How did we go from manually mixing adhesives in IBC containers to delivering full truckloads of dextrin adhesive? What challenges did we overcome, and...
The year 2014 was a turning point for TOPCORE—our first international orders opened the door to global markets but also presented new challenges. The increasing demand for dextrin adhesives called for expanded production capacity, more efficient processes, and technological advancements.
The year 2015 became a year of expansion, during which we laid a solid foundation for sustainable growth and ensured stable production, consistent quality, and the ability to meet the growing demand of our customers.
1. Scaling Up: From a Small Workshop to a Professional Production Facility
In our early years, we operated in modest conditions, where we tested and refined our first adhesive formulations. However, as order volumes increased, it became clear that this model would not be sustainable in the long run.
In 2015, we made the strategic decision to expand our production capacities and move into a professional manufacturing facility. This transition allowed us to:
✅ Increase production output to handle larger orders.
✅ Optimize manufacturing processes for greater efficiency.
✅ Enhance quality control to ensure consistent product parameters.
Key Investments in Production Equipment
With the support of government grants and bank financing, we equipped our production line with state-of-the-art technology that enabled us to achieve greater automation and stability in our processes:
🔹 Screw conveyors for efficient material handling.
🔹 Tensometric scales for precise ingredient measurement.
🔹 Big bag stations and cranes for bulk material handling.
🔹 Viscous liquid pumps and flexible hose systems for easier adhesive transfer.
🔹 Dry solid content and viscosity measurement devices for enhanced quality control.
🔹 Hot water heating systems to optimize the adhesive preparation process.
💡 “We knew that to succeed, we needed to invest in automation and process optimization. This step wasn’t just about increasing volume—it was about ensuring stability, quality, and long-term sustainability.” – Petr Červinka, Co-founder of TOPCORE
2. Dedicated Mixing Station: A Game-Changer for Production Efficiency
One of the major milestones of 2015 was the introduction of our first dedicated mixing station for dextrin adhesives.
Before this innovation, we operated with a single mixer capable of handling only 450 kg per batch. With the new system in place, we achieved:
🚀 Over a 10x increase in production capacity, with two mixers producing up to 2.5 tons per batch.
⚡ Faster and higher-quality mixing, thanks to modern propeller technology.
📦 A shift from manual handling of paper bags to bulk big bag feeding, significantly improving efficiency.
This transformation marked a significant leap in production efficiency—shorter mixing times, higher consistency, and reduced labor intensity. Automating key processes also helped us maintain stable quality across all batches.
3. Entering International Markets: The First Steps in Export
The year 2015 was not just about technological advancements—it was also the year we expanded into international markets.
Our customer base grew to:
🌍 12 international clients
🇨🇿 9 domestic customers
The key export markets at the time were:
🇵🇱 Poland – our first export destination, where we had already been supplying machine components for paper tube production.
🇨🇿 Czech Republic – our core domestic market.
🇮🇹 Italy – our third-largest market in 2015.
How Did We Manage Our First Exports?
💡 Logistics – We coordinated transport through local freight companies and the RAAL tendering platform, allowing us to secure the best shipping rates.
💡 Processes – We established efficient export procedures to ensure smooth and timely deliveries.
💡 Customer Requirements – Clients expected consistent quality at the best price, which we were able to deliver thanks to our new manufacturing processes.
💡 “The Polish market is highly competitive. There’s a saying that if you succeed in Poland, you can succeed anywhere in Europe. For us, this success was confirmation that we were on the right track.” – Zdeněk Vařejka, Co-founder of TOPCORE
4. A Year of Growth and Preparation for Future Challenges
The year 2015 was a pivotal period for TOPCORE. We expanded production, automated key processes, and laid the groundwork for international expansion.
✅ We built our first professional manufacturing facility.
✅ We increased our production capacity tenfold with a modern mixing station.
✅ We gained our first international customers and established processes for smooth exports.
This year opened the door to further innovations, which would propel us even further in the coming years.
📍 What’s Next?
In the next chapter of Evolution of TOPCORE, we will explore 2016, when we entered the market with industrial additives and began offering tailor-made solutions for the specific needs of our customers.
📩 Want to learn more about our technology? Get in touch today!
