Our story is not about how one egg turned into 20 chickens, but it is about how we became the Worlds’ leading manufacturer of egg handling and processing equipment - and how we continuously help our customers turn eggs into valuable business.

We are a company with strong roots and a long history. It all began 60 years ago where SANOVO TECHNOLOGY GROUP was founded, and since then, eggs in both raw, fluid, and powder form have been part of our DNA. 

The timeline maps out some of the defining moments in our history which changed the landscape of our company and the industries we are part of. 

Historic Moments

1961

SANOVO Founded

SANOVO TECHNOLOGY GROUP, originally known as SANOVO ENGINEERING A/S, was founded by Lactosan and the Danish Tøræg Factory under the name SANOVO Levnedsmidler A/S in October 1961 in Odense, Denmark. The main target was production and trade of food, but quickly the company also decided to enter into the production of egg breaking machines. 

Why the name SANOVO?
The SANOVO name is a compound of SAN and OVO:

  • SAN to show our origin from LACTOSAN
  • OVO is the latin word for eggs.

November 1979, a new company SANOVO ENGINEERING A/S, was founded to continue the production and it became a subsidiary 100% owned by Lactosan-SANOVO Holding (today known as THORNICO).  

 

1956

STAALKAT founded

Mr Dirk van Katwijk, founder of Van Katwijk’s Industrial, bought the company 'Libra' in Hummelo in the east of Holland and moved it to Aalten. They were a producer of machinery for the textile industry. His idea was to produce egg-grading machines besides the existing product range.

The company was founded in September 1956 and named STAALKAT.

Why the name STAALKAT?
The STAALKAT name is a compound of STAAL and KAT

  • STAAL to show that the machines where build of steel, and staal is steel in Dutch
  • KAT is from the name of the founder Katwijk

In 2006, STAALKAT joined the SANOVO TECHNOLOGY GROUP and today it has been renamed to SANOVO TECHNOLOGY NETHERLANDS.

Company milestones

It is Time to Celebrate!

2021

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Strategic alliance with Ovotrack

2020

Acquisition of SonoSteam

2020

Opening of new office in Brazil

2019

New members of the group

2018

Moving into new buildings

2016

Acquisition of sub-supplier

2016

Enzymes

2009

STAALKAT & RAME-HART part of the group

2006

Opening of the factory in Italy

1992

Office in Japan

1987

Moving into the factory in Thulevej, Denmark

1975

Establishing US office

1969

Milestones in egg processing

ProductRecovery

2019

WAVE Pasteurization

2014

Introduction of the OptiBreaker

2006

SANOVO 6-25

1996

Spray Drying

1988

Automatic scanning

1980

Patented pasturization

1969

The automatic loader

1976

Introducing the horizontal placed cups

1973

Long egg machine

1972

Planning of complete plants

Since late 1960's

SANOVO 400

1968

First automatic egg breaking machine

1962

Milestones in egg handling & grading

Tray Stacker SX20

2020

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Introduction of the GraderPro

2016

OptiGrader

2000

Ardenta

2004

Selecta 12 and 18

1994-97

Farmpacker 192S

1993

IRUS

1989

1991

Electro Compacta 200

1983

Super Compacta

1971

Peak absorber and the first farmpacker

1966-1968

First 12-row egg grader

1964

First patent and individual egg handling

1962

The first 6-row egg grader

1960

Wooden frames

1956