Yoan Martel, P. Eng.
Director of Automation and Robotics Projects at Merkur
An electrical engineer graduated from ÉTS, Yoan has solid expertise in industrial automation, accumulating several years of experience in managing and executing complex projects in robotics and automation. His analytical mind combined with his ability to mobilize teams allows him to deliver concrete and measurable results, focused on sustainable operational performance.
Today, he leads the strategic development of automation and robotics services while supervising a specialized technical team to meet the growing needs of companies for successful technological transformation. In addition to leading the Automation and Robotics department at Merkur, he teaches this discipline at the college level.
Are you considering an automation project but lack the expertise or resources to take action?
At Merkur, we support and guide SMEs in their industrialization and large companies in optimizing their operations. Our goal is to transform your operational and automation strategies into concrete results by aligning your automation projects with your business priorities.
In this article, Yoan Martel, Director of Automation and Robotics Projects at Merkur, outlines the strategies and technological levers that will allow you to generate value, secure your investments, and increase the performance of your operations.
Automation: A Response to Current Challenges for Manufacturers
Whether you work in a large company or an SME, the field of industrial automation is more vibrant than ever. Recruitment and retention difficulties, combined with supply chains disrupted by growing sociopolitical issues since 2020, propel automation to the rank of indispensable tools in the modern manufacturing sector.
At Merkur, we are aware that these issues currently affect all sizes and types of businesses. In the regions, this phenomenon is even more pronounced and is not likely to diminish. “Until 2030, there will still be many retirements. So, it puts pressure on the job market,” emphasizes Simon Savard, the chief economist at the Institut du Québec.
Automation helps reduce health and safety issues, improve production stability, reduce operating costs, and mobilize staff. At this level, the face of automation has changed significantly. Today, automation is much more than just a productivity gain. Indeed, it is a strategic lever to strengthen your resilience, enhance your human capital, stabilize your operations, and innovate. It allows you to better cope with labor shortages, secure your processes, and align your actions with business objectives. Well thought out, it becomes a real competitive advantage.
Turn Your Challenges into Growth Opportunities
Our experts analyze and identify high-potential improvement projects in your factory and propose a portfolio of strategic projects. Our expertise allows us to identify possible gains and maximize your investments. They will also help you prioritize your projects to align with your business objectives.
Discover an automation strategy implemented by Merkur: Automation Strategy for a New Production Line
Our Different Project Phases
For each of your projects, Merkur supports you in your automation strategy at every phase of your project. From strategy to compliance verification, through monitoring, design, and detailed engineering. Let’s discover each of these phases:
Project Definition
We will analyze your motivations, needs, and constraints to guide and frame your automation project so that each invested resource generates maximum added value. We will assess risks and opportunities to propose the best mitigation, prevention, and exploitation strategy for the risks of your internal and external environment. Finally, we will assist you in estimating the necessary budget and optimizing each invested dollar. What we aim for is a solution perfectly adapted to your reality – nothing less.
Project Planning and Management
For peace of mind, entrust us with the management of your project to ensure compliance with your budgets and schedules while maintaining the level of quality your company deserves. Our experienced project managers and advisors support you at every stage of strategic planning to solidly establish the foundation of your project. We anticipate risks, optimize resources, and promote collaboration between stakeholders. Thanks to our structured and adaptable approach, we work with you in both agile and traditional modes.
Design and Engineering
Our team of engineers is at your disposal to carry out preliminary or detailed engineering, according to your needs. Whether for a proof of concept, preliminary design, or technological watch for the selection of your system components, you can count on us. With you, we will shape your ideas, ensuring their feasibility, compliance, and maximizing the chances of success of your project.
Execution and Monitoring
We accompany you throughout the realization of your project, whether you keep the direction or choose to delegate it. We can both carry out the project and ensure that it remains aligned with your objectives. Working with us ensures that the work will be executed according to industry standards and best practices.
Landing and Closure
We support you during commissioning, training of your staff, operators, and maintenance personnel, up to project documentation. From the landing of the project, Merkur recommends the next development steps.
