Strong
as
a
bear

The Varimixer history
Over 100 years

One 
hundred 
years
and
counting

In 1915, Palle Hoff Wodschow founded the company that was to become world famous for being ‘Strong as a Bear’.
It was about mixers. It is still about mixers.
It was about a man who built his business on three strong values. It is still about three strong values, although they now form the basis of a global business. 

Reliability. Responsibility. Honesty. 

This is the way it has been for a hundred years. While words like these may sound hollow in the modern world, these old values represent a unique business a solid foundation for Wodschow & Co in the future for Wodschow & Co. Without content, these words would be meaningless clichés, but when customers, dealers and our entire support base back up these words with action – that makes a company very strong. 

Strong as a Bear. 

But is it enough that our products last for years? When we take responsibility and offer a service that is far above the normal standard? When we do not promise more than we can keep – and keep what we do promise?

No – more is needed in today’s marketplace! 

There was a time when baking bread and preparing food was hard manual work. But with the advent of industrialisation, bakeries and restaurants gained a helping hand from what is still an indispensable tool – the mixer.

And the global market extends to nations where the
production of bread and bakery products is not the staple diet. This requires readjustment and development if you want to retain your niche – mixers.

It requires us to understand that we need to develop the right machines to satisfy the new demands. Machines that are based on the person who will be pressing the buttons. Machines that are not only designed based on engineering knowledge and tradition. Machines that make the work easier for the users. Machines that are intuitive.

This has become our fourth and newest value – development at the cutting edge. 

With Kodiak, we have set new standards for how a food mixer should be designed. 

A leading position that we intend to keep. The first step into the future – excellence for the next one hundred years.

 

The Name

history tells the truth. That the Wodschow family lived in North Jutland in the 17th century – in Vodskov. At that time, young soldiers were called by the name of their town and a number and in 1406 the town was spelled Wodskoug and on a map from 1815, Wodskow.

Launch of M/S Selandia at Burmeister & Wain in Copenhagen on 4th November 1911. The maiden voyage which went to Bangkok via London, Antwerp, Genoa and the Suez Canal commenced on 22nd February 1912.

The Man

PALLE HOFF WODSCHOW. Born on the 15th September 1889, the son of a forester in the Parish of Gyrtinge. After five years’ study at Sorø Academy, at the age of 12, he landed an apprenticeship with the machinery manufacturer and foundry H. C. Junge & Søn in Sorø which “produced agricultural implements and machinery, including threshing machines and mincing machines”. At the end of his apprenticeship, he took the advanced engineering examination and sailed the seven seas and served on the Selandia in 1912 – the world’s first ocean-going diesel-powered vessel – on its maiden voyage to the Far East.
Palle Hoff Wodschow with his beloved Tekla on the steps of Sorø Academy

Partnership

THE BIG DAY After a few years at sea, Palle Hoff Wodschow came ashore and on the 5th of June 1915 he got engaged to his beloved Tekla. He had also found a business partner. On the same day – 5th June 1915 – Wodschow & Lindbæk opened their doors to their mechanical workshop in Frederiksberg. A Danish industrial success was born.

The Idea

the planet and the sun. Wodschow & Lindbæk quickly found their niche in
bakery machines. Here the idea of how to build a mixer where the mixer tools rotate on their own axis
while following a circular motion in the bowl – like planets around the sun – was developed. This means that the entire mass is mixed and all areas in the bowl are reached.

The start – a 15-litre Bear Mixing, Whipping and Kneading Machine

The Bear is born

THE BEAR AND THE BEE. The first 3- and 4-gear mixers saw the light of day in about 1920. But disagreements between Wodschow and Lindbæk caused them to go their separate ways in the 1920s. Lindbæk set up his own mixing machine factory which was named ‘Bien’ (the Bee). But ‘Bjørn’ (Bear) was born and Wodschow carried on.

