Bühler, the global leader of grain and pulses processing technologies, once again showed its expertise in technology with “Bühler Networking Days 2016” which was held from 22 to 24 August 2016. Leading the future of grain processing industry, Bühler introduced more than 30 innovations to the participants during the event.
“Bühler Networking Days 2016” which was held by Bühler in Uzwil, Switzerland from 22 to 24 August 2016 was a magnificent technology show for the participants. More than 30 innovations were introduced to the participants during the event, which attracted intensive attention.
The Bühler Group CTO Ian Roberts, The Bühler Group CEO Stephan Scheiber and CEO Grains & Food at Bühler Johannes Wick presented opening speeches during the event where nutrition, food and feed safety, sustainability and internet of things (IoT) were highlighted.
Referring to the key question of how to feed nine billion people healthily and sustainably, The Bühler Group CTO Ian Roberts said: “So if you ask me if we can feed nine billion people sustainably by 2050, the answer is an unequivocal, yes! Of course we can. We cannot do it without a highlyefficient grain value chain and I cannot tell you what that grain value chain looks like. That is the challenge we face. It is clear we will have new technologies, it is clear we need new business models to drive disruption, it is clear that we need transparency across the value chain and it is certain that we will need a massive degree of collaboration to make it happen.”
INNOVATION GENERATOR: BÜHLER NETWORKING DAYS
Bühler showcased more than 30 innovations at the Bühler Networking Days, leveraging megatrends that are transforming the grain-processing industry: nutrition, food and feed safety, sustainability, and the Internet of Things (IoT). With every generation of solutions, Bühler aims at reducing the use of energy, water, and other resources by 30%. “We are teaming up with customers and partners to find ways of seizing emerging opportunities,” says Johannes Wick, CEO Grains & Food at Bühler. “The impact of IoT, to mention one important driver, is mind-blowing. Our solutions become smarter with every new generation, as we include more and more sensors that allow different devices to connect and exchange information. For our customers, this translates into higher quality and increased output at a lower operating cost.”
INNOVATIONS FOR A BETTER WORLD
Leveraging the tailwind of the megatrends of nutrition, food and feed safety, sustainability, and IoT, Bühler launched a number of important innovations to the market and is making good progress in utilizing the power of IoT. For instance, the new performance-boosting operator interface for plant control WinCos offers web-based functionalities, access from anywhere and on any device, improved user experience, customizability, and configurable reporting. First customers are convinced of the advantages: “With WinCos PocketPlant I know the status of all my process lines in the plant. It enables a fast and structured handling of problems and minimizes downtime,” says David Kamau, CEO at Proctor&Allan (EA) Ltd, Kenya.
This world of digitalization, experimentation, and accelerated innovation asks for a combination of traditional knowledge and the dynamism of the new economy. In order to foster innovation and entrepreneurship, Bühler has become a founding partner of the MassChallenge innovation accelerator. Three of seventy start-ups that are currently being trained and supported under the initiative were also present at Bühler Networking Days. The company has also stepped up its research and development partnership with third-parties. In that context, the process technology group signed an agreement with Bosch to expand their existing research and development partnership on August 22, 2016. The two companies have already successfully cooperated in a two-year research project to integrate Bosch MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical systems) sensors into Bühler food processing technology.
“We are excited to continue and extend our partnership with Bühler, a major industry specialist and leading company in the field of food-processing technologies,” said Thorsten Müller, CEO of Bosch Connected Devices and Solutions. First applications for customers in the grainmilling industry have been piloted. Further developments in all areas of rotating equipment are expected for 2017.
HIGHLIGHT EVENT FOR THE ENTIRE INDUSTRY
Around 750 leaders from industry and science took part in the Bühler Networking Days. During the three-day event, top speakers from both the industry and science fields were engaging with renowned Bühler experts and other participants – with the key question of how to feed nine billion people healthily and sustainably. The event focused on four transformative drivers that had a significant impact on the industry: nutrition, food and feed safety, sustainability, and IoT.
SOME IMPRESSIVE INNOVATIONS OF BÜHLER
Every year, Bühler invests 5% of its turnover in research and development. The company featured over 30 innovations at the Bühler Networking Days. Key innovations included:
• CombiMill process with increased flexibility: The new CombiMill process allows whole-wheat flour for flatbreads, dark and standard flours to be produced using the same milling system. Customers benefit from increased flexibility in production.
• New generation of high-precision scale Tubex: This high-precision scale reduces energy costs by over 90%, maximizes food safety, and features a user-friendly control.
• Energy-efficient pasta drying with Ecothermatic: The latest model of the one-of-its-kind pasta drying solution features energy savings of up to 40% and an increased capacity of 5,500 kilograms per hour.
• Novablue with increased food safety: The new, innovative sieve cleaner is easy to detect, both visually and through metal detectors, which is a critical food safety feature.