FrieslandCampina commissions its US$11.53M water installation at Lummen site

BELGIUM – FrieslandCampina has officially commissioned a new, future‑proof ice‑water installation, an investment of US$11.53 million (10 million euros), at its production site in Lummen.

The installation uses up to 50% less electricity and reduces total energy costs by 12%, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of around 600 households.

The new installation replaces the existing ice‑water system and now provides both process cooling and cooling for the office spaces.

The switch from ammonia to CO₂ as a refrigerant significantly improves workplace safety and ensures the installation is well‑prepared for future regulations and standards.

Plant director Ricardo van Wijk looks back on the project with pride: “The opening of the new ice‑water installation, which involved the contribution of 200 employees, is an important milestone for our production site. This investment strengthens the long-term future of our site and helps us achieve our 2030 climate goals.

“By preparing our infrastructure now for further sustainability improvements, we ensure that we can continue to produce competitively, flexibly and in a climate‑conscious way in the years ahead.”

Later this year, heat pumps will be added that will reuse residual heat from the ice‑water process, for example for pasteurisation and cleaning.

By using this residual heat in the site’s internal heat network, much less energy is lost. This not only increases production efficiency but also further reduces the site’s ecological footprint.

The company reported revenue of US$15.85 billion (13.4 billion euros), up from US$15.22 billion (12.9 billion euros) in 2024, despite the heavy pressure on commodity dairy prices in the second half of 2025.

The operating profit was US$531 million (507 million euros) and a net result of US$338.76 million (328 million euros), despite challenging market conditions in the second half of the year.

The net cash flow from operating activities was US$634.1 million (615 million euros) in 2025. This decrease is mainly driven by working capital normalising in 2025 compared to the low level at the end of 2024.

In a declining European dairy market, market share was gained through innovation, cooperation with retailers, and a focus on strategic brands. Partly due to cost savings initiated in 2023 aimed at general costs (SG&A) and Supply Chain costs, the result in 2025 held up well.

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