Nordgemüse was founded almost 100 years ago and has grown into a specialist in blueberry production. As part of Gemüsering, the company supplies high-quality blueberries all year round. Over the past decade, Nordgemüse has grown into one of Germany's largest producers, partly thanks to the opening of a modern sorting and packaging facility in Buchholz.
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The challenge
As demand for blueberries continued to rise, the company needed to scale up quickly. With Sismatec as its automation partner, Nordgemüse was able to keep pace. Together, they achieved the following results:
- Fewer staff per production line, lower labour costs.
- Higher production speed and increased output.
- Flexibility for the future.
"Our cooperation started a few years ago," says Nordgemüse. "One of our older production lines from another supplier was about to fail, and we urgently needed a replacement. Sismatec delivered a working solution within a few weeks. That convinced us to modernise the entire line," says Christaan Koellreuter, manager at Nordgemüse.
Nordgemüse also needed faster tray sealers that could maintain the quality of their blueberries both now and in the long term. At the same time, it was becoming increasingly difficult to find enough skilled staff. The company was looking for a solution that could be implemented quickly, be ready for future sustainable packaging options, offer the flexibility to easily change formats, and deliver higher output.
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The solution
Together with Nordgemüse, Sismatec analysed the entire process and designed a step-by-step approach. After a successful three-month test period, Nordgemüse ordered a ProSeal GT6, the largest in its class. Shortly afterwards, a GT5 Twin was added, a two-lane tray sealer capable of processing 200–220 trays per minute. Today, Nordgemüse operates four packaging lines. Three of these are equipped with a GT6, one of which is fully automated with end-of-line solutions.
As staffing challenges persisted, end-of-line automation was the next step: a case packer and a custom-made IFCO erector. The IFCO erector, developed by Sismation, automatically stacks and opens IFCO crates. The case packer then fills the crates. The entire system was seamlessly integrated into the existing packaging line.
The results
Thanks to automation, each line now requires far fewer staff. This has reduced labour costs and helped address the ongoing challenge of finding sufficient personnel. Production is faster, capacity is higher, and workflows are smoother than ever. With one automated line, Nordgemüse now produces more than double the output with the same number of employees. The most advanced line, equipped with the case packer and IFCO erector, saves 6–8 FTE per shift.
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According to Christiaan, the case packer also delivers a rapid return on investment. "If we run the case packer on one of our fast lines, we save three to four people. If that line runs two shifts for most of the year, the case packer pays for itself within one year. That is an incredibly fast ROI."
This collaboration enables Nordgemüse to supply fresh, high-quality blueberries all year round, while keeping production lines flexible and future-ready. Tests with new sustainable packaging materials show almost the same output, meaning the system is already PPWR-compliant, well ahead of the legislation coming into force. Nordgemüse is enthusiastic about working with Sismatec. "The most important thing is to have a partner who understands your process and is willing to be on site and help improve it."
Jasper from Sismatec agrees. "What started as a stopgap solution has grown into a long-term innovative partnership. Together, we have streamlined processes, increased efficiency, and significantly reduced labour costs."
For more information:
Sismatec
Twentepoort Oost 8
7609 RG Almelo
+31 (0) 546 874 113
[email protected]
www.sismatec.nl
