Verhoeven Bakery Equipment Family delivers integrated, pan-friendly solutions for efficient, future-ready bakery production lines
By understanding exactly what customers want to achieve, the Verhoeven Bakery Equipment Family develops advanced solutions that support efficient, reliable and future-proof bakery production lines. As a customer solution provider with decades of experience, the Dutch family-owned group designs and delivers turnkey bakery solutions, fully tailored to product requirements, capacities, available space and long-term ambitions. Within the Verhoeven Bakery Equipment Family, the four brands each play a dedicated role. BVT focuses on dough make-up, NewCap Industrial Handling Solutions on handling and conditioning, Vacuum Cooling and Baking on advanced cooling technology, and Bakepack on end-of-line solutions. Together, they form seamlessly integrated production lines in which every component is aligned for optimal performance.
One area where significant innovation has taken place in recent years is pan handling. Although the baking process itself has remained largely unchanged, the technology for handling baking pans has developed rapidly. Higher capacity requirements, stricter food safety standards, labour savings and the growing need for data and traceability have all driven the development of more advanced handling systems.
Baking pans are often underestimated during line design, yet they play a crucial role in performance and product quality. Poor or careless handling, excessive transport speeds or damaged pans can quickly lead to inefficiencies and downtime. Baking pans can be compared to the wheels of a car: with worn or damaged wheels, optimal performance is simply not possible. Nevertheless, pans are still too often treated as a closing item in projects, where cost savings are made at the expense of long-term line efficiency.
Pan- and Dough-Friendly Handling
NewCap’s pan handling solutions are therefore designed for pan-friendly and dough-friendly handling. To meet the demand for higher capacities, larger baking pans are increasingly used, allowing transport speeds to be reduced while maintaining output. Lower speeds result in better control of the process, reduced wear and tear and significantly less pan damage. Controlled accelerations and stops, achieved through frequency controllers and servo motors, further contribute to smooth and reliable operation. Advanced robotic grippers gently pick and place baking pans throughout the line, protecting both pans and products.
Automation plays a key role in modern pan handling. One of the most important developments over the past decade has been the introduction of automatic baking pan storage systems. In addition, the application of data-driven technologies such as AI and deep learning enables bakeries to further optimize efficiency and ensure food safety. To support this, Verhoeven Family of Companies developed the BAS360 system, which collects customer-specific production data. This data provides valuable insights into line performance, supports track & trace requirements and helps bakeries maintain consistently high efficiency levels.
Alongside efficiency, operator comfort and safety are essential design considerations. Noise levels are reduced through the use of special low-noise conveyor belts and by avoiding unnecessary conveyor movements under baking pans, which also limits wear and tear. Production lines are divided into clearly defined safety zones and equipped with appropriate sensors and guarding, ensuring a safe working environment without compromising productivity.
With its integrated approach and strong focus on turnkey solutions, Verhoeven Bakery Equipment Family delivers pan handling systems that are not standalone machines, but an essential part of a well-balanced production line. Designed around the product, the process and the customer, these solutions help bakeries achieve higher efficiency, lower operational costs and a future-ready production environment.
