August 2006:
Nekos Oy Supplies a New Automated Stacking Crate Handling System

Moscow-based Industrial-scale Bakery Packages Fresh Bread Efficiently and Hygienically

Zvesdnyi, a Moscow-based industrial-scale bakery, has entered the era of modern technology. As of next summer, the bakery will be handling fresh bread with the help of an automated stacking crate handling system supplied by the Finnish company Nekos Oy (former Nekomat-Belos).

The crate handling system that Nekos is shipping to Moscow can process up to three thousand crates of bread in an hour. The system will improve the bakery’s daily logistics by automating the reception, washing and transfer processes for returning plastic crates. The delivery also includes two of Nekos’ innovative Nekon LT storage solutions for storing clean and dirty plastic crates.

The Zvesdnyi bakery has been part of the Finnish bakery giant Fazer since March 2005. Zvesdnyi is the leading manufacturer of frozen pizzas and pizza dough in Russia. It also makes cakes, pastries and fresh bread. Zvesdnyi’s new automated stacking crate handling system represents state-of-the-art technology, unprecedented in Moscow’s bakeries.

“Due to the fierce competition, Russian bakeries now need to invest in quality and modern technology,” says Jaakko Laihorinne, Nekos Oy’s Managing Director. “Suppliers that can get their bread on the shelves still warm and hygienically packaged are sure to stand out from the competition. In Russia, the majority of bakeries still use wooden crates. The biggest problem with them is that they cannot be washed.”

Previously, Nekos (Nekomat-Belos) has supplied similar automated stacking crate handling systems for Finland and the other Nordic countries, as well as the Baltic States. Nekos’s strong reference list made an impression, and the Zvesdnyi deal is an important first step into a new market area. “There are dozens of large bakeries in Moscow and 13 million residents, which makes it a market full of opportunities for us,” says Jaakko Laihorinne. The installation of the system will commence in February next year, and the system will be ready for use in summer 2007.