History Lochem

One century Friesland Foods Butter Lochem1906-2006

The history of a century of Lochem reads like the history of the Dutch dairy industry. Lochem is the only dairy factory that remains of the dozens of butter factories that used to be in the Berkel area. What is the secret of Lochem? Besides being blessed with an excellent location, we also have the ability to respond to changes in time.
At the end of the 19th century, butter production moved from farms to dairy factories, and the farmers around Lochem responded by founding the co-operative Stoomzuivelfabriek & Melkinrichting Lochem in 1906. The agricultural crisis of the 1930s led to low milk prices for the dairy farmers, and the factories around Lochem bundled their forces to sell consumption milk, and this was a first manifestation of co-operation.
After the Second World War, dairy farming gathered momentum. The ‘milk lake’ became larger, and not all skimmed milk was needed on the farm. It was time to return to the discussion that had first started in 1916. Would it be possible to obtain more value from skimmed milk by turning it into powder? In 1951, this led to the decision by eight co-operatives to jointly purchase the factory in Lochem and to build a powder tower, and Lochem continued as the milk-powder company “Berkelstroom”. In 1965, there was an expansion when Comego from Zutphen, Berkelstroom from Lochem and Condens from Deventer became Coberco.
Lochem continued to track the modernisations in dairy farming and the dairy industry. The powder capacity was expanded, and the butter maker became Coberco’s central butter company. By always responding to such developments in time, the employees of Lochem created a strong position for their company. When NCZ integrated with Coberco in 1989, butter and powder sales moved to Lochem and the current head office of Friesland Foods Butter was built. With this foundation we became the butter and milk-powder operating company of Friesland Foods - one hundred years after our start.
Again, Lochem is faced with major challenges. The European dairy reforms will have a major impact on the sales opportunities for the butter products and milk powders that are produced in Lochem and Noordwijk, but hundred years of experience turn today’s threats into tomorrow’s opportunities.