In the food industry, maintenance is about far more than keeping machines running – it’s a guarantee of safety, quality, and sustainability.
“Maintenance is crucial to our ability to deliver safe and sustainable food products to our customers,” says Fredrik Edström, Maintenance Development Manager at Orkla Foods Sverige.

When even the slightest deviation can have serious consequences for both consumers and companies, maintenance becomes a truly critical part of operations. The food industry imposes strict requirements, where every machine must perform efficiently and comply with regulations for safety and traceability.

“The food industry differs from many other sectors. Here, it’s not only important that the machines work – they must also meet stringent hygiene and food safety standards,” says Edström.

Having started as a mechanic in Kungshamn in 1995, Fredrik now plays a key role supporting and developing maintenance practices across all of Orkla Foods’ Swedish factories.

“We operate seven factories, each with its own background and traditions, and a large part of my job is to align and create a unified approach to maintenance. I’m responsible for developing our maintenance processes and tools, but also for coaching and training so that these processes can be implemented effectively. I also work on improving our maintenance system, which is part of our larger business system, and maintaining collaboration across our factory network.”

Sustainable maintenance – Key to efficiency and reduced waste

In addition to safety and quality, Fredrik emphasizes the importance of ensuring that production is both sustainable and profitable.

“We focus heavily on reducing waste and product losses. For example, if a seal leaks in a pump, it can lead to unnecessary product loss. That’s one instance where maintenance plays a decisive role in sustainability,” he explains.

“All our factories produce food, and it’s essential that the products meet high quality standards. It’s not only about delivering a good product but also ensuring that no one risks falling ill. That’s why we have strict requirements and routines where everything must be traceable – down to an individual maintenance activity.”

Energy efficiency is another key area. By systematically working with issues such as compressed air leaks and more efficient electric motors, Orkla contributes to reducing energy consumption. For Fredrik, data quality and utilization are also crucial.

“We’ve become better at collecting information. The next step is to make more fact-based decisions by analyzing the data more effectively.”

Recruitment challenges are another factor affecting the entire industry – and Orkla is no exception.

“It’s difficult to find the right competence, especially since technology has advanced so quickly. We have machines from the 1960s that require one type of expertise, and advanced control systems that require something completely different,” Fredrik explains.

He stresses the importance of attracting more young people to the profession and highlighting the diversity of maintenance work – spanning mechanics, IT, chemistry, and visualization.

Underhållsmässan – a platform for knowledge and inspiration

According to Fredrik, Underhållsmässan serves as an important meeting place for technology exploration and knowledge exchange. Visitors can discover new solutions and meet suppliers they didn’t even know existed. The exhibition also provides opportunities to make valuable connections and explore innovations that solve problems more efficiently and effectively than before.

“Even if you only attend for a few hours, you gain a lot of valuable insights in a short time. When you leave the fair, you often have new perspectives on your own challenges and have discovered entirely new possibilities,” he says.

He also sees great potential in attracting younger visitors to the fair to showcase the many facets of the maintenance profession.

“Many still have an outdated image of maintenance as something limited to greasy workshops – but it’s so much more. At Underhållsmässan, you can explore everything from advanced technology and computing to chemistry and visualization. The range of opportunities is enormous, and I believe the fair can play a key role in inspiring more young people to choose this profession.”

The future of maintenance – toward more automation

When asked about the future of maintenance, Fredrik is convinced that decision-making will become increasingly automated and data-driven.

“Making decisions based on condition monitoring and data analysis will become ever more important. At the same time, I see that more preventive tasks will be transferred to operators, while maintenance departments will become more specialized.”

Looking ahead, Fredrik believes that technological innovation and cross-industry collaboration will pave the way for new solutions. He emphasizes that challenges such as spare parts management, competence supply, and efficiency are shared across all sectors – and that the answers often lie in sharing experiences and learning from one another.

“Maintenance, regardless of where it takes place, is about solving similar problems that come in different forms. By learning from each other and thinking ahead, we can find solutions that benefit both operations and the future.”

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