Walk through any grocery store and you'll find products that have likely passed through a Delkor machine.
From yogurt cups and cottage cheese to coffee, beverages, candy, fresh produce, poultry and personal care products, Delkor Systems helps manufacturers prepare products for shipment by automating the final stages of packaging. It's work most consumers never see, but it plays a critical role in getting products safely and efficiently from production facilities to store shelves.
Based in Minnesota, Delkor is a leading manufacturer of secondary packaging automation and industrial automation solutions, designing and building robotic case packers and packaging systems that place finished products into boxes, trays, cartons and other shipping-ready configurations. For decades, the company has combined Midwest ingenuity with a relentless focus on innovation, helping manufacturers improve efficiency, increase throughput and maintain operational excellence.
Delkor Systems headquarters in Arden Hills, Minnesota.
Supporting that mission is a long-standing partnership with Van Meter. It’s a relationship built on technical expertise, collaboration and a shared commitment to customer success.
"Van Meter is way more than a supplier to us," said Bryant Anderson, manager of aftermarket accounts. "They are an extension of our engineering team."
Packaging the Products People Use Every Day
While consumers may not recognize the Delkor name, they encounter the company's work every day. Delkor's equipment can be found throughout the food and beverage industry, serving major dairy producers, food manufacturers and consumer goods companies across North America.
"You look at dairy cases, cottage cheese, yogurt . . . we work with companies likeDaisy, Kemps and many others," Anderson said. "Then you move into candy aisles, bread products, fresh salads, coffee, nuts, poultry, and even non-food products. There's a lot of variety in what we do."
That variety creates unique engineering challenges. A machine operating in a dairy facility may require different sanitation standards than one packaging household products or consumer goods. Delkor's ability to adapt to those environments has helped establish the company as a trusted automation partner across multiple industries.
"We can go from a candy plant to a mothball plant," said Eric Schneider, electrical engineering manager. "There are a lot of different standards and requirements depending on the environment."
Delkor packaging automation in action.
Midwest Values That Continue to Drive Growth
Delkor has grown significantly over the years, now employing more than 400 people, but company leaders say the culture remains rooted in the same Midwest values that helped build the business.
"It starts at the top," Anderson said. "Our CEO and his wife have always brought family-first values to the organization. Even though we've grown, there's still that same sense of caring throughout the company."
That culture extends beyond business metrics and project deadlines.
"I've had our CEO stop and ask me how my kids are doing," Schneider added. "That's just part of who we are."
Those relationships create an environment where employees feel supported and empowered, allowing Delkor to remain agile despite its growth.
"We're not a huge company compared to some of the organizations we work with," Anderson said. "Because of that, we can pivot resources and serve customers no matter what the ask is."
That combination of Midwest work ethic, accountability and personal connection continues to define Delkor's approach to business.
Engineering for Performance Through Industrial Automation
In a competitive automation marketplace, Delkor differentiates itself through both innovation and support.
The company has developed patented technologies that help customers maximize productivity while reducing operational challenges. But the innovation doesn't stop once a machine is installed.
Delkor designs and builds packaging automation systems for manufacturers across North America.
"On the front side, we have patented technologies that differentiate us from our competitors," Anderson said. "But it's also about the support. We want our customers to have the best equipment possible every day."
For Delkor's engineering team, success means going beyond simply meeting specifications.
"We hold ourselves to very high standards," Schneider said. "It's not just about getting something done so it passes a test. It's about asking how we can make it run as well as possible for our customer. We won't give up until we reach that level."
That commitment to continuous improvement has helped Delkor build a reputation for manufacturing reliability and equipment uptime — two critical factors for customers whose operations depend on keeping production lines running.
"We're always trying to improve," Schneider said. "We want to give our customers the best service and products possible."
A Partnership Built on Support
Delkor's relationship with Van Meter dates back decades, beginning long before Van Meter became the organization it is today.
According to Delkor leaders, the relationship initially centered around Allen-Bradley components and automation technologies, but it quickly evolved into something much larger.
"What makes Van Meter unique is the support," Anderson said. "They have highly educated and skilled employees, but they also know how to connect us with the right resources when we need them."
Today, Van Meter supports Delkor in ways that go far beyond supplying parts.
When Delkor receives large customer orders, Van Meter works closely with the team to understand the project requirements and forecast component needs. That collaboration helps reduce procurement delays and allows Delkor's engineers to focus on building and optimizing equipment. This type of OEM partnership allows Delkor to stay focused on innovation and execution while trusted suppliers help streamline procurement and project delivery.
"They'll do pre-assembly work for us, lay out panels and package components together," Anderson said. "Instead of receiving 40 individual parts and managing all of that inventory ourselves, they can provide a single assembled solution that saves us significant time."
Van Meter also helps manage inventory, storing large components and materials until Delkor is ready for them.
"They'll hold inventory for us so we don't have to manage or double-stock everything," Anderson said. "That's a huge advantage."
Keeping Projects Moving
Manufacturing has faced no shortage of supply chain challenges in recent years. Fluctuating lead times, component shortages and changing customer demands have required manufacturers to remain flexible while keeping projects on schedule.
For Delkor, maintaining that momentum depends on strong communication and trusted partners.
"When demand increases or supply chains become unpredictable, communication becomes even more important," Schneider said.
Throughout periods of market disruption, Delkor and Van Meter worked closely together to monitor lead times, identify alternative components and keep projects moving forward.
"Any solution they had, we could execute on quickly," Schneider said. "The value they brought was tremendous."
That level of collaboration helps Delkor continue supporting customers while navigating challenges affecting manufacturers across the industry.
By combining Delkor's engineering expertise with Van Meter's supply chain knowledge, inventory support and technical resources, the two organizations can remain responsive and focused on delivering results.
Delkor's patent-pending SmartLock™ Technology helps turn changeovers into visual simplicity.
Helping Teams Grow
As Delkor has expanded, Van Meter has also played an important role in helping develop the company's engineering talent.
Over the last several years, Delkor's electrical engineering team has grown significantly, creating opportunities to train and develop newer engineers.
"We've experienced quite a bit of growth," Schneider said. "I was one of three electrical engineers when I started here, and now I have eight people on my team."
To support that growth, Van Meter has provided technical training and educational sessions on topics ranging from safety to automation technologies.
"I've had Van Meter come in and give day-long classes to help our engineers work through specific challenges," Schneider said. "One example was safety-related training that helped build our team's capabilities."
That investment in people reflects the same partnership mindset that has defined the relationship for years.
Looking Ahead
As automation technology continues to evolve, Delkor sees significant opportunities ahead. The company remains focused on helping customers improve efficiency, optimize operations and prepare for the future of manufacturing.
"I'm excited about how Delkor can continue to grow as a leading provider in the food and beverage industry," Anderson said.
For Schneider, the excitement comes from what hasn't been invented yet.
"From the engineering side, I'm most excited about what machine we're going to invent next," he said.
Emerging technologies continue to create new opportunities for smarter systems, enhanced documentation and improved customer experiences. Delkor increasingly relies on strategic partners like Van Meter and Rockwell Automation to help maximize the performance of those solutions.
"We lean on Van Meter and Rockwell to help our machines operate at their highest level," Schneider said.
Together, Delkor and Van Meter demonstrate how Midwest manufacturing partners can improve equipment uptime, support operational excellence in manufacturing and help customers stay competitive in a rapidly evolving industry.
At the heart of the partnership is a simple philosophy: solve problems, support people and keep improving.
And that's a formula that continues to deliver results.