Lactoferrin production involves multiple process steps, starting in the pre-manufacturing plant. During processing, valuable product is inevitably lost. As part of its commitment to operational efficiency and sustainability, FrieslandCampina is determined to reduce these product losses as much as possible.
Challenge
The Veghel site is a state-of-the-art, highly automated facility that was recently upgraded to produce high-value ingredients. Like many newly optimized plants, the initial focus after start-up was to reach target production volumes and ensure consistent product quality. Once those goals were met, attention shifted toward reducing product losses.
A benchmarking study conducted by IMD revealed that significant improvement was still possible in this area.
“Within just six months, we prevented the loss of 600,000 liters of milk — saving €500,000 a year, every year.”Friesland Campina
The solution in action
FrieslandCampina Veghel has been working with IMD since 2012, using over 10 advanced sensors to monitor key parameters in real-time. These sensors generate continuous data that is analyzed and visualized using IMD’s Sensight software, providing 24/7 insight into the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) of the wastewater stream.
To take things further, FrieslandCampina and IMD implemented Aquamoni Live, a powerful software tool that provides live, detailed insight into specific product losses in critical processes.
Within just six months, the factory achieved a 20% reduction in product losses in the milk reception and pre-processing stages. Thanks to IMD’s support, FrieslandCampina was able to prevent the loss of approximately 600,000 liters of milk (both skimmed and whole). At a milk price of €0.60 per liter, this resulted in a direct cost saving of €360,000.
On top of that, wastewater costs were reduced. With 2,000 fewer personal equivalents discharged to the municipal sewer system, FrieslandCampina saved an additional €120,000 annually. In total, this adds up to €500,000 in recurring savings per year—and counting.
Ongoing Improvements
The project in Veghel is just getting started. With Aquamoni Live now providing 24/7 visibility into product losses via a web-based dashboard, operators can respond immediately to anomalies and take corrective action. This opens the door for even more improvements in the near future.
Key Benefits of Aquamoni Live
- Reduced risk of regulatory non-compliance
- Plug-and-play installation with minimal maintenance
- Real-time visibility into specific product losses
- Significant recurring cost savings, directly impacting net profit
- Improved environmental performance
