMH’s engineers developed a solution requiring just a single sensor per lane. The result is a more robust, reliable and cost-effective system with lower maintenance requirements and improved long-term performance.
The project was delivered through close collaboration between WMH’s mechanical design, controls and engineering teams and the customer, ensuring seamless integration with existing production and packaging equipment. The solution demonstrates how intelligent automation can improve overall equipment effectiveness while creating a more resilient manufacturing operation.
Managing Director, Connor Kennedy said: “Celebrating our 50th anniversary while winning an Automate UK Award makes 2026 a truly special year for WMH. Over the past five decades, we’ve built our business around solving manufacturing challenges and helping customers achieve greater efficiency through innovative automation. This award is recognition of the creativity, expertise and dedication of our entire team, as well as the trust our customers place in us. The Robotic Pizza Laning System is a perfect example of how practical engineering and innovative thinking can deliver measurable results on the factory floor.”
As manufacturers face growing pressure to improve productivity, address labour shortages and maximise operational efficiency, WMH continues to invest in advanced automation technologies and engineering expertise. The success of the Robotic Pizza Laning System demonstrates that, even after 50 years in business, innovation remains firmly at the heart of the company.
The dual celebration of a golden anniversary and a national automation award reinforces WMH’s position as one of the UK’s leading providers of industrial automation solutions and highlights the company’s ongoing commitment to helping manufacturers embrace smarter, more efficient production processes. For more information about WMH and its award-winning automation solutions, visit www.wmh-uk-ltd.com