ORFER’S STORY
Orfer is a pioneer in secondary packaging and intralogistics of food and beverages. It has been developing automation solutions with a client-oriented approach since 1970. The family business has its roots in Orimattila, Finland, but its expertise and 24/7 service reach clients globally.
Orfer was founded
When the founders Karl E. Stucki and Kalervo Tuominen met each other, entrepreneurship, resources and metal industry competence also came together. The name “Orfer” is derived from Orimattila, the company’s place of business, and ferrum, the Latin term for iron. The company’s values remain unchanged even though the operations are nowadays less about iron and more about digital solutions.
The 1970s
While packaging and palletizing have been the company’s core competence, innovation and creativity are the cornerstones for these. The first patent application was filed in 1975, concerning an automated timber wrapping machine. This also led to the company finding its first export client.
The 1980s
At the beginning of the 80s, the company manufactured timber processing equipment and even the lock gates for a canal. Cooperation with Enso-Gutzeit, a Finnish forestry company, led to the production of automatic material handling equipment, which turned out to be important for the company’s future. The first palletizing cell from 1982 and a palletizer patent from 1984 helped Orfer to ensure a steady foothold as a specialist in food and beverage automation. Orfer considered products which were difficult to palletize as a challenge, developing the necessary skills and solutions. By mid-80s, every sack factory in Finland was using Orfer’s palletizing cells.
The 1990s
The 90s recession was faced and overcome with the community spirit typical for the Orfer team. Kawasaki robots came into the picture in 1995, and the prompt start did not affect the quality—quite the opposite: in 1997, Kawasaki rewarded Orfer for the world’s best robotics solution. The new millennium and its new opportunities made it obvious that the company’s people and its solutions and products come from the same mold: some proven, polished standards, some new innovations and creativity. Since each machine is designed specifically for the client’s needs and premises, efficiency and functionality speak for themselves.
Customer satisfaction and the work community hand in hand
Creative solutions have brought us customers and kept them happy. Our staff also reflect the same satisfaction. Employment relationships are long at Orfer, and there’s a strong sense of ‘us’. We rely on transparency and expertise.
The 2000s
Orfer is a leading automation supplier of secondary packaging and palletizing solutions for the food and beverage industries. The family business, founded in 1970, is still operating at its original location in Orimattila, Finland, while offering 24/7 monitoring for the solutions it has supplied worldwide.
From the origins of iron, the company has progressed into a world where data, artificial intelligence and machine vision are central. Robots are a part of overall solutions in which the system’s lifecycle is optimized and maintained 24/7. Thanks to data, issues are resolved increasingly by means of prevention rather than responding.
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