Lareka x DuPLESSIS: a Q&A with one of our customers about Lareka and their experience with the NP60

Today we are shedding light on one of our creative and innovative clients: Chocolaterie DuPLESSIS. 

Chocolaterie DuPLESSIS was founded in 1996 and it is now based in Haute-Loire. Their work is based on perfectionism and creativity. They specialize in neapolitans and chocolate boxes featuring images of French sites and monuments with the aim of taking the customer on a journey through France by making use of storytelling and immersive packaging. Creating such designs on their boxes allows DuPLESSIS to be extremely visible on the shelves and catch the customers’ attention. This is not only due to the size of the box but also because of the variety of colours and figures that are shown on each chocolate bar.

Chocolaterie DuPLESSIS came to Lareka with a goal in mind: they wanted to replace two of their old wrapping machines with a safer and more efficient solution. After learning more in depth about DuPLESSIS, their needs and goals, we recommended a Lareka NP60 machine equipped with a buffer belt as the most suitable option.

     

As some time has passed, we are curious to hear how our machine has been performing. Thus, we asked a few questions to Chocolaterie DuPLESSIS to hear about their experience with their Lareka NP60 machines.

Why did you choose to buy a Lareka machine?

“Chocolaterie DuPLESSIS chose to invest in a LAREKA machine after evaluating several options. Among them, the NP60 stood out due to its compact and safe design, intuitive operation, and high-quality appearance. We had the opportunity to meet with a chocolatier already using LAREKA machines and see a BTB25 in action, which gave us firsthand experience of the machine. LAREKA provided advice on paper and aluminum selection and conducted trials to validate the folding process, confirming the brand's reliability. Finally, the support and guidance of PBF-Solution (Lareka’s representative in France), from the initial quote to the final installation at the chocolate factory, allowed us to make a more confident investment.”

What changes has the NP60 brought about within DuPLESSIS’s production process?

“The NP60 has allowed us to improve the reliability of our Neapolitan chocolate production by reducing breakage and therefore machine downtime, improving folding, and making the operators' work easier. These improvements have increased our daily productivity. The Buffer Belt, which provides the NP60 with autonomous feeding, has freed up time for the operator responsible for this task to perform other duties. The addition of a second Size Set has also allowed us to offer a second chocolate format, something we couldn't do with our previous machines.”
           

How many bars are you wrapping on average in a production day (and how long is your production day)?

The NP60 produces Napolitains over 4 days from 8am to 5:15pm for an average daily production of 24000 Napolitains.

Would you say buying the machine has improved efficiency at DuPLESSIS?

“Reduced machine downtime, improved folding, reduced physical strain on workstations, autonomous feeding, new chocolate format… have obviously contributed to the optimization of our production.”

What are your main motivations for investing in a second NP60 machine?

“Combining two workstations into one to feed both machines is a significant production advantage. Improving production reliability by replacing our old machine with a second NP60 is another. Finally, the expertise and know-how brought by the LAREKA team in the design and operation of these machines reinforces our confidence in them.”

Would you recommend the Lareka machine to others? If so, why?

“Yes, we would do it; we appreciate LAREKA's support during the commissioning of our NP60 machines. The reliability of these machines is a major strength, even though LAREKA's after-sales service is also available if needed. Finally, the presence of PBF-Solution as a liaison between Chocolaterie DuPLESSIS and LAREKA is a real asset in communication and the management of new projects.”

We’re always very happy to hear that our machines are performing well and have been of great help to our customers in optimizing their wrapping process.

Are you interested in hearing more about our machines?
Feel free to contact us and we’ll be happy to answer all of your questions.