Trip down memory lane: beginnings in cheese.

The cheese processing industry has been a very important market for us for many years, and we now offer automation solutions for the entire process, from pressing and brining cheese to ready-to-ship products. But how did DERO GROEP get into cheese in the first place?

The first robotic project in the cheese industry was in collaboration with the RO-groep in 1994. “That we started in the cheese processing industry back then, is actually something we owe to Jaap Roodenburg,” says Maro Dedel, CEO and founder DERO GROEP. "During my final period at Landré, at one point as project leader I was looking for a good supplier for a project in Bornem. This is how I came across a machine factory in Cruquius that specialized in processing stainless steel: Romonta. This company was part of the RO-groep, Jaap Roodenburg's company. And Jaap understood exactly what we needed."

There was an immediate connection and from then on more joint projects followed. "When CONO Kaasmakers, with whom Jaap had a good relationship, was looking for a rack loading installation and the idea arose to do this with a robot, we executed this project together," continues Maro. "That's where our passion for cheese was born, and where we started combining it with our passion for robots."

This first project in the cheese sector tasted like more. In the following years, various concepts for robotic cheese treatment lines were rapidly built, with DERO as a fixed partner. Maro: "Jogchem den Otter and myself left Landré at the same time, and Jogchem then started his own company under the umbrella of the RO-groep. They focused directly on the cheese processing industry and through their innovative and refreshing approach quickly became a competitor of ELTEN, then part of BMA. In a short time, several cheese treatment lines were sold and DERO lifted along naturally."

In addition to the treatment lines, other innovative robotic solutions were devised, such as a line for the treatment of Edammers and a complete packing line for cellophaning, packaging in boxes and palletizing.

DERO also started a collaboration with Doeschot. In 2005, this led to the creation of the compact line: a robotic cheese handling line on a small floor space, where unloading the rack and turning the cheese is performed by one robot. “Because the principle was ingenious in its simplicity, we patented it,” Maro says. The first line was installed in Bodegraven, the cheese center of the Netherlands.

When the market became aware of this solution, multiple lines were sold in a short time. Maro: "This way DERO became more and more known in the cheese world and we also came to the table of parties like Vandersterre (then Schep) and A-ware. Meanwhile, Jogchem had stopped his own business and helped build DERO, with DERO in turn serving the customers of the first hour."

Eventually the partnership with Doeschot seemed to be a limiting factor, and around 2009 we switched to a partnership with the market leader in cheese treatment: ELTEN.

Curious how the story continues? More about our partnership with and acquisition of ELTEN and other milestones in our cheese history soon!

// P. Mulder - Synergy Food  //