Anheuser Macv Case Study

According to an interview with a senior packaging technician who works for the company, there is some evidence that Anheuser Busch InBev is looking at ways that it can automate the packaging process. He states, “automation is one of the key technological drivers going forward for the industry” (qtd. Anonymous, 2008). This would be an example of the company showing interest in hard technology. Recently, the company has taken a positive approach towards the protection of both shipping and packaging technologies. According to an excerpt from Modern Materials Handling, the company is focusing its attention on one of its distribution locations located in the United States.

As of now, Anheuser Busch InBev is contemplating combining both hard and soft technologies within this location that will employ the used of both automated and non-automated distribution. Based on the company's figures, this will increase the logistical capacity and output of the company enabling it to perform more accurately. One of the technological barriers that Anheuser Busch InBev will encounter will be the possibility of down time should one of the automated units break down or malfunction during the distribution process. A way that the company could potentially avoid a setback such as this would be to ensure that all distribution stations have repair technicians that are always on duty. If there are no repairs to be made, then these individuals should be responsible for day to day maintenance on all of the automated equipment.

Productivity is one of the major components of success for Anheuser Busch InBev and the company is always searching for ways in which to increase its output capacity while at the same time remain profitable. As Goedhuys states ...

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...d to beat out its opponent (Johnson, 2006).

One of the most interesting strategies employed by Anheuser Busch InBev was to have the coldest beer for its customers to enjoy. It became viable for the company to achieve this particular strategy thanks in part to a modified beer refrigerator that allows the beer to stay at very low temperature for a longer period of time ( Anheuser Busch, Inc, n.d.). According to an article put out by the company on PRNewswire, the company now has the capability to mass produce bottles of beer that are significantly much colder than before. Prior to utilizing the new technology, the beer would simply turn to ice while using the conventional refrigeration technology and would be undrinkable. Now, given this new innovative piece of equipment it is now possible for the brewery to break the barrier to having the coldest beer possible.