Paving the way to success
Case Story: Them Andelsmejeri (Them Dairy Cooperative)
After a prolonged period of difficulties with labeling their cheeses, Them Dairy Cooperative resolved the issue in the summer of 2024 by switching to using labels from Scanvaegt.
It began in the spring of 2024, when Them Dairy Cooperative repeatedly experienced problems and inefficiencies with their Espera labeling line. The labels were incorrectly applied, fell off, and got stuck in the equipment, resulting in package damage and production stoppages. Additionally, the dairy had to repeatedly replace the thermal print heads in the labeling equipment. The problem eventually became so severe that Them Dairy Cooperative decided to look for alternative suppliers.
Søren Nielsen, Scanvaegt’s longtime service technician, pointed out that the issue was not with the Espera system itself, but with the labels. After several service visits to address the same problem, Karina Nygaard Thomsen, Team Leader at Them Cheese, began to listen and realize there might be some truth to the label issue. Søren Nielsen quickly established direct contact with Henrik Rhode, Director of Scanvaegt Labels.
A solution at first attempt
Henrik explains, “We quickly concluded that the problem lay in the surface treatment and adhesive on the labels. We therefore proposed a different type of label with an alternative surface and adhesive that would not cause issues with the production line’s operation or the high print speed of the labeling equipment.”
“I arranged a trial with Scanvaegt Labels using a test batch of their labels with the new surface treatment and adhesive,” adds Karina, “And it worked absolutely fantastic. Since then, things have progressed rapidly — and we have now switched the majority of our labels to Scanvaegt. It was the only right decision to make.”
We quickly concluded that the problem was related to the labels’ surface treatment and adhesive backing. Therefore, we proposed a different type of label with an alternative surface and adhesive that would not cause any issues.
Director at Scanvaegt Labels
The great success with the label change is, however, not solely due to a different surface treatment and adhesive backing. The extensive work involved in replacing the many labels could only be accomplished because a highly efficient collaboration was established between the parties involved at Scanvaegt Labels and Them Cooperative Dairy.
“A fantastic relationship has been established between us and Scanvaegt’s printing facility. All processes—from the production and approval of new labels to the reordering of existing ones—function flawlessly,” explains Karina.
“Furthermore, delivery reliability is also crucial for stable production. Scanvaegt Labels keeps our labels in stock, ready for prompt delivery.”
Many environmental benefits
The new labels are also more environmentally friendly due to reduced material usage. They feature thinner backing paper, more labels per roll, and use water-based inks for printing. The colors and design, of course, match the previous ones.
But the benefits don’t stop there
“We now also have traceability on the labels,” Karina elaborates. “All label rolls from the printer have traceability through attached roll stickers containing batch and label data. This means we no longer have to manually record all label rolls on paper registers. It is a significant and practical improvement.”
A true success story
There are many positive outcomes from the new labels — both cost savings and production improvements. For Karina, however, the most important factor is the confidence that both the labels and the labeling equipment are now well-managed.
“We confidently entrust this to the specialists at Scanvaegt. And to anyone facing a similar situation, I would say: really listen to and trust the technicians. They are the experts and have the technical insight to identify the root cause of a problem. You just have to realize that you don’t always know what is right and best yourself. And it all works even better when you have a label supplier in-house that you are happy with.”
“For us, it has truly been a success story,” Karina concludes, adding with a smile, “and it certainly doesn’t hurt that, in addition to many other improvements, the new labels are also cheaper than the previous ones.”
Them Dairy Cooperative
Them Dairy Cooperative was established in 1888 and still operates as a cooperative with 12 local farmers delivering milk to the cheese dairy 24 hours a day. The dairy employs 86 permanent staff members. It produces 6,300 tons of yellow cheese per year, primarily sold in Denmark. Them Dairy Cooperative prides itself on continuously developing and launching new cheeses, consistently ranking at the top in terms of taste and quality. Each year, Them Dairy Cooperative receives several awards and medals for their cheeses.
"For us, it has truly been a success story, and it certainly doesn’t hurt that, in addition to the many other improvements, the new labels are also less expensive than the previous ones.
Team Leader at Them Cheese
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