What’s the top priority for our customers in the world of animal feed mills?
Most feed producers don't lose sleep over maintenance budgets. What keeps them up at night is the idea of production stopping unexpectedly. One breakdown can affect output, quality, and delivery commitments, long before the cost of maintenance, of repairing the breakdown itself, becomes an issue.
I often tell customers that our job is to help them sleep better at night. They should not be worrying about unexpected stoppages or production problems. Our role is simple: to help keep their operation running smoothly and reliably, more efficiently and with fewer surprises, so they can focus on the business.
If customers aren’t losing sleep over maintenance budgets, why are we?
In feed mill operations, maintenance and operational reliability often get less attention than larger cost categories, ingredients, energy, or labor, for example.
It’s understandable, but while the cost of maintenance may be small compared to these categories, its impact is much larger. A breakdown will affect those categories as well, in terms of energy consumption, product quality, and ultimately the profitability of the entire operation.
How do you go about starting a customer relationship on a strong footing?
No two feed mills operate exactly the same way. Even if they are producing similar products, the operational challenges behind each one could still be completely different. Raw materials, formulations, production targets, and equipment configurations all influence where value can be created.
For that reason, effective service starts with understanding how a customer’s operation actually runs.
And then, is it as simple as recommending a solution to a customer challenge?
We are not there simply to sell a component. Technology may win the first project, but trust wins the next one. We are there to understand what our customer is trying to achieve, and help them reach that goal. That’s why our discussions with customers rarely start with a specific ANDRITZ product. They start with the customer’s challenge.
Is downtime becoming an issue? Is pellet quality inconsistent? Is production being limited somewhere in the process? Once we understand the problem, the right solution follows.
How do your teams gain the necessary knowledge of customers’ operations?
Our teams work closely with plant managers, maintenance specialists, operators, and procurement teams to identify practical opportunities for improvement. Sometimes that can involve troubleshooting a recurring issue. Or it could look like optimizing pellet quality, increasing efficiency, planning an upgrade, or preparing for future growth.
And what about the next step, building trust?
Customers need confidence that when challenges arise, they have a partner who understands their operation and is ready to help.
That means we stay involved in our customers’ operations long after the equipment is installed and commissioned. Delivering a machine, or even a complete production line, is never the end of the relationship. Feed producers measure value over years of operation, not only in financial return, but in reliable performance, consistent quality feed, and the ability to respond to changing business demands. So we stay there for them with technical advice, process optimization, upgrades, spare parts, or onsite support, whenever they need it.
Building trust also requires having the right capabilities available when customers need them. That is why we continue strengthening our regional service footprint and manufacturing capabilities. A recent example is our new Die Plant in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. For feed producers, fast access to critical wear parts can make a significant difference. By manufacturing closer to customers, we can shorten lead times and respond more quickly when unexpected demand arises, while supporting producers throughout North America with local expertise and service.
How would you sum up the philosophy behind customer service at ANDRITZ?
Customer success is measured over years, not in individual transactions. We try to build relationships where our customers know they have access to the expertise, resources, and practical support they need to keep their operations performing at peak.
We want customers to know they have a partner who will continue helping them to improve performance, respond to challenges, and plan for the future.
That is what service means to us at ANDRITZ Feed & Biofuel. Staying close to customers, understanding their business, and helping them succeed in the long term.
