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LT³ Origins: From Weight Tracker to Profit Engine
(How Optimization Became Part of Lactalis’ Operational DNA)

What began in 1989 as a simple weight-tracking tool at the Ingleside, Ontario plant – now part of Lactalis (formerly Kraft Heinz) – has evolved into a industry leading industrial automation and production optimization platform. Visibility became embedded into the operational DNA of the facility.

Over three decades, Letico transformed LT³ from a basic display of weights on a Compaq PC into a full industrial automation solution supported by Letico’s worldclass systems integration across all equipment types and PLCs. Today, LT³ automatically adjusts weights and volumes, reduces giveaways, improves yield, tracks every portion by position, and delivers real-time insights powered by AI-driven diagnostics. Annual payback routinely reaches millions per year for large dairy producers.

PROJECT EVOLUTION

1989: Letico links a production scale to a Compaq PC at Ingleside, giving operators real-time weight visibility.
1990s–2000s: Iterative upgrades expand data collection and reporting.
2010–2013: LT³ precursor built by Letico “MyWeights” introduces database logging, trending, and virtual infrastructure. Ingleside staff rely on MyWeights to achieve optimal performance.
2014: Letico launches LT³ (Letico Track, Trace & Target) as a scalable performance platform.
2017: Ingleside adopts LT³, transforming daily operations. Now more than a tool, LT³ is part of the plant’s operating framework, shaping decisions at their source.
2019: Lactalis acquires the Ingleside site and signs a master agreement to scale LT³ across its network.
2022: LT³ expands to additional Lactalis facilities.

Original weight tracking software programmed by Letico for the Ingleside facility in 1989.

THE CHALLENGE

In the 1980s, giveaway control relied on small sample sizes, manual adjustments, and operator judgment, which was effective but limited. Letico saw an opportunity to bring industrial automation to weight control: measure every unit, automate adjustments in real time, and transform weight tracking into a powerful optimization tool. The objective went beyond incremental improvement, envisioning a structural shift that would transform operations at Ingleside; moving from periodic line-by-line corrections to continuous, embedded precision across the entire plant.

As the system evolved, new challenges followed:

2010–2013: LT³ precursor built by Letico “MyWeights” introduces database logging, trending, and virtual infrastructure. Ingleside staff rely on MyWeights to achieve optimal performance.

Automate payback while enabling deeper process analysis.
Integrate seamlessly across equipment types and facilities.
Simplify deployment and automate updates for easy adoption
Extend capabilities beyond solids to include liquid runs, including milk.
Streamline usability to help clients adapt to increased workforce turnover.

THE SOLUTION

LT³ delivers a scalable leap forward in production line optimization and process control: it links data from all PLCs and industrial communication systems such as Modbus and Profibus. This flexibility ensures compatibility with legacy and modern equipment alike, simplifying system integration and production line optimization across multiple facilities. In turn, this architecture allows optimization principles to be replicated consistently across lines and facilities, preserving performance integrity as deployment expands.

Once installed, it measures every piece by position in sequence and optimizes line performance across multiple variables for maximum payback.

Operators: Autonomous operation improves worker efficiency and maximizes payback.
Engineers: Historical and real-time data speeds diagnostics and improvements.
Management: Efficiency gains translate into measurable profit and ROI.

AI-driven feedback now makes LT³ accessible to a broader range of experience, empowers new teams and shifts the focus from reactive to predictive.

CUSTOMER IMPACT

Profitability: Major reductions in giveaways and inefficiencies.
Visibility: Comprehensive tracking and logging across every line.
Scalability: Seamless integration with varied equipment across sites.
Transformation: Data-driven decisions become embedded into operational practice, accelerating line upgrades and raising performance.
Sustainability: Less waste and optimized yield support Lactalis goals.

2014: Letico launches LT³ (Letico Track, Trace & Target) as a scalable performance platform.

2017: Ingleside adopts LT³, transforming daily operations.

CONCLUSION

Born in 1989 as a simple visibility tool, LT³ has evolved into a corporate-wide industrial automation and performance engine.

Embedded at Ingleside and expanding its operational DNA to additional Lactalis facilities, LT³ delivers actionable data and efficiency gains that keep Ingleside at the forefront of dairy production.

Discover How LT³ Can Optimize Your Operations

LT³ transformed production at Ingleside and established a proven track record, now expanded to other Lactalis facilities. Let’s talk about which of your facilities could benefit most.