‘Van der Giessen knows exactly what is needed in a fry factory.’
When you say fries, you say Aviko. In the potato industry, they are one of the five largest players in the world. Every day, international companies, big and small, rely on Aviko's crispy fries. It's a significant responsibility. According to Karl Römer of Aviko Deutschland, their partners must not only possess extensive knowledge but also be flexible and creative.
Aviko has 11 production locations spread across different countries, such as the Netherlands, Belgium, China, Poland, and Germany. Karl Römer is the project manager at Aviko’s German branch. “We produce 22 tons of fries every hour,” says Karl. “Day and night, trucks transport the final product from our factories to about 10 different countries.”
The company is constantly evolving. Their factories and fry lines are continuously being expanded and adjusted. Since 2016, Van der Giessen has been responsible for the engineering, production, and assembly of all these projects. “At the time, we tried many companies, but Van der Giessen won our hearts,” says Karl. “They had the complete package. No order was too big. They could make anything, delivered it the fastest, and once it was in our factory, it was perfect.”
Unique solutions
At Aviko Deutschland, out-of-the-box thinking is often required. Karl explains: “When we face a challenge, Van der Giessen always has great ideas. For example, we were short on space at a certain step in the production line. Normally, the potatoes would be transported via a ‘shaker,’ but there wasn’t enough room for that. So they created a small flume system for us. A flume is a type of trough where water flows like a river, carrying the potatoes from point A to point B. This had never been done with that specific machine before, and we were very pleased with the result.”
‘I never have to explain anything’
According to Karl, Van der Giessen stands for expertise and flexibility. He explains: “They know exactly what is needed in a fry factory. I never have to explain anything to them, and that’s very valuable to me. This is, of course, due to their vast experience in the potato processing industry. Additionally, they also make smart use of the expertise of others. For example, they work with a network of professionals, such as electricians and crane operators, to tackle challenges together.”
“They were done in five weeks. That speed is unbelievable.”
— Karl Römer, Aviko Deutschland
Unbelievable speed
In 2017, one of Aviko Deutschland's factories was replaced. All machines and components had to be reinstalled—a massive task. “We asked Van der Giessen to assemble all the food processing equipment. They prepared the project on the drawing board, built it in the Netherlands, and transported everything to us by truck. The quality was incredible; everything fit perfectly, and they were done in five weeks. That speed is unbelievable.”
Eye for safety
With such speed, you might think that food safety would be compromised. But that’s not the case, Karl explains: “At Aviko, safety is the top priority. Everyone we work with must meet exceptionally high safety standards. We even include these requirements in contracts. If we notice anything unsafe, the company in question can pack up and leave. That has never happened with Van der Giessen—and I don’t see it happening either. Before their team comes to us, we receive a fully detailed plan. It outlines exactly what they will do and how they will ensure safety. And once their people are here, they communicate every morning exactly what will happen that day.”
Van der Giessen understands better than anyone that flexibility and speed must never come at the expense of quality and safety. This is an absolute necessity in a demanding industry like potato processing. “If we’re down for a week, it costs us millions,” says Karl. “That’s why you can only work with the best in the business. As far as we’re concerned, Van der Giessen definitely belongs in that category.”
“I never have to explain anything to them, and that’s very valuable to me.”
— Karl Römer, Aviko Deutschland
