Semelog: Revolutionising the Reuse of Food Containers with a Robotic Plant That’s the Only One of Its Kind in the World
Semelog: Revolutionising the Reuse of Food Containers with a Robotic Plant That’s the Only One of Its Kind in the World
Equans Digital is scaling up food reuse through robotics, automation, and traceability
Semelog has designed the first robotic plant dedicated to washing and reusing stainless steel food containers for institutional food service. To meet this unprecedented industrial challenge, Equans Digital deployed a combination of advanced robotics, machine vision, artificial intelligence, and traceability systems to manage the entire reuse chain. The result: a processing capacity of up to 40,000 containers per day, helping to serve up to 160,000 meals daily while preventing several hundred metric tons of plastic waste each year.
Semelog: A Pioneering Project Promoting Sustainable Institutional Food Service
In response to the regulatory requirements introduced by the Law on Balanced Commercial Relations in the Agricultural Sector and Healthy and Sustainable Food (EGalim) and the Anti-Waste Law for a Circular Economy (AGEC)—which aim to phase out single-use plastic packaging in school meal programs—Semelog has developed a groundbreaking industrial model that enables the widespread reuse of stainless steel food containers. Located in Villeneuve-la-Garenne, this automated plant is now a one-of-a-kind facility capable of supporting up to 160,000 meals per day while meeting the health, logistical, and environmental requirements of institutional food service.
The Challenges of the Robotics & Automation Project at Semelog
Creating the first robotised plant dedicated to the large-scale washing and reuse of food containers represented an unprecedented industrial challenge. Beyond technical performance, Semelog had to design a model capable of balancing regulatory requirements, food safety standards, traceability, operational automation, and economic viability. The goal was to build a reliable and sustainable industrial infrastructure capable of significantly supporting the transition of institutional food service toward reuse while ensuring high levels of productivity and service quality.
The phased ban on single-use plastics is forcing players in the institutional food service sector to adopt new business models. Semelog was tasked with providing a solution that would enable local governments to comply with the new environmental requirements while ensuring service continuity, cost control, and service quality.
To be economically and operationally viable, the model had to be capable of handling several hundred thousand meals while maintaining high industrial production rates. The challenge was to design an infrastructure capable of processing up to 130,000 reusable containers per day without compromising the quality or availability of the equipment.
Every container returned to circulation had to meet the most stringent sanitary standards. The project therefore required the implementation of an automated process for washing, disinfecting, drying, and quality control capable of ensuring consistent compliance throughout the entire processing chain.
The success of reuse depends on perfect control of the flow of containers. Semelog needed to be able to track each container individually throughout its life cycle, from the time it is used until it is returned to circulation. This requirement called for the integration of advanced traceability, data management, and automated control systems.
The expected performance of the site required the deployment of advanced automation combining industrial robotics, vision systems, and quality control algorithms. The goal was to ensure the reliability of all operations while minimising manual handling and guaranteeing consistent quality of the processed containers.
Beyond industrial performance, Semelog had to demonstrate that a model based on reuse could generate tangible benefits for local communities. Massive reduction in plastic waste, creation of local jobs, vocational integration, resource optimisation, and the development of a circular economy: the plant was intended to provide a comprehensive solution to the challenges facing the institutional food service sector of the future.
Why choose Equans Digital for your industrial robotics projects?
With its expertise in Robotics & Automation, Industrial Vision, Data, and Industrial Digitalisation, Equans Digital supports manufacturers and public sector organizations in designing complex automated systems that integrate robotics, traceability, quality, and operational performance. The Semelog project illustrates this ability to transform an innovative concept into a fully operational industrial infrastructure.
The solution deployed by Equans Digital
To meet Semelog’s goals, Equans Digital drew on its expertise in industrial robotics, automation, machine vision, artificial intelligence, and traceability to design and integrate a complete production line dedicated to the washing and reuse of food containers. The goal was to ensure high throughput, impeccable sanitary standards, and individual traceability throughout the containers’ lifecycle. This approach has provided Semelog with a unique industrial infrastructure capable of supporting the large-scale deployment of container reuse in institutional food service.
Equans Digital helped design and integrate the automation equipment needed to operate the plant, including 9 high-performance washing tunnels and 22 industrial robots that operate continuously to process reusable containers. This architecture enables production rates compatible with the needs of institutional food service while ensuring the reliability of the washing process.
To secure the entire reuse cycle, Equans Digital helped deploy a traceability system that allows each container to be tracked individually. Through the use of QR codes and the integration of data into various industrial and logistics processes, Semelog benefits from complete visibility into material flows and operations.
The teams have also integrated machine vision and artificial intelligence systems to automate quality control. Each container can thus be inspected to verify its cleanliness, integrity, and compliance before being returned to circulation, ensuring a high level of health and safety and operational reliability.
Beyond washing, the project incorporates automation and the management of logistics flows related to the storage, handling, and redistribution of containers. This industrial organisation ensures service continuity while optimising operational performance and equipment availability.
Throughout the project, Equans Digital supported Semelog in the engineering, integration, and implementation of technological solutions, helping to transform a bold environmental vision into an operational, high-performing, and sustainable industrial model.
Semelog’s achievements: a groundbreaking industrial model that is bringing about lasting change in institutional food service
Thanks to Equans Digital’s expertise in robotics, automation, and industrial traceability, Semelog now has a unique infrastructure capable of meeting the demands of large-scale reuse. Beyond operational performance, the project demonstrates that it is possible to combine industrial innovation, food safety excellence, and environmental commitment within a single business model.
The automation of washing, inspection, and handling operations enables Semelog to process very large volumes while ensuring the quality, reproducibility, and reliability of the process. The plant is now able to meet the daily needs of central kitchens and institutions committed to transitioning to reusable containers.
Thanks to integrated traceability systems, each container can be tracked throughout its entire lifecycle. This visibility improves flow management, simplifies logistics operations, and ensures a high level of quality control and food safety.
By replacing single-use containers with an industrial reuse loop, Semelog is actively contributing to the reduction of plastic waste and the ecological transition of the foodservice industry. The project demonstrates that an innovative industrial approach can generate a measurable environmental impact while remaining efficient and economically viable.
Designed to meet the needs of local communities, the facility now supports a growing number of public and private sector organisations in their reuse initiatives. This shared-use model facilitates the adoption of new practices while ensuring a high level of service and operational performance.
The completion of this robotic factory demonstrates Equans Digital’s ability to transform regulatory and environmental challenges into concrete industrial solutions. By combining robotics, automation, machine vision, artificial intelligence, and traceability, the Semelog project paves the way for a new generation of industrial sites dedicated to the circular economy.
Transforming environmental ambition into reality through industrial robotics
Semelog's Perspective
“ This industrial challenge would not have been possible without the teams at Equans Digital. These teams shared their expertise, their feedback, and, above all, their proactive approach. ”
Gilbert BRANCHET, CEO - Semelog
Semelog: A One-of-a-Kind Robotic Factory—By the Numbers
Are you looking to automate your industrial processes or accelerate your transition to more sustainable models?
Industrial robotics, automation, machine vision, traceability, quality control, or automated logistics: the experts at Equans Digital will support you in designing and deploying innovative solutions tailored to your performance, quality, and sustainability goals. Contact our teams to discuss your project.Are you looking to automate your industrial processes or accelerate your transition to more sustainable models?
Industrial robotics, automation, machine vision, traceability, quality control, or automated logistics: the experts at Equans Digital will support you in designing and deploying innovative solutions tailored to your performance, quality, and sustainability goals. Contact our teams to discuss your project.