When a system fails during production, every minute counts. At DE-VAU-GE, the packaging lines for cereals, muesli, fruit bars, energy bars, and plant-based drinks run around the clock five to six days a week.
"Before the modernization, one of our melters malfunctioned almost every day,” explains Vitali Loktew, Head of the Breakdown Maintenance Team at DE-VAU-GE Lüneburg. “Not always on the same machine, but constantly somewhere across our 13 lines.”
Some of the existing Concept units have already been in service for ten years. At the same time, the full-leasing contract was up for renewal. “The timing was ideal for switching to the new Alpha generation,” explains Marco Willems, Sales Director at Robatech Germany. The goal was to future-proof the adhesive application process and standardize the various adhesive melter models.
While previous melters were equipped with two, four, six, or eight heating hose connections depending on the application, DE-VAU-GE now exclusively uses the Alpha S Pro melting unit with six connections. This allows backup units to be flexibly deployed on any packaging line. Maintenance, replacement, and spare parts management have been significantly simplified.
In December 2025, the replacement of the first 16 of a total of 33 adhesive application systems began at the Lüneburg site. A particular challenge: The upgrade had to be carried out while production was still running. “The first thing that comes to mind, of course, is downtime,” says the head of the breakdown maintenance team. “We had to coordinate the schedule very closely with production. Which machine can be shut down and when? And are Robatech’s technicians available during the desired time window? But the collaboration worked very well.”
DE-VAU-GE Gesundkostwerk Deutschland GmbH primarily produces bars, breakfast cereals, and plant-based drinks—especially for private label—at its locations in Lüneburg and Tangermünde. In 2026, the company upgraded 44 adhesive melters on its packaging lines without interrupting production.
About four hours were scheduled for the modernization of an adhesive application system—including replacement of the melting unit, the heating hoses, and the application heads, as well as parts of the automatic filling system and system integration into the existing packaging lines. “We met every deadline,” recalls Vitali Loktew. “And when things got tight, even Mr. Nielandt from Robatech Sales pitched in. He actively supported us. I found that impressive.”
DE-VAU-GE evaluated various suppliers and modernization solutions in advance. In addition to the technology, the long-standing partnership and reliable service were the decisive factors in choosing Robatech. “Robatech is Robatech,” emphasizes the head of the breakdown maintenance team. “By that I mean: The service is top-notch. And for us, that’s the be-all and end-all.”
Alpha also won them over quickly. Some of the packaging lines at DE-VAU-GE are 15 to 20 years old—so space within the facilities is correspondingly limited. “The fact that Alpha is more compact than Concept was a major advantage,” explains Rainer Nielandt, Area Sales Manager for Northern Germany at Robatech. Additional advantages of the new generation of melters:
The elimination of the control panel on the melters, in particular, has proven to be a major advantage in day-to-day production. “Industrial trucks repeatedly bump into the melting units and damage the displays. That quickly leads to high costs,” explains the head of the breakdown maintenance team. “That’s now a thing of the past.”
Since April 2026, 33 Alpha units have been in operation at the Lüneburg site. “During commissioning, the Robatech service technician gave me a half-hour intensive training session on the Alpha,” reports Martin Saße, an electrical engineer in the breakdown maintenance team at DE-VAU-GE. “Wi-Fi, operation, troubleshooting. After that, I was able to resolve many issues on my own right away. Our technicians are thrilled. You just grab a tablet, log in, and immediately see where the problem is. Those were very minor issues that don’t occur at all anymore.”
"The upgrade to the Alpha melting unit went very smoothly. The Robatech colleagues were very cooperative—even when they had to be deployed to another system on short notice. The transition was less complicated than expected."
Vitali Loktew
Head of Breakdown Maintenance Team, DE-VAU-GE Gesundkostwerk Deutschland GmbH
Since the upgrade, the biggest difference has become apparent during ongoing operations: malfunctions in the adhesive melters have dropped to nearly zero. “You really see a huge improvement,” says Vitali Loktew. At the Tangermünde site, the upgrade—involving seven melting units and a backup system—is also nearing completion. Although Alpha offers numerous interfaces for integration into systems, Marco Willems recommends clarifying system integration requirements with the machine manufacturers early on: “While older Concept units are often hardwired, Alpha enables modern communication and integration options. We simply provide the desired interface.”
Plant modernization from DE-VAU-GE with upgrade to Alpha — overview
The upgrade to Alpha was a major step for DE-VAU-GE—both technically and organizationally. Looking back, however, the conclusion is clear. “The transition went flawlessly,” summarizes Vitali Loktew. “There’s really nothing to complain about. The switch went more smoothly than we thought.”
Today, DE-VAU-GE benefits from significantly higher plant availability, simpler diagnostic options, modern controls, and noticeably less stress when working with the melters. Or, as Vitali Loktew puts it on behalf of DE-VAU-GE: “The new units have significantly more positive features than the old ones. And if someone were to ask me which gluing machine they should use—I’d go with Robatech again.”