Lavango invests in a robotics solution creator in Iceland
Lavango, a manufacturer of equipment for the food industry operating in the Klaipėda FEZ, has completed an investment deal in Iceland by acquiring part of the shares of the industrial robotics company Samey. More than 600 fish, meat, grocery and other factories around the world are now using Samey systems.
“We see that today, the food industry is, on the one hand, experiencing a massive upswing, while on the other hand, it also faces significant demand to automate production, reducing the number of workplaces that include health hazards, as well as reducing the physical workload employees face,” the head of Lavango Engineering LT, Jevgenij Sakovskij, says.
The team of engineers and IT specialists at Samey have exceptional experience in the domain of industrial robotisation. A key facet of theirs, according to J. Sakovskij, is the ability to harness the robots’ maximum potential, adapting it to a multitude of tasks in production. This is why the robots they build and incorporate into existing production processes are exceptionally efficient. They ensure this by programming, installing and maintaining them themselves remotely.
“Meanwhile, we have an excellent ability to analyse production processes, and we have advanced skills in designing automated production lines for the food industry and in manufacturing these sophisticated devices, which is why we have been Samey’s technology partner for some time. The synergies are obvious, so it’s no surprise that closer cooperation is of great benefit to both of us, making us even more competitive, as we will now be able to offer our customers complete solutions at even better terms than before,” he says.
This investment transaction represents a new phase of vertical strategic development and integration for the business group. Having previously invested in expanding production capacities and building an additional production facility in Lithuania, this is the first time that the group has invested in high-tech competencies.
“This year, we are preparing to bring one of our biggest inventions to market – it will be a novelty for the global market. I believe that by working together with Samey, we will make even more breakthroughs in the food industry. We have already planned out the transfer of know-how between teams, the pooling of competencies, and at the same time the optimisation of plant design, so our customers will feel this qualitative leap soon enough,” the head of Lavango Engineering LT says.
The Lavango business group, which is comprised of Lavango Engineering LT, Lavango Engineering BY, Lavango Ehf and CTi Process, has been manufacturing conveyors, screw systems, lifting mechanisms, robotised packing, refrigeration and thermal processing devices, as well as other equipment, for the food industry for more than 14 years.
The Lithuanian capital company, which has two manufacturing divisions in Europe, provides its solutions to twenty markets in Europe and Asia. Exports comprise 90% of its turnover. The company’s clients include such international corporations as Unilever and Mars, as well as Vičiūnai Group and many others. Lavango currently employs over 80 staff members.