The first brochure

ROYAL BREAD IN 1911

In 1858, the Rubow brothers took over Denmark’s oldest bakery dating back to 1658 at Vimmelskaftet 37 in Copenhagen. This became the start of a new era in Danish baking. After the death of the brothers, the bakery continued as E. Rubow’s Successor, and several bakeries appear in Copenhagen. In 1892, E. Rubow’s Successor was appointed Baker to the Royal Court. Here we see one of the bakeries in 1911 where the women are packing while the baker’s apprentice stays in the background. In 1959, the owners of the Trianon bakery, the bakery with proud traditions at Vimmelskaftet, took over and in 1970 Trianon also became a Purveyor to the Royal Court.

The Mechanical Mixer

By means of electric motors and a three- or four-step gearbox, users whipped, beated and kneaded ingredients according to the same mechanical principle for the next 40 years. The mixers were made in casted iron and vertical in construction – like a drill press – with their main components placed on top of each other.

King Håkons cakes

APPROX. 60 CAKES

  • 125 g cold butter
  • 200 g flour
  • 50 – 75 g sugar (to taste)

Dice the cold butter and crumble into the flour. Mix in the sugar and knead the mixture quickly and lightly.

Roll out the mixture into two approx. 5-centimetre-long sausages and place in the refrigerator for about an hour.

Cut into thin slices and place on baking trays covered in baking paper.

Bake the cakes on the top shelf at 200–220 degrees for 7–10 minutes until golden. Then place carefully on a baking rack with a palette knife.

Leave to cool completely before placing in a baking tin. These are fine, crumbly, light biscuits with a melting taste of butter! But also fragile, so treat with care.

Honour and glory

GOLD AND PROGRESS. At the confectionery fair in Copenhagen in 1925, the Bear whipping and Mixing Machine won its first two gold medals. The modern technological development in the bakeries was noted in the opening speech for the fair which was made by Prime Minister Thorvald Stauning.

The first gold medal. More gold medals would come later.

The fair stand in 1925 with the mixing machines displayed with the old “Bjørn” logo

Prime Minister

Prime Minister Thorvald Stauning’s manuscript for his opening speech at the Confectionery Fair in Copenhagen in 1925. The Prime Minister emphasizes the progress made from the time “..that the baker’s apprentice kneaded the dough with his bare feet to the very fine mixers now used…”

An industry rises

Here the staff at Peter Jensen’s Confectioner’s on Langegade in Kerteminde stand ready to greet customers in approx. 1915. At that time, there were approximately 3000 bakeries in Denmark, and numbers were rising which meant that Palle Hoff Wodschow made a good decision when he made mixers his specialty. In 1935, the number of Danish bakeries reached its peak at 4859 and in the most recent official record from 2001 the number was 1132 independent bakeries – a number which in 2014 is estimated at 800. The Danes still eat plenty of bread, but new trends mean that the bakeries are increasingly moving into supermarkets and chains with a wider product range and café-style retail concepts.

K16

The State’s Tools Committee Report No. 38, 1926 About BJØRN K 16

Judges’ Statement:

It is a very solid and exceptionally well-crafted machine. The motor and drivetrain are excellently enclosed. The working components are robustly constructed, and the conversion is easy and convenient. The meat grinder finely chops and has great working capacity. The filling funnel is long enough to prevent fingers from entering the machine. The cast tray, positioned above the funnel and holding approximately 2 kg of meat, contributes to facilitating operation. The stirring and kneading device operates securely and excellently, ensuring consistent treatment of the material. It is advantageous that a gas burner can be placed under the container to heat its contents.

High quality original technical drawings by hand from the 1920s and 1930s could be candidates as a first choice for decorative posters. 

In the 1930s, Wodschow & Co also manufactured kneading machines which are shown here with a mixer with a DC motor. The man on the stand is engineer Hellstern who joined the company in 1921 and who designed many of the constructions over the years.

The Bear family being exhibited in the 1940s. The logo with the bear mixing in the bowl followed the company for almost 40 years. This was also the basis for the company’s ‘Strong as a Bear’ slogan which is still being used today.

