State of the art petfood factory Vobra Special Petfoods

Paul Stoutjesdijk, Operations Manager at Vobra responsible for production, quality and technology, cannot wait to put the plant into production. From the moment the decision was made to create a new building on the plot next to the current factory, Paul was given carte blanche to build the ultimate Vobra factory there. “This gave us the opportunity to work with our customers’ wishes and the changing demands of the market. Not only by increasing capacity, but also by innovating,” Paul explains.

“With new and automated techniques, we can regulate the size and shape of the kibble better. We can also use more fresh ingredients, for example carrot and tomato, and process potatoes and rice better. In this way, we can respond to the demand for vegan and gluten-free kibble. In the world of pet food, there is also a growing demand for kibble with larger quantities of meat and fish. We will soon be able to deliver those as well. With more than 500 recipes and our new machines, we can satisfy everyone,” says Paul.   

Paul continues: “In the new factory, we can also regulate the moisture content better, which increases the flavour acceptance of the kibble. That makes fussy cats and dogs very happy and also makes these products more suitable for export. And at last, we can also start delivering in smaller packaging units.”  

IVS Dosing Technology is no stranger to Vobra. IVS has been involved in the various adjustments and innovations at all Vobra production sites for more than 30 years. In the mid-1980s, we were already involved in the new construction of their pet food factory in Loosbroek. IVS already supplyed the steam and liquid dosing installations then. 

When they built their second factory in 2001, IVS once again took on a substantial part of the work. This plant has a production capacity of 30,000 tonnes/year. IVS was involved in almost every part of the production process: This time we provided all the steam and liquid dosing systems and all the insulation sheeting from our own insulation department. This great project was completed in 2002. It is a project we were very proud of then and still are today.

Vobra Special Petfoods is active in more than 35 different countries, both with its own brands and private labels (70%).

The steady growth has led to the construction of a state of the art new factory that is ready for the future!   

This means that Vobra Special Petfoods can double its production capacity. And they have also already allowed for the possibility of expansion with an extra production line. Once again, they have  expressed their confidence in IVS as the main supplier for all activities related to steam/condensate/liquids and the necessary insulation work. IVS is providing the following items: 

• a liquid collection station for six liquid tanks
• realisation and connection of the entire tank farm including flushing system
• newly built and heated pump room
• realisation of a custom-made liquid-weighing unit
• liquid dosing installations on the Dinnissen vacuum coater 
• connecting vacuum system for Dinnissen coater
• complete steam and condensate route and liquid dosing on Bühler extruder and conditioner. steam boiler/degasser and connection of the complete boiler house 
• complete water supply for the entire production process including cold, hot and softened water installation

This new Vobra plant has 36 raw material silos and 84 dosing points for small and large raw materials. There is an extensive tank park for 12 liquids, and cleaning-in-place equipment for lye and acid.

The engineering and realisation of the entire production line in a new production tower and the modification of the existing factory section was done by our sister company Ottevanger Milling Engineers.  In addition to its own initial order during the construction process, IVS received a follow-up order from Bühler in Switzerland to connect the double shaft extruder it had supplied to all the necessary steam, condensate and liquid piping. We fully connected the boiler house and the steam boiler. The heated and insulated technical room (pump room) built by IVS is the heart of all the necessary liquid dosing installations. This project is an impressive calling card for both IVS and Vobra. As we write this, the people at our in-house insulation department are putting the finishing touches to the entire project. Like us, Vobra is extremely proud of its new factory with unlimited possibilities.

See the photos to get a good impression of this outstanding project.