“Braced for the challenges of the future”

In 1952 Anton Wenisch and his wife Auguste started a small butcher's shop in Straubing, which is located about 110 kilometres north-east of Munich. In the opposite direction, some 100 kilometres south-west of the Bavarian capital, Sepp Haggenmüller invented the first chamber machine for packing food in film pouches just nine years later in his garage - and with that he laid the foundations for the MULTIVAC company. Two stories, which were due to overlap 61 years later. MULTIVAC has since become one of the largest packaging specialists in the world with over 80 subsidiaries around the globe. The "Wenisch" family business is now managed by son Stefan Wenisch Junior and his brothers, and the company employs some 150 staff. And not only in the butcher's business but also in a restaurant, a four-star hotel, the ox roasting venue at the "Gäuboden" festival in Straubing, as well as five shops in Straubing and Regensburg. There people can enjoy delicacies such as paprika pork sausages, cutlets, dumplings and the so-called Holy Beef from the family's own Muggenthalter farm. Delicacies, which all come from a central manufacturing facility in Straubing. “Due to increasing demand, we expanded the manufacturing capacity in 2022 by 700 square metres. And we also took the decision to invest in a packaging machine with greater output,” recalls Stefan Wenisch. Up to that point a chamber machine had been used, which had already reached the limits of its capacity. In future there was to be the addition of a thermoforming packaging machine with a greater degree of automation and throughput. “In order to save energy and resources, while at the same time achieving higher productivity, it was important for us to find a machine, which would operate very energy-efficiently and be completely failsafe, as well as being frugal with packaging material and easy to operate. MULTIVAC has been the name in the sector for decades. I got to know the technology during my training as a meat technologist in Kulmbach, and I have always been impressed with it. One thing was always clear: When we get a thermoforming packaging machine, it will be one from MULTIVAC.” The choice was made in favour of the R 126 model, a compact and versatile thermoforming packaging machine for the sector producing handcrafted products. 

It was not just the compact design of the machine or the energy and resource efficiency, which were crucial for "Wenisch", when deciding on the MULTIVAC R 126 for their future packaging requirements. The machine also had to be easy and reliable to operate without a long induction period. Since the corona pandemic struck, the sickness absence rate has become an ever more significant competitive factor. If only one specialist were able to operate the R 126, his absence would immediately have a very negative effect on the company's productivity. MULTIVAC is also aware of that. MULTIVAC has therefore developed the HMI 2.0 control terminal, which guides staff members through the operation of the machine, using intuitive clear text, graphics and help functions. “Our staff do not need any programming knowledge and can operate the machine reliably after a short induction period,” emphasizes Stefan Wenisch. “This ease of operation is a great relief for us.” It also leads to shorter downtime.