Kräuter Mix launches new germ reduction facility after fire recovery
New continuous germ reduction system complements existing batch operations while adding 1,300 m² total space
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Right on schedule: Following work to rebuild a fire-damaged production hall, Kräuter Mix commissions its new facility with greater capacity and state-of-the-art equipment. In doing so, the company has firmly put the fire of July 2024 behind it as it takes this important step forward into the future.
Trial runs at the new, high-performance germ reduction facility over the past few weeks have been a success, which means it is ready to go into production starting next week. “Right on schedule,” says Kräuter Mix Plant Manager André Metz, who has been responsible for overseeing the reconstruction process. “April 1 was the original date scheduled to commission the germ reduction facility in the newly rebuilt hall.” If it had not been for the sudden onset of cold weather in late January, which set work on the hall’s exterior back somewhat, they would have actually been weeks ahead of schedule. Still, a box firmly checked!
A reenvisaged production facility
The germ reduction facility is the first to be installed in the newly rebuilt Hall 12, but the production building has been given more than just a makeover with two additional areas added. First, what had been a single-story service corridor has been extended across all floors, increasing the total production space by 300 m². In a second change, an additional story has been added above the ramp area to house central technical equipment. While the production hall is set to be commissioned imminently, construction of the adjacent, now two-story warehouse is in its final stages and should be finished in early May. In short, all these reconstruction efforts should pay off: the total area will be around 1,300 m² bigger.
More capacity in germ reduction
The new germ reduction facility is a large-scale continuous system. The plant-based raw materials are moistened with saturated steam in an autoclave and briefly heated to eliminate any naturally occurring germs – all without compromising their sensory properties or ingredients. This new, high-performance germ reduction facility will complement the existing large-scale facility as well as a batch facility for chamber-based germ reduction. It will also undergo Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) checks to ensure it meets the standards of an official GMP facility for medicinal products and is certified as such.
Moving forward: automation and more new facilities
Plans are already underway at Kräuter Mix to expand additional capacity, including a new grinding system that is already in the project planning phase. In light of demographic change and rapid developments in AI and robotics, the Abtswind-based company is already engaging with these fields in depth as part of its current expansion measures and internal workflow integration and has launched initial projects in these areas.
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