Based on decades of expertise from Bornholm, Borncut A/S has in just ten years developed into an international industrial company with customers all over the world. Along the way, the employee base has grown significantly, a Dutch investor has joined the company, and a recent acquisition has created room for even greater ambitions. But even though more than 95 percent of sales go abroad, there is one thing that hasn’t changed: Bornholm remains at the core of the company’s identity.
When Borncut recently celebrated its 10th anniversary at the Strandhotel on Nordbornholm, there was good reason to look back with pride. Owners, management, employees, and partners were gathered to mark the company’s remarkable development, and the employees who have been with the company since the very beginning were celebrated. But the anniversary was also about the future. Here, investor and owner Ingmar Baars could unveil that Borncut had just landed its biggest order to date. A milestone that underscores the company’s international ambitions.
But what exactly does Borncut do? And how has a company from Bornholm managed to establish itself in an international market where competitors include some of the world's largest manufacturers of equipment for the food industry?
A special Bornholm competence
To understand Borncut’s history, we actually have to go back further than the ten years the company can now celebrate. Already in the 1980s, technology for the food industry was developed at the Bornholm-based machine factory NORFO. In 1992, some of the people who would later found Borncut were involved in developing the first portion-cutting machine. Over the years, the technology was further developed under different owners, first by Scanvaegt and then by the international food technology company Marel.
When Marel decided in 2015 to close its operations on Bornholm and move them to Aarhus, the island was about to lose a specialized industrial activity and decades of accumulated knowledge. But some of the people who had been involved in developing the technology still wanted to keep the expertise on Bornholm.
In March 2016, Borncut was founded with the ambition to develop a new generation of portion slicing machines and to continue the Bornholmian expertise. Already in December of the same year, the first prototype was ready, and in March 2017 the first machines were launched on the market. Thus, the foundation was laid for a new Bornholm-based industrial company.
It’s not just about branding. It’s also about a conscious decision to continue developing and producing the machines in Bornholm.
Machines that cut with millimeter precision
Borncut specializes in portion cutting machines for the food industry, where precision, speed, and operational reliability are crucial. Because when thousands of portions are produced every hour, even small deviations in weight can mean significant losses in raw materials and money.
According to Jens Palle Laursen, who is responsible for production planning at Borncut, the ease of use and reliability of the machines are precisely part of the explanation for the company’s success.
– We have a machine that is relatively easy to operate and maintain. It is fast, reliable and customer-friendly. That means a lot to the customers, because when you have a large food production facility, things just have to work.
And although Borncut competes with far larger companies, its specialized approach has proven to be a strength.
Increased sales and more employees
In the early years, Borncut developed gradually, but in recent years the growth has really picked up. Before the ownership change in 2024, there were about nine employees in the company. Today, there are just under 30 at Borncut and about 40 when the other associated activities are taken into account.
The sales story also tells the story of a rapidly growing company. When Jens Palle Laursen joined Borncut in December 2024, the annual sales were around 24-25 machines. Last year the company reached 86 sold machines, and in 2026 the figure is expected to reach around 130-140. In addition, this year the company was able to celebrate the sale of machine number 300.
A Dutch owner with a heart for Bornholm
A crucial turning point came in the summer of 2024, when Dutch company IB Food-Machines, led by Ingmar Baars, took over the majority of the shares in Borncut. The two companies had already collaborated for several years, and Ingmar Baars had played a significant role in bringing Borncut’s products to international markets. With the ownership change, Borncut gained a stronger international sales organization and the opportunity to accelerate its development further.
But when a foreign investor takes over the majority in a Bornholm-based industrial company, it can also raise questions about the future. Would production eventually be moved closer to the major markets? And what role should Bornholm play in the new ownership structure?
For the former owners, finding a buyer who not only saw the potential in the products but also understood the value of the company’s employees and culture was crucial. This was emphasized by co-founder Gorm Sørensen during the ownership change in 2024. Although there had been several interested buyers over the years, the choice fell on Ingmar Baars and his team because they understood both the technology and the people behind it.