At the confectioners

SUPERB QUALITY FOR GENERATIONS. In 1870, confectioner Nicolaus Henningsen opened ‘Henningsen’s Basement’ in Skoubogade in Central Copenhagen – the place that in 1896 changed its name to Conditori La Glace inspired by the confectioners of the day in Hamburg, Paris, Dresden and Vienna. Ever since, La Glace has been synonymous with superb confectionery, stylish interiors and the presence of history. The picture on the next poster is also historic – a Bear K16 among working apprentices.

SPICE CAKE À LA GLACE

  • 325 grams wheat flour
  • 225 grams muscovado sugar
  • 150 grams cane sugar
  • ½ dl syrup
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 2.5 dl beer

 

Weigh out and mix all the dry ingredients. To avoid small ‘lumps’ of sugar in the finished cake, sift the muscovado sugar before adding to the mixture. Add the beer gradually until the mixture is soft, supple and uniform. Bake in a greased baking tin at 170 degrees for about an hour. Use a sharp knife to check whether the cake is cooked through. The cake is dense and can be enjoyed buttered.

The Bjørn K16 in use of the professional confectioner staff at La Grace in the 1920s

P

Next generation

THE NEXT GENERATION STEPS UP. Palle Hoff Wodschow died in 1944. In 1948, the son, Peter Herman Wodschow, returned from a job in the United States and took over management of the family-owned company. P, as he was usually called, was a trained engineer and he started a technological revolution that echoed far beyond Denmark’s borders.

J

A new world awaits

Palle and Tekla Wodschow’s second son, Jens Krogh Wodschow, was a trained civil engineer. He had worked abroad for a number of years and spoke English, German, French, Spanish and some Eskimo so when he joined the company in 1956, it seemed natural that he would develop the company’s exports – under the name of J.

Breaking all boundaries

J filled a trailer with mixers and drove to the IBA trade fair in Munich. At the fair, he met a young man on a modest stand exhibiting small scales. J rented a corner of the stand for his mixers. A gentleman passed the stand – August Mühlhausen – and became very enthusiastic about what he saw. Wodschow & Co. landed its first agent who – almost six decades later – still represents the Bear mixers in Germany.

With the launch of the R model a couple of years later, exports started to take off. One of the first major orders out of the country was the 15-litre model – 16 of them to Finland at a price of DKK 1,993 per machine.

New times

UNLIMITED SUCCESS. In the middle of the 1950s, five new Bear mixers with new technolog y and a new, ground-breaking design were introduced. This started new developments that gave the Danish company an important position as international supplier of professional mixers over the following decades. In the Danish market, this meant that manufacturers of the otherwise well-known MAREN and STRØMMEN mixers went out of business. The great success became the basis for expansion of production with economies of scale and, driven by a new, professional sales organisation, growth was rapid during this time.

J at the Danish Procurement Fair in Fredericia in 1958 with brother P’s new range of mixers which were given a design award for their revolutionary shape the same year.

New technology

A GREAT STEP – VARIABLE SPEED. The ground-breaking technical changes to the new Bear range of the 1950s consisted first and foremost in the launch of the stepless gear. A wide V-belt is forced in and out between two sets of pulleys. The user is able to select the exact speed suitable for the task – without stopping the machine. At the same time, a new, user-friendly lifting system for the bowl is introduced. This means that the user is able in one movement to lift and fixate the bowl – an easy and flexible system that is still used on the Bear mixers. The design was also given a makeover in which the cast-iron body of the machine consisted of large, smooth surfaces – cleaning-friendly and elegant. The range included five sizes of 15, 27, 40, 60 and 100 litres.

The classic Bear AR machines still have a variable speed system that uses pulleys.

New times penny saved

P was a thrifty man. In 1965, Wodschow & Co moved from its factory in Rødovre to Malervangen 9 in Glostrup. Despite extensions in 1971/72, space became too cramped and in 1976 production moved to the new factory at Elementfabrikken 9 in Brøndby. The company took its street number from Glostrup to Brøndby. A penny saved is a penny earned!

