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Delivering automation for all

Innovation at Premier Tech goes beyond technologies and product development. It is just as much about people and rethinking business models than how we deliver value to our clients. 

It always starts with a people-first mindset which, in this case, applied across the full spectrum of putting together a comprehensive commercial offer to help manufacturers automate their packaging activities. 

Doing so also set the stage for a completely new brand positioning. One inspired by the team mindset of automation for all, which is reflected in the original and friendly TOMA™ brand name. TOMA™ is at the heart of automation and captures a bold business proposition supported by a range of innovative products and services that enable better and quicker return on investment. 

A proposition built around delivering the means and tools for manufacturers to be more autonomous and to self-implement their packaging automation projects. But for Premier Tech, doing it yourself does not mean doing it alone.

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« With TOMA™, we deliver value and a richer experience by giving people the freedom to implement intuitive automation solutions, while delivering the reliability and performance they have come to expect from us. At the intersection of user-friendliness and robustness is our mindset: we have called it Friendustrial™. »

— Nadine Leclerc, vice-president marketing and brands

Automation made Friendustrial™

This innovative mindset challenges the conventional across all areas of our business. It is about rethinking how we design products, how we approach client experience, and mostly, how we deliver solutions that are as accessible as efficient.

The power of collaboration

To bring this new commercial offer to life and build the foundation to support our ambition for TOMA™, we created a lean, dedicated team, operating like a start-up but supported by the resources and depth of knowledge of a 35-year automation leader. 

This allowed us to stay agile, take calculated risks, and move fast. But beyond this, TOMA™ is the result of a collaborative effort that reaches across the entire organization.

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MOVN™, democratizing manufacturing automation

TOMA™ has a brain of its own, and it is called MOVN™, a proprietary software developed jointly between the Intuitive Solutions team at Premier Tech Systems and Automation and the Mirego team at Premier Tech Digital. MOVN™ powers both the online configurator and simulator for TOMA™, as well as its human-machine interface, allowing users to intuitively create recipes and operate the equipment regardless of their level of expertise. 

The objective was to create a software with an ease-of-use like never before, without compromising on available features, performance and safety. MOVN™ is designed to maximize autonomy, streamline operations and boost efficiency, all while fully embodying the automation made Friendustrial™ mindset.

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Necton™, empowering connections

Right at the start of this project, we set the goal to provide TOMA™ customers with relevant and actionable operational data of their equipment. We want them empowered to make informed decisions and take meaningful action — driving real, measurable impact on their performance. This is why TOMA™ comes connected with Necton™ SaaS technology developed by the Smart Manufacturing team at Premier Tech Digital.

Necton™ not only empowers the equipment operator but also allows the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to monitor its equipment’s performance. With advanced tools for monitoring and diagnosing, it allows OEMs to manage their installed base while enhancing customer relationships by helping them reduce their operational costs. By delivering real-time actionable insights to optimize output, Necton™ ensures that clients get the most out of their operations and achieve a higher return on investment.

« We quickly saw the value of combining our know-how in packaging and palletizing with our expertise and capabilities in smart manufacturing, brand communication, and in both digital experience and industrial design to the project team’s fast-paced environment. Together, we created a new industry benchmark. »

— Simon Roy, president and chief operating officer PT Systems and Automation

A Friendustrial™ experience throughout

Can collaborative robot technology really transform packaging automation? Absolutely, but the real question is: how can we simplify the user experience and turn cobots into a truly effortless, end-to-end experience? By engaging with clients and partners, our ideas evolved into a clear goal and ambition: to remove the roadblocks and complexity in deploying automation. 

We wanted the purchasing experience to be as powerfully intuitive as the product itself — so we completely reimagined it. We delivered an unprecedented experience in the equipment industry, powered by an e-commerce platform — and by MOVN™ — to configure and simulate operations.

This online, direct approach gives our clients the freedom to configure and deploy automation solutions on their own terms — quickly, simply, and with complete flexibility — making automation solutions just as accessible and intuitive as TOMA™’s product design itself.

This is making automation friendly — knowing that every technical layer has been addressed by our team beforehand, taking away the complexity. This enables the end user to operate in no time. Simplicity is the ultimate outcome of the deep expertise of our team.

« TOMA™ is an overall experience that goes beyond the cutting-edge technology itself. It is easy to purchase, manage, optimize, and even redeploy. Evolving at the speed of any client’s business, it is a true game changer in the world of automated packaging operations. »

— Valérie Lavoie, managing director Intuitive Solutions PT Systems and Automation

« TOMA™ is an overall experience that goes beyond the cutting-edge technology itself. It is easy to purchase, manage, optimize, and even redeploy. »
— Valérie Lavoie, managing director Intuitive Solutions PT Systems and Automation

And this is only the beginning for TOMA™

Après des années dédiées à développer cette nouvelle offre commerciale et son modèle d’affaires, l’année à venir pave la voie à la croissance de la marque TOMAMC à l’international, étendant sa présence de l’Amérique du Nord à l’Europe. D’autres produits et fonctionnalités viendront bonifier le portfolio de la marque — façonnant un avenir où s’allient simplicité et robustesse industrielle.

*This story is from the Premier Tech Report 2025.