The development since the ownership change shows that international ownership and local roots can perfectly go hand in hand. Bornholm remains an essential part of Borncut’s identity, and the ambition is not only to sell more machines internationally, but also to develop the production and jobs on the island. When the company participates in trade shows around the world, Bornholm is included in the story of the products, and the local connection is expressed, among other things, through Bornholm specialties at the exhibition stands.
“It’s not just about branding. It’s also about a conscious choice to continue developing and producing the machines in Bornholm,” says Jens Palle.
And the company has now emphasized this choice with one of its largest investments to date.
Photo: Borncut A/S
An acquisition that changes the possibilities
In the summer of 2026, Borncut announced that it had entered into an agreement to acquire Baltic Steelwork ApS. The Bornholm-based metal company had been an important supplier of stainless steel components for Borncut’s machines for several years. With the acquisition, a much larger part of the production is now being consolidated within the same company. The agreement covers both employees, machinery, and 2,400 square meters of modern production facilities. It also solves one of the challenges that have long limited Borncut’s growth: the lack of space.
– It has actually been one of the most difficult things for us. Finding the right facilities to keep up with the development. We have been in dialogue with several different parties and investigated the possibilities of expanding. With Baltic Steelwork, we have solved that challenge, says Jens Palle.
With the acquisition, Borncut is bringing together several production lines on Bornholm. This provides greater flexibility, a shorter route between development and production, and better opportunities to keep up with the increasing demand. At the same time, it places new demands on competencies, processes, and workflows.
– We will be producing far more from scratch than we have done before. This gives us great flexibility, but there is also a lot we have to learn. It is a big task to get everything to work together, explains Jens Palle.
The goal is that the various activities will be organized and in place by the turn of the year.
Bornholm expertise in the global market
Today, more than 95 percent of Borncut’s sales come from exports. The machines find their way to customers in countries such as Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, China, the USA and a long list of European countries. Yet, Bornholm remains an important starting point. Jens Palle highlights the professional pride he has encountered among the employees from Bornholm in particular.
– There is a special approach to the craftsmanship here. People are proud of what they do, and the quality has to be impeccable. They can also be a bit stubborn, but in a good way. I actually noticed that from the very first day.
However, local affiliation does not mean that it is always easy to run a high-tech industrial business on an island. It can be difficult to find employees with specific specializations, such as in mechanical design and development. Therefore, it is crucial for Borncut to both retain existing expertise and attract new talent if the company is to continue its development.
The next ten years
After ten years of development, internationalization and significant growth, one might imagine that the ambition was to become as big as possible. But that’s not necessarily how Borncut sees the future.
– We have no goal of becoming a huge company. We want to do a good job, be close to our customers and be able to keep up with the market. And of course, we must continue to deliver the exceptional quality for which we are known, says Jens Palle.
However, this does not mean that the ambitions are small. The goal is ultimately to be able to produce up to 250 machines per year. At the same time, the company is working on expanding its product range from individual machines to complete production lines. This opens up opportunities to serve larger customers and take responsibility for more parts of their production processes.
At the anniversary celebration at the Strand Hotel, it was precisely the combination of past and future that filled the room. The pride the employees have created over the first ten years, and the ambitions for what is yet to come.
Ten years ago, Bornholm was on the verge of losing a special industrial competence. Instead, it was the beginning of Borncut. Today, the company’s technology is sold worldwide, the staff is growing, and new investments strengthen production on the island. The story of Borncut shows what can happen when local expertise, an international outlook, and the willingness to invest go hand in hand.
AF LINA HILDING
Precision in every portion
Borncut develops and produces advanced portion cutting machines for the food industry.
The machines are used to cut fish, chicken and meat into uniform portions with great precision and high speed.
Using cameras, software and advanced cutting technology, the machines analyze the raw materials and calculate how best to cut them into the desired size and weight.
This could be salmon portions for supermarkets’ refrigerated shelves, chicken pieces for ready meals, or steaks of a certain weight.
The machines can perform several thousand cuts per minute. The high precision helps reduce waste and ensures more efficient production.