From cast iron to sheet iron

In about 1970, major changes were made to the way in which the mixers were produced. The cast-iron machine bodies and round shapes were replaced by welded frames in sheet metal. This provides a more modern design while the entire production process is significantly simplified – and not least: The new mixers weigh much less and larger machines are introduced. Later, it also becomes possible to produce the sheet frames in stainless steel which today is standard on several current models.

With the launch of the new 150-litre mixer in the 1970s, Wodschow & Co. in earnest gained a foothold in the large bakeries. The machine was equipped with a mixer head of enormous dimensions, but the voltmeter which worked as a speed gauge was powered by a very low-tech solution: a bicycle dynamo.

A success retries

A MIXER – 20,000 UNITS.
In 1969, the Bear R20 was introduced and became a huge success. With its 20-litre bowl, it really filled a gap in the market and in the period from 1969 to 1990 about 20,000 R20 mixers were sold all over the world. In 1990, this sales success was replaced by the next: RN20. RN20 developed over the years and in 2005 the next generation was presented. It is the first mixer entirely made of stainless steel with variable speed and the option of programming it with up to four individual programmes. With its powerful motor, the RN20 is capable to mix 10 kg of dough without any problem.

The art of the Whip

CREATING THE PERFECT WHIPPING IS AN ART AND A CRAFT. The whip is shaped and constructed to fit the diameter and shape of the bowl precisely. The dimension and wire thickness varies from machine size to machine size to ensure that it takes a minimum of time to whip the maximum amount of air into the ingredients. The carefully designed construction of the whip is in stainless steel, each wire is bent on specially developed equipment and then installed and adjusted with a high level of craftsmanship. The result is a hygienic, completely enclosed solution without mechanical joints.

Bending wires for the whip

Installation of wires 1 and 2

Control of installed whip in template to simulate the interior of the bowl

A proud craftsman with the end result

Ready to ship and whip

The dough hook

NOTHING IS JUST COINCIDENCE. Each curve, each bend and angle have been thoroughly thought through so that the dough is kept down in the bowl during mixing where the lowest bend ensures that the dough is turned and folded. At the same time, the planetary movement pattern of the mixer head ensures completely uniform mixing that is so gentle that even the most temperature-sensitive yeast doughs are mixed quickly and efficiently.

The bending dough hook process 

STRONG AS A BEAR. It starts as a bar of stainless steel which is turned conically to make it thicker at the top and narrower at the bottom. Each bend and angle is created in individual hydraulic presses. This requires precision and craftsmanship and it is cold-bent stainless steel with enormous strength that retains the geometrically designed shape irrespective of the dough being mixed – nothing is just coincidence.

The beater and the scraper

ALL THE INGREDIENTS ARE MIXED. Like the whip, the beater is geometrically constructed and dimensioned to ensure that its movements fit the bowl diameter. The distance to the bottom and sides are the same top and bottom. Both the vertical and cross ridges are angled to create the optimum turbulence in the ingredients during the mixing process. When using the beater or whip, the sides of the bowls can be scraped automatically from top to bottom with a scraper. All ingredients on the edge of the bowl are pressed into the whipping or beating process and the result is both a more voluminous and more uniform mass and also time saving because the machine does not have to be stopped for manual scraping during the process. The scraper blade clicks onto the stainless steel tool to make cleaning very simple.

Two tools working together. The beater and the scraper

Pizza special

A STRONG RECIPE. With an extra strong motor capable of handling up to 50% more dough than our traditional mixers and with a dough hook which, with its double bayonet socket, ensures completely stable rotation with even the most demanding pizza dough, the special editions of Bear AR40 and AR60 have occupied their rightful place in pizza chains and restaurants all over the world.

The Bear is on the menu in pizza bakeries all over the world

Built like a ship

KEEPS THE WATER OUT – AND PERFORMS FOR YEARS. Mixers on ships and oil rigs need to work in a special way. The power supply is different and requirements for keeping water out of the electrical parts are strict. Stringent hygiene standards are in place and easy cleaning and operation are also required. This is why a special range in stainless steel has been developed – Bear Marine – which meets all requirements for safe, stable operation onboard ships of any kind – cruise liners, ferries, cargo ships and on oil rigs. And just like the ships, Bear Marine performs for years.

