Van Breukelen Kaas is a wholesaler specializing in Dutch Gouda cheeses and related delicacies. With over 75 years of experience, the family business supplies a wide range of domestic and international cheeses, nuts, and Mediterranean snacks to its customers. The arrival of the third generation made the ambition for further growth tangible. With the expansion of the premises and a new ripening hall, the desire arose to automate the labor-intensive cheese maintenance. DERO GROEP delivered a flexible robot line, making Van Breukelen Kaas ready for the future.

Van Breukelen Kaas is a true family business where personal contact and craftsmanship are central. "We are flexible, we know our customers by name, and we think along with them. But we had been running up against the limits of our capacity for some time," says Martijn van Breukelen, operations manager at Van Breukelen Kaas. With the expansion of the premises and the new ripening room, the moment was seized to invest in automation. The choice fell on DERO GROEP, partly due to the positive impression during the preliminary phase. "A neat, professional company with a lot of expertise and a solution-oriented approach. That inspired confidence."

Smart automation

The installed KBL*200 line is tailored to the needs of Van Breukelen Kaas and uses proven techniques. The line takes care of turning, coating, and cleaning cheeses and boards. This has largely automated a labor-intensive process, while maintaining flexibility and product quality. Martijn: "The combination of different functions in one line works perfectly for us. Everything flows logically and efficiently. We can already see that we are saving time and that the work is less strenuous for our people."

According to Mark Pronk, project manager at DERO GROEP, existing solutions were cleverly combined and adapted to Van Breukelen’s layout. "Technically, it was quite a challenge to properly organize safety around the box positions and the robot," he explains. "By working closely with the customer, we were able to come up with a solution that is both technically feasible and practically applicable."

The cheese treatment line in operation. 

Successful collaboration

The collaboration between Van Breukelen Kaas and DERO GROEP went smoothly from the start. "What I really appreciated was the involvement of the project manager and technicians. They truly think along with you, act quickly, and do what they say," says Martijn. "The project manager was really on top of things and kept a firm grip on the entire process." This makes it all the more remarkable that this was Mark’s first project as a project manager, a role he fulfilled with confidence and oversight. Mark himself looks back on it with satisfaction: "Both parties stuck to the agreements, with short lines of communication and quick responses. That’s why we truly made this a success together." He adds, "It was my first project as a project manager, and the fact that it went so well makes it special."

Ready for the future

Thanks to automation, Van Breukelen Kaas is ready to continue growing, not only in volume but also in the further professionalization of their processes. Martijn: "We want to keep investing in our internal processes. Think of order picking with tablets and scanners, and expanding our packaging and vacuum lines. The collaboration with DERO GROEP was a great step in that direction. I would definitely recommend them to other companies considering automation."

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