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From Bottleneck to 10X Output

How Seed & Smith Scaled Pre-Roll Production with Hefestus

Built for Growth

Scalable Production Meets Premium Standards

Built for Growth

Scalable Production Meets Premium Standards

The Hefestus system didn’t just meet Seed & Smith’s needs—it raised the bar. Now, with a straightforward workflow and routine, the operation has eliminated bottlenecks, staying on track to meet demand. With added speed and precision, they expanded their product lineup and positioned themselves for broader retail and white-label opportunities.

Today, the team is on track to increase sales through its increased productivity and throughput, which the AuraX has provided.

“We’re producing more, at a higher quality, and with less stress across the board. That’s the kind of automation that supports your brand, not compromises it.”

Real Results

10X Output, Consistent Quality, Leaner Ops

When numbers speak louder than words.

|Before| Hefestus

1,200 - 1,500

pre-rolls/day
|After| Hefestus

10,000 - 15,000

pre-rolls/day

With the same space, and only two trained operators.

Game-Changing Impact

Seed & Smith is now delivering high volumes across formats, thanks to servicing multiple cone SKUs seamlessly, without having to reconfigure machinery to match workflow or output.

“Most importantly, the final product quality met our premium standards without compromising efficiency, which helped us scale without sacrificing what sets our brand apart.”

Pre-roll output up 10x (and growing)
Labor costs down significantly
Consistent fill + cut across SKUs
Enabled expansion into infused SKUs (distillate, isolate, etc.)
Introduction

When Manual Methods Can’t Meet Modern Demand

Seed & Smith is a vertically integrated operation, located in Denver, Colorado, that combines cultivation, manufacturing, and retail operations within a single building. Quickly after launching pre-rolls, the operation realized that its production, responsible for producing a wide range of SKUs from 0.35 g to 1.5g, infused and non-infused products, couldn’t keep up with demand.

The brand’s pre-roll operations were soon creating bottlenecks in consistency, volume, and labor costs, maxing out at 1,500 pre-rolls per day while hand-filling. This not only pushed its teams to the limit, increasing the room for human error, but also slowed their ability to meet customer demand.

That’s when the brand’s operators began exploring automation to support efficiency and quality across their pre-roll production. After extensive research, they selected the Hefestus AuraX, enabling the facility to increase production from 1,500 pre-rolls per day to 15,000, with just two operators. And, without sacrificing quality or control. Here’s how.

Breaking the Bottleneck

From Hand-Filled to Hands-Free

For many cannabis brands, the lack of necessary up-front capital or investment means automation isn’t an option for starting. Yet, for Seed & Smith, the void became increasingly apparent, rapidly, as its facility managers watched production fall behind, as their crew painstakingly crafted each pre-roll by hand.

Despite their effort, daily output hit a hard ceiling, labor costs remained high, and turnaround time lagged behind market expectations. It soon became nearly impossible to ignore the key constraints that affected their operation’s output, team’s morale, and retailer’s reputation, including:

  • Max output of 1,500/day, even with a full team
  • Inconsistent product quality from manual methods
  • Long turnaround times and rising labor overhead

“We wanted to keep everything in-house, but the system we had just couldn’t scale,” shared one team lead.

Breaking the Bottleneck

From Hand-Filled to Hands-Free

The Hefestus Decision

Fast Setup, Smarter Scaling

That’s when team leads began exploring automation equipment that could support the efficiency their operation demanded, while providing the quality their brand deserved. During their search for available options on the market today, Seed & Smith found that many lacked two crucial areas for scaling and cannabis specifically: service and flexibility for SKUs.

Hefestus stood out immediately, offering a compact footprint, exemplary communication, simple training, and fast, reliable support. The AuraX automated pre-roll filling machine offered the Seed & Smith operation features that immediately impacted workflow, while cutting labor costs, and increasing output, including:

  • Compact design fits seamlessly into existing production space
  • One cone size + smart cut = fast SKU switches
  • Operator-friendly UI + smooth onboarding
  • No downtime since install

“By day one, our team was already running the machine hands-free. That’s how fast it clicked.”

The Hefestus Decision

Fast Setup, Smarter Scaling

Financial Impact

MetricBefore HefestusAfter Hefestus
Daily Output1,200-1,50010,000-15,000+
OperatorsFull Crew2-Person Crew
Cone SKUs3+ Types1 Base Cone
Infused OptionsLimitedExpanded
DowntimeFrequent (manual errors)None
Labor Cost Per UnitHighSignificantly Reduced
Product ConsistencyVariableUniform

Jacked

Seed & Smith

Pioneer Interests

Empowering
the Team

Simple Training, Zero Downtime, Full Confidence

From setup to support, Hefestus makes automation approachable, with an intuitive design and unmatched service and support. The Seed & Smith team members got up to speed fast and now run the machine confidently, freeing time for QC and optimization.

“Our team got hands-on support and clear timelines. Other machines may offer automation—but not like this.”

Conclusion

Automation That Grows With You

For Seed & Smith, investing in Hefestus wasn’t just a fix; it was the only option to accelerate growth rapidly. With market demand increasing, the operation now has a system that supports scaling production without scaling headaches.

“This machine paid for itself quickly. And the support? That’s 80% of the value.”

Thinking About Scaling Pre-Roll Production?

Come See It For Yourself

Seed & Smith offers regular tours of their Denver facility. See the Hefestus Aura in action, meet the team, and get a first-hand look at how automation can elevate your pre-roll operation.

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