Calling on Merkur for your project is a guarantee of:
- Increased profitability
- Resource optimization
- Reduced financial and operational risks
- Enhanced security and compliance
- Informed decision-making
We have several types of approaches to support you with the collaboration mode that suits you and truly meets your needs:
- On-site: Benefit from a punctual reinforcement of resources to adjust your workforce according to the evolution of your project.
- Project office: This approach offers you optimal flexibility. You define the objectives and deliverables, and Merkur takes charge of executing the mandate, ensuring efficiency and time savings.
- Collaborative project mode: Thanks to our multidisciplinary team, we can guide, manage, and execute your project. This allows you to have joint project governance and decisions approved by you, favoring a quick start of the project, in a structured and needs-centered manner.
- As advisors: We can also validate and bring our expertise to a project where you remain the master builder. We then act as facilitators with your less experienced teams to prevent deviations and keep the focus on objectives.
The systems we guide you on
Industrial programmable controllers
We design a structured PLC program architecture that meets industry standards. Through seamless integration, we optimize the reliability and availability of your systems. Our modular programming allows for operational flexibility and advanced real-time diagnostics. Our experts in operational excellence, combined with our automation strategy experts, optimize PLC programming, allowing for cycle time gains.
Industrial and collaborative robots
We use robotics to increase the flexibility and versatility of your systems while increasing production and reducing health and safety risks for your operators. Whether collaborative, coexisting, or simply independent, we ensure smooth integration of your robotic application through design, sizing, and implementation of industrial robots.
Artificial vision
Through predictive algorithms and intelligent recognition, we can assist you in your artificial vision projects. Results: total traceability, defect reduction through automatic inspections, real-time adjustments, advanced quality control.
Machine safety
Through risk analysis, we ensure minimal risk through active prevention. We ensure regulatory compliance with ISO and CSA standards, coupled with continuous electronic monitoring techniques to make your workplace accident-free.
Process control
We optimize your operational performance through process qualification and better control of variables, allowing optimal stability, loss reduction, better energy control, and continuous optimization.
Human-machine interfaces
We offer interface design focused on user experience. Our interfaces are equipped with dynamic and intuitive visualization that guarantees ease of use. We integrate intelligent alerts and real-time display combining user-friendliness and mobility.
SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) Systems
Industry 4.0 means connectivity. For centralized data collection and real-time accessibility, we assist you in your SCADA system implementation projects. Our SYNKRO solution interfaces with your new and old equipment, allowing you to connect your factory to gain efficiency and productivity. It collects, processes, and distributes real-time digital data from your production floor, giving you better visibility of your operations.
Learn more about our solution : synkro.ca
System design
From turnkey approach to technical support, we design modular and integrated solutions for your automated system. Our multidisciplinary team can carry out design tasks, from the simplest to the most complex.
Electrical design
For simplified and efficient maintenance, we carry out complete electrical design: technical documentation, schematic to standards allowing harmonious integration with automation.
Digital transformation – Industry 4.0
We assist you in your digital transformation. If you want to take the leap into the 4th industrial revolution, we can help you develop intelligent automation, advanced connectivity, and your big data to eventually connect to a digital twin or AI.
Autonomous vehicles
Autonomous mobility projects such as AGV, AVR, SMR, AIV, or AS/RS allow increased operational flexibility and enhance the safety of your warehouses. Our team supports you in optimizing your internal logistics flows, reducing your logistics costs, and ensuring safe movements through automated logistics.
Successfully completing your project is our mission!
An uncontrolled scope, poorly defined strategy, lack of expertise, or poorly executed engineering can quickly explode the costs of an automation project. That’s why our experts mobilize, integrate, and collaborate with your teams to support you at every stage – from strategy to execution.
We mobilize a large pool of multidisciplinary experts at the right time, according to the right support mode, whether it is small mandates of a few weeks or large-scale projects. With the combined knowledge of all our resources, you benefit from an integrated solution generating added value to your automation project.
Tell us about your project. Our experts will be happy to listen to you… and make it happen!
