Case study - Wander AG (Dairy Producs)

Quote from the customer: “We are very satisfied with this end-of-line packaging machine because it is compact, safe and reliable. There was always a pleasant working relationship during the project and we were able to incorporate our wishes.” 

For an additional product line, Wander AG has installed a new cardboard packaging machine from SOMIC. The wrap-around packer ensures the perfect final packaging of the “Ovomaltine Crunchy Cream” spread and offers a flexible, user-friendly and economical solution.

Wander AG, based in Neuenegg in the canton of Bern, has been developing, producing and distributing high-quality food products for 150 years. The company's best-known brand is “Ovomaltine”. It has a 99% brand recognition rate in Switzerland and is one of the 20 most popular brands among the Swiss population. Originally invented in 1904 by a pharmacist as a fortifying product for small children and the sick, Ovomaltine soon began its triumphal march around the world. Today, Ovomaltine is represented in more than 100 countries. Wander has continued to develop the brand dynamically and regularly launches new Ovomaltine products on the market. One of the most important products is “Ovomaltine Crunchy Cream”, which is sold in round flint glass containers with plastic screw caps.

Three different packaging formats 

The spread has been produced and filled at the Neuenegg site since 2016. Ovomaltine Crunchy Cream is bottled in three different jar sizes: 230 g, 400 g and 660 g. After filling, the jars are packed in wrap-around cartons for transportation to the retailers. Printed cartons are used for the German and French markets, which are placed directly on the shelf as part of the shelf-ready concept. White cartons are used in Switzerland, as the jars are not presented in cardboard boxes in the local retail trade. In addition, Italy, Brazil, Indonesia and the Middle East are the most important export regions for Ovomaltine Crunchy Cream. With the exception of Germany and France, white cartons are used for export. The jars are packed in 2×3, 3×4 and 2×4 cartons. 

Complete new packaging line installed

As Ovomaltine Crunchy Cream has seen steady annual growth of around 20 percent in recent years, Wander decided to produce the product, which had previously been manufactured in partnership, independently. As a result, the entire production and filling line was designed and installed in 2016. The new line can now produce up to 6,000 tons of spread cream per year. Currently, around 4000 tons are produced per year. This means an average daily output of around 50,000 jars. As a result, the final packaging system, the last in the line, also had to be redesigned and optimized to fit the space available in the production building. 

Wander evaluated various manufacturers for the purchase of a new end-of-line packaging machine. “We have been using a SOMIC system for the end-of-line packaging of other Ovomaltine products for many years and have always been satisfied with it,” says Andreas Arnold, Head of Spreads, Snacks & Bars. “So it was with great interest that we visited a reference company in Austria where a modern end-of-line packaging machine of the SOMIC-424 generation had already been installed. We saw a good and clear solution with intuitive operation and simple format changeover. This system met our expectations exactly, so we decided to purchase another SOMIC packaging machine in November 2015. The wrap-around packer was installed in Neuenegg in July 2016.

The SOMIC modular system

Product packaging has to fulfill a wide variety of functions. First of all, of course, it is the visual appearance that immediately catches the customer's eye. However, the packaging must also protect the contents, meet certain quality requirements (e.g. for food), be durable and also be economical to transport. The 424 series of end-of-line packaging machines from SOMIC Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH & Co. KG, based in Amerang, Bavaria, meet all these requirements and impress with their innovative technology. 

A wide variety of pre-packed products are grouped and collected quickly and gently using state-of-the-art technology. The final packaging is completed by folding the cardboard blank around the entire product grouping and gluing it with hot glue. The folding head used here always guarantees a secure and precise packaging result. A Generation 424 wrap-around packer can be used to produce folding cartons, wrap-around cartons, display cartons or open trays. 

In general, all SOMIC packaging machines are characterized by their modular design. Standard components allow a quick planning phase and a solution proposal that exactly meets the customer's requirements. Each SOMIC packaging machine is individually supplemented by customer-specific format tools. The functional units work decentrally and can be connected individually to the control system as autonomous mechatronic units. They are mechanically, electrically and software-tested and optimized in advance.

Wraparound packing station

In the production line at Wander, the jars are first placed in a continuous cooler after filling. They are then labeled with the typical orange, yellow and blue trademarks. The jars then enter the packing station via a conveyor belt, where 6, 8 or 12 jars are enclosed in a “wrap-around” carton. The finished glued cartons are then transported by conveyor belt to the logistics warehouse, from where they leave the company. Adjustments during the course of the project were no problem. For example, the layout of the machine was adapted again and optimized at the outfeed to save space in the production hall.

Easy to operate

“Thanks to the system modules, we can offer solutions that are precisely tailored to individual requirements in addition to the customer-specific format tools,” says Ralf Jaeckel, Sales Manager South at SOMIC. “As promised, the system is very easy for our staff to operate,” adds Arnold. Only a few simple steps are required for product changeovers. A format changeover on the SOMIC 424 takes around 16 minutes. Production can then restart immediately without any readjustment. In February 2017, another format was added, small jars for the German market. There are now four different format sets in use at Wander. Around 50,000 jars are packed per day. The minimum quantity per order is around 20,000 jars. An average order runs for around one and a half days.

The SOMIC 424 generation of end-of-line packaging machines are high-end machines. They are ergonomically designed and are operated entirely by servo technology. The products run through the entire machine on one level. The folding processes during carton erection only take place around the tools. This ensures that the entire handling process is very gentle on the products. The open design makes the machine easily accessible and the operator can even enter the machine if necessary. The necessary compressed air supply lines are fully integrated into the frame. “Overall, the machine has a very good safety standard,” concludes Arnold.

Compact, safe and reliable

“We are very satisfied with this end-of-line packaging system because it is compact, safe and reliable. There was always a pleasant working relationship during the project and we were able to incorporate our wishes. Our requirements and the performance promise were met in full, and minor reworking in the after-sales service was all taken care of. The new format was also incorporated into ongoing operations quickly and without any problems. We have already kept space free in the hall for the next SOMIC system,” smiles Arnold. “The collaboration with Wander was always professional for us too. The contact was very pleasant and the requirements were clearly defined,” adds Jaeckel.