PBN Manufacturing Awards 2024
MEET THE MAKERS: Orbit Motion Systems
JOSHUA HOLT’S ROOTS run deep in Rhode Island. He was born and raised here. He graduated from the University of Rhode Island’s computer science and engineering department.
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Despite his local roots, the company he owns – Atlantic Automation Group LLC, doing business as Orbit Motion Systems, in Bristol – has primarily served clients outside of Rhode Island, with only one local customer, Jade Engineered Plastics Inc. However, Holt is now working to change this by focusing on marketing and advertising to attract more local clients.
“We only recently started advertising,” Holt said. “It has been based mostly on reputation and word of mouth. This is our first year going down that path and we are starting to think more about marketing, posting videos of machines running on Instagram and other platforms.”
Orbit, registered as Atlantic Automation Group LLC, specializes in customized automated packaging and assembly machines. The company’s machines have been used by major corporations such as PepsiCo, Nestlé, GSK and Procter & Gamble. The machines, which cost about $200,000, can be retrofitted for tasks like palletizing, offering flexibility and precision. Orbit operates from a 12,000-square-foot facility, displaying products packaged by their machines, including Lindt truffles and Lysol bottles.
Holt began his journey in automation by acquiring intellectual property from Massachusetts-based Orbit Motion Technologies in 2014 after starting as an employee. He expanded the company’s offerings by introducing robotics and precision engineering, allowing it to help businesses increase efficiency. Orbit now employs about 20 people and generates between $4 million and $5 million in annual revenue.
The company is planning further expansion, targeting new industries such as recreational cannabis distribution, which requires highly customized packaging solutions. However, Holt notes that Rhode Island could better support local manufacturers by connecting them with local businesses and investing in cutting-edge technology training. As the company grows, it continues to rely on in-house training for its specialized workforce, which Holt finds increasingly challenging.
Orbit’s future plans involve scaling up and penetrating new subsectors while maintaining its competitive edge through innovation and protecting its intellectual property.
“We are always asking ourselves: ‘How do we scale up?’ ” Holt said.
