Dragsbæk gains more space, more time, and more peace of mind

Manual pallet handling consumed space, time, and effort

At Dragsbæk, margarine and blended products made from liquid fats are produced for both industrial and retail markets. The production is characterised by a high pace, many product variants, and a continuous flow of pallets in and out.

Dan Thorup has been part of Dragsbæk for 25 years and is now Production and Operations Manager. He has been closely involved in pallet handling – both before and after the implementation of PALOMAT®.

Before PALOMAT®, pallets were handled manually. They were picked up one by one, placed on the floor, and pushed to where they were needed. “This resulted in a lot of heavy lifting and poor working positions. At the same time, there was more noise, more dirt, and a higher risk of workplace injuries,” explains Dan.

To optimise floor space, pallets were stacked high using a forklift – often 13–15 pallets per stack. However, in production, the stacks became so high that employees could not remove pallets manually. As a result, the stacks had to be split into two smaller ones.

This added an extra handling step every time and made lack of space a recurring challenge in production, where multiple pallet types, ingredients, and samples must always be available to maintain the desired production flow.

“When you need two pallet spaces for one stack, you lose both space and flexibility. And we need free floor space to handle other tasks in production,” says Dan.

0% manual pallet handling. 50% more floor space

Today, PALOMAT® is an integrated part of Dragsbæk’s production. Two PALOMAT® units are positioned centrally in production and supply three production lines with pallets, which are palletised by robots and subsequently handled by automated guided vehicles.

When an employee needs a pallet, the PALOMAT® automatically dispenses one at floor level, ready to be picked up with a pallet truck. With PALOMAT®, full pallet stacks can now be brought directly into production, cutting the required floor space for pallets in half.

“Manual pallet handling has been eliminated 100%,” says Dan, adding: “Employees no longer have to lift or manually handle pallets. It has made a huge difference in everyday work. The time we save is directly converted into better focus on products and other production tasks.”

Less cleaning, less noise, and more calm in daily operations

After implementation, Dragsbæk also experienced several unexpected benefits.

”We invested in PALOMAT® due to ergonomics and working environment, but we also discovered that noise levels decreased and that we have far less dirt and wood splinters on the floor. That’s a major advantage – especially in food production"

Dan Thorup, Production and Operations Manager

Previously, continuous cleaning was required multiple times during a shift. Today, that need has been significantly reduced, improving overall productivity.

Another key benefit for Dragsbæk is that the solution gives employees more energy in their daily work – without replacing jobs.

“Overall, employees go home with more peace of mind and less physical fatigue. The staffing level is the same as before – just with a much better workday,” explains Dan.

A solution that quickly became a valuable part of daily operations

As with many new solutions, there were initial questions among employees, but today PALOMAT® is a natural part of production.

“You always think: ‘Will it take up space?’ and ‘Will it be complicated?’ But we quickly realised that it’s a great help in daily operations. We are a growing company, and the more we produce, the greater the need for automation. PALOMAT® is a great example of how you can automate without making things more complex,” says Dan.

Dan Thorup concludes: “Investing in a better working environment always pays off in the long run. Employees with good working conditions thrive – and everyone benefits from that.”