Milcotec has made a strategic decision to take full control of its digital future by developing its own IT platform in-house. For the dairy equipment supplier, digital development is no longer a support function – it has become a core part of the business.
The move is driven by a clear ambition: to create a platform that truly reflects how customers work, while ensuring long-term flexibility, scalability and ownership of data.
From supplier to digital solution provider
At Milcotec’s headquarters in Varnæs near Aabenraa, digitalisation has become a hands-on discipline. One of the office rooms was recently transformed into a photo studio, where thousands of products – primarily spare parts for milking robots and milking systems – are photographed one by one.
These images, along with product data, guides and technical content, form the backbone of a new digital platform that customers will initially experience as an e-commerce solution. However, the long-term vision goes far beyond selling products online.
According to owner-manager Gerth Petersen, the decision has been a long time coming.
“We’ve known for years where we wanted to go digitally. What changed was that we finally committed to doing it properly,” he explains.
Owning the platform means owning the future
Unlike earlier digital initiatives, Milcotec will own and control the new platform entirely. Development, configuration and content are managed from within the company, ensuring that digital tools evolve in step with real business needs.
“It’s a significant investment – both financially and organisationally,” says Gerth Petersen.
“But owning the platform gives us freedom. We’re not locked into external systems that limit how we develop.”
That freedom is seen as essential in a market where customer expectations, technology and data requirements are evolving rapidly.
Built around real customer behaviour
The digital project is led by Head of Marketing and Digitalisation Dmitrijs Dementjevs, together with CFO Kenny Jensen. Their approach has been deeply customer-centric from the outset.
“Instead of guessing how customers want to use a webshop, we asked them,” says Dmitrij Dementjev.
“We’ve discussed everything from navigation to button placement to make sure the platform feels familiar and intuitive.”
This was especially important in a traditionally conservative industry, where many customers are used to ordering by phone and value personal contact.
“The goal is not to replace human interaction, but to support it digitally,” he explains.
“Customers should feel confident and supported – not pushed away by technology.”
From transactions to insights
Another key driver behind the in-house solution is data.
“With our own platform, we can finally work seriously with data, business intelligence and, over time, technologies like artificial intelligence,” says Dmitrijs Dementjevs.
The new system will make it possible to analyse customer behaviour, optimise product offerings and provide smarter guidance – something that was difficult with earlier third-party solutions.
The final push to get started came through sparring with Erhvervshus Sydjylland, which helped turn ideas into action.
“They challenged us to move from intention to execution,” says Gerth Petersen.
“That made a real difference.”
A digital foundation for growth and export
Beyond improving daily operations, the platform is designed to support Milcotec’s international ambitions. Dealers in markets such as Germany and the Netherlands will be able to integrate the webshop directly into their own systems.
At the same time, more customers will be guided digitally, reducing the need for manual support while improving accessibility.
“This isn’t just about efficiency,” says Dmitrijs Dementjevs.
“It’s about building a scalable foundation for growth.”
Investing ahead of demand
Developing the platform is resource-intensive. In addition to the technical build, Milcotec is producing extensive content: product descriptions, installation guides and instructional videos that help customers understand and use their equipment correctly.
The technical development is carried out in cooperation with an external software partner, while strategy, structure and content remain firmly in-house.
For Gerth Petersen, the investment is non-negotiable.
“If we want to be relevant in five years, we can’t wait until everyone else has already moved,” he says.
“We need to stay one step ahead.”
Looking for a partner that invests in digital solutions built around real customer needs?
Contact Milcotec to learn how our technology, service and expertise support your daily operations.
🚜 Machines
Gerth Petersen – 📱 +45 20258260 – ✉️ gerth@milcotec.com
🔧 Spare parts
Anne Lang Krogh – 📱 +45 23354095 – ✉️ anne@milcotec.com
