Bühler's Grain Innovation Center in Uzwil/Schweiz

Grain Innovation Centre: Hosokawa Alpine intensifies cooperation with Bühler

Updated on : 11/12/2024 - Machines from Augsburg in the Swiss test centre

Bühler AG opened its Grain Innovation Center (GIC) in Uzwil/Switzerland on 28 October. On 2000 square metres and five floors, customers can develop customised processes for the processing of grain, pulses & co. Also on show: the ZPS classifier mill and the ATP air classifier from Hosokawa Alpine.

The processing of natural raw materials such as grains, spices, herbs and pulses is a complex process that is strongly influenced by the different properties and quality of the raw materials. Bühler has inaugurated a new test centre, the Grain Innovation Center, so that customers can always find the optimum process. In the modernised centre, customers can use over 70 state-of-the-art machines and systems from Bühler and various partners to map the entire value chain of their processes with the starting material of their choice. Hosokawa Alpine contributed two machines to the GIC: a Zirkoplex ZPS classifier mill and a Turboplex ATP air classifier.

Protein shifting for the enrichment of plant proteins

The two machines from Hosokawa Alpine play an important