The Swedish cooperative Lantmännen, LM, has 10,000 employees in around 20 countries and an annual turnover of SEK 60 billion. The main task is to supply its members with seed, fertilizer and fodder, but they also refine and sell what the farmers grow. Nutritional supplements for animals are mixed and packaged in Lantmännen’s factory in Kimstad outside Norrköping. Mineral feed and vitamin mixtures in pellet and powder form are filled in 25-kilo paper bags that are transported to retailers and farms around Sweden and Europe.

The factory recently modernized its bag filler line with an Autopac EC 3.30 from Vebe.

“The previous machine suffered from recurring downtime, and it was difficult to find spare parts. We now run our Autopac in daily shifts of 4–6 hours without problems,” says Lisa Carlsson, quality manager at the factory.

Lantmännen already has two machines from Vebe Teknik on site in the same factory: a bag filler and a robot.

“A good collaboration that lives on,” says Lisa. “Production feels safer now and Vebe provides quick service, if the need exists. Some features we like about our Autopac are that the scale prevents spillage and that the bag filler automatically returns to the same position when our old label machine stops the process for filling”.

The Autopac EC 3.30 is one of Vebe’s compact models and, just like larger models, has the possibility of being modified with various options. The machine also complies with the high demands on hygiene and cleaning included in the Easy-Clean concept.

“Before, we used a machine with a more open design, which resulted in a lot of dust and dirt.” Vebe’s Autopac has a closed design that emits less dust and is also easier to clean.” 

Lantmännen’s factory in Kimstad now has plans to upgrade its pallet loaders and wrappers, for which Vebe can deliver solutions as well.

“We have a good working relationship with Vebe Teknik, and we’ll see what happens in the future,” says Lisa Carlsson.