Ergonomics is giving a BOOST

ERGO BEAR REACHES NEW HEIGHTS. The first ERGO-concept mixer was introduced in 2001. Removing the mixer tool when changing the bowl was no longer required. By increasing the height of the frame, clearance is created under the mixer tool when the bowl is lowered, removed and replaced by the next portion. The concept eases physical work for staff and saves both time and money.

New speeds

THE FREQUENCY INVERTER SIMPLIFIES THINGS. When speeds are adjusted steplessly using pulleys, the electric motor runs at a constant speed. The speed can also be adjusted using a frequency inverter which regulates the speed of the motor by increasing the frequency when the speed is to be increased or reduced, when the speed is to be lowered. The first frequency inverters that were introduced in the 1970s were based on thyristors, but today they are digital and controlled by microprocessors. This is a simpler control method involving fewer mechanical parts. But the variable speed adjustment of the Bear AR range is well controlled by pulleys.

The frequency inverter is installed in an ERGO100

When the Bear had a baby

In 2003, Wodschow & Co. produced Teddy. A small 5-litre Bear for professionals which would turn out to be a great success. It is the result of months of studying the day-to-day workings of bakeries and kitchens and it is the requirements for function, hygiene and cleaning that have given Teddy its timeless design. The form supports the function.

The details

DANISH DESIGN

Several months went by before anyone started to produce drawings. The designers observed, asked questions and listened to explanations. The engineers were consulted, but Henrik Jeppesen and his designers from the Danish design company Christian Bjørn focused on the users when they threw themselves into the project to draw a small workhorse – a professional mixer which would be able to win the battle in functionality and quality against the small retail mixers for the smaller tasks in bakeries and restaurants.

“There were many cases in which a tabletop model was practical for small tasks and the bakeries often placed a machine like that in a corner while in the restaurants of the late 1990s it had become visible to guests in many of the new, open kitchens,” explains Henrik Jeppesen. “That is why we were aware that we had to design a machine that could be operated regardless of where it was located – that is, from both sides. And we needed to produce a design that was stylish and sturdy so that it looked good in an open kitchen – and not least: It had to be quiet, but still have the right, credible sound – as we know it from expensive cars when the engine needs to spin and the doors slam convincingly. You will experience the same thing when you increase the speed on a Teddy and when you press the lock to tip back the mixing unit.”

THE DETAILS

But the most important requirements for the new addition was hygiene and cleaning. Henrik Jeppesen explains:
“You can tell by looking at it that it is easy to clean. That is why it has rounded corners – also round the edges where you place the bowl so that they can be cleaned with a cloth. And the bowl is kept in place by three ‘mushrooms’ instead of the conventional screw solution which is usually difficult to clean.”
As for screws – Teddy has no exterior screws. The machine body is precision-cast aluminium which has given the designers great freedom in their design. “We were able to combine some of the slightly sharp lines that the Bear mixers are famous for with a softer and wider base to make it clear that the machine is stable. And by letting it ‘lean’ slightly forward, the design becomes dynamic.”
As previously stated, the designers decided to construct a mixer that could be operated from both sides. The large and very simple single operating knob takes care of that. The knob is through-going and the pivotal point when the mixer is tipped back – without leaving openings that may cause problems in terms of cleaning.
The machine also comes with attachment drive.
The result: A little Bear that is big enough for the job.

Craftsmanship

The following pages are a tour among professionals who are proud of their craftsmanship

Honing of pulleys – i.e. finishing of the inside of the pulleys to achieve precise tolerance.

A lathe tool is prepared. | The pulley system on an AR mixer is adjusted.

A worm gearbox is installed on the motor to allow the mixer to be equipped with attachment drive. – A motor crossbar is inspected prior to assembly.

The sun and the planet

THE PRINCIPLE OF THE MIXER HEAD: The sun wheel (main shaft) (1) rotates and makes the planet wheel 2 rotate. The planet wheel (2) is directly connected to the bayonet shaft (3) – and thereby also to the tool in the bowl. The planet wheel (2) and the bayonet shaft (3) now rotate on the same axis – and are now also driven around inside the toothed rim (4) and the double rotation planet movement is set in motion… Universal motion!

The planetary head is assembled. This takes place upside down.

The lower and upper part of the planetary head are assembled. The lower part with the white planet wheel is assembled with precision in relation to the main axle which is located in the top part.

A worm shaft for the attachment drive on an AR model is finished inside with a broach.

The new universe

ETERNAL DEVELOPMENT. In 1981, computers took over production planning and in 1983 also order management. In 1992 everything was integrated – procurement, sales and production – and in 2001 the time came for SAP. And so on. The felt tip drawings are also pure nostalgia – replaced by a world of 3D and manufacturing robots. But no computer has yet generated a good idea…

We are in the 1980s. Managing director at the time Nils Kofoed-Hansen, R&D Manager Gorm Christensen and engineer Bjørn Rasmussen proudly view the possibilities provided by the newly purchased CAD system.

In 2015, new technology provides endless opportunities for the visualisation of Morten Højbjerre’s ideas and thoughts during the design process.

Investment in the future

A major investment worth millions in high-tech CNC lathe with a six-axis handling robot has provided the option of unstaffed production of items in small ranges around the clock since 2013. This means great flexibility and lower inventory levels. The investment is part of the company’s strateg y to further develop production in Denmark.

Two different main axles for the RN20 are turned from a bar on our state-of-the-art CNC machine. One with worm gear for machines with attachment drives.

A large selection of milling tools are available in the storage compartment of the machine.

Adjusting the bowl arm to make sure tools and bowls are aligned

Mounting the control panel

One big family

WODSCHOW & CO. AFTER CLOSING TIME. The list of employees who have worked for Wodschow & Co. for 25, 30 and 40 years is long. Because Wodschow & Co. is a good workplace, they say – also after hours where annual trips were a fun tradition until new rules from the Danish tax authorities made these trips very expensive for employees. Now social activities take place in company clubs. On solid ground for exercise, cycling or golf or at sea for fishing.

Spicy fish cakes

Fish: · 500 g pollock, cod, haddock or hake · 1 egg · 1 tablespoon green curry paste · 1 tablespoon grated ginger · 2 tablespoon coconut milk or milk · 1 tablespoon flour · ½ pot of chopped chives Vegetables etc.: · 2 garlic cloves · 1 tablespoon grated ginger · 2 red onions cut into wedges · 1 pointed cabbage in strips · 1 dl coconut milk · 2 tablespoons lemon juice · ½ dl peanuts Side dish: Wholegrain rice Method Fish: Mix the fish, egg, curry paste, ginger, coconut milk, flour and ½ teaspoon of salt in the mixer. Add chives. Shape the mince into fish cakes. Fry them for 4–5 minutes on each side in a non-stick pan in golden butter with some oil. Vegetables: Heat some oil in a frying pan and fry the garlic and ginger. Add the red onion and pointed cabbage and fry until soft. Add the coconut milk. Season with lemon juice and sprinkle with peanuts.

Keep it simple

We followed the work in more than 25 different kitchens and bakeries for six months. We filmed the procedure before, during and after the processes involving the mixer. We focused on ergonomic positions, heavy lifting and transport, cleaning and hygiene. We got many good tips and ideas and the gist of them all was: keep it simple. So that is what we did which resulted in the most ergonomic, most hygienic and most advanced 30-litre mixer on the market – as simple as that. KODIAK is the result of user-driven innovation. Here is the story:

There was one thing in particular that surprised us during our study trips around the bakeries and professional kitchens: The requirement for the bowl to be constantly at the same height as the work surface.

Usually, the bowl is lowered to floor height after the ingredients have been whipped or mixed after which the bowl is transported to the location where further processing takes place. Here it is raised to table height – either manually or with a lifting device.

But many had found alternative, creative solutions to this transport process. Product developer at Wodschow & Co. Morten Højbjerre explains:

“We saw bowls in several places that were transported resting on refuse stands and trolleys so that they could easily be raised to table height. That gave us the idea for making a high bowl trolley where the bowl is secured during transport, but can still be tipped when you get to the table. This is solved by the bowl standing in a solid ring with a thick rubber edge. Five solid wheels and an even wider, very heavy solid ring of steel at the base of the trolley ensures that it cannot tip over.”

The mixer itself also stands securely on the ground on four adjustable legs.

Good via from your work

But our field studies and a number of workshops where various users through brainstorming and experiments equipped the designers to develop the mixer also cleared the way for a number of other unconventional solutions – minor details to make day-to-day work easier and more efficient.

“One example is that we have made the diameter of the bowl larger,” says Morten Højbjerre. “By also raising it to the height the bowl works at and letting the sides of the top of the machine angle inwards, we have increased the field of vision in the bowl. That the bowl has become wider has also meant that the dimensions of the mixer tool have changed which increases speed and saves time.”

WELL-DESIGNED SAFETY

The work in the bowl can be monitored through the transparent safety guard which is a unique, patented design. The safety guard takes into account the requirements contained in a coming EU directive for the mixers of the future. It is about efficiently preventing e.g. flour dust from escaping during the mixing process.

The safety guard which is made of special impactresistant plastic can be attached to the machine without the need for tools. Magnets ensure that the safety guard is secure and also works as a safety switch – the machine cannot run if the safety guard has not been attached. The solution is very cleaning-friendly and the safety guard – which has an integrated filling tray – is machine-washable at 60 degrees Celsius.

KODIAK overall has a very cleaning-friendly design with large, clean stainless steel surfaces and hygienically designed joints.

This is a workshop. Product developers, sales people and engineers from Wodschow & Co. (Now Varimixer) discuss concepts and generate ideas in partnership with users who know what working in a bakery or kitchen involves at ground level.

From the initial idea

To the unique, patented solution

Ergonomic and elegant

‘Keep it simple’ was not least a major requirement from users in terms of the operation of the machine. It has to be possible to use it without training and without having to read a manual, the KODIAK developers were told. That is why users only need to set the variable time and speed – and press the start and stop button. Morten Højbjerre explains that the very simple digital display is angled to ensure that it is easy to view and at an ergonomically correct operating height. The angled display is lit by the light in the room. The lifting handle which ensures that the bowl arms hold the bowl securely during the mixing process is also shaped to the highest ergonomic standards. An additional detail: KODIAK uses 230V and is therefore very easy to connect. A result of ‘ Keep it simple’.

Is this the way it should be?…

Or like this?…

Thank You

This is a great honour – fantastic recognition. On 16 May 2015, we received the Kitchen Innovations 2015 Award in Chicago. The National Restaurant Association which gives the award represents more than 1 million restaurants and foodservice outlets with more than 14 million employees. Every year, an independent jury scans the market for innovative products that reflect trends and a feeling for the challenges of back-of-house, and in 2015 they emphasized ergonomics and user-friendly technolog y – precisely the features that have been a benchmark for the development work on KODIAK. Thank you for the Kitchen Innovations 2015 Award. We could not have imagined a better anniversary present.

The legacy

When Palle Hoff Wodschow died in 1944, Tekla took over the company which was later transferred to sons P and J. In 1983, the brothers decide that the time has come to sell up and in the following years Wodschow & Co. continues to develop under two different owners. In May 2000, the Swedish Sveba Dahlen Group acquired the company – a Group that already owns Sveba Dahlen AB which occupies a significant position in the oven market for professional bakers and Glimek AB which develops and produces various mechanical equipment – also for bakeries.

But the Bear is not only for bakeries. Currently more than half the mixers manufactured in Brøndby are sold to restaurants, commercial kitchens, institutions and hospitals and for industrial food production businesses.

A success that has spread across the world – based on our three old basic values: Reliability. Responsibility. Honesty. A success that has spread to new segments – as a result of our fourth, new value: Cutting-edge development.

Just as it has been for 100 years. Just as it will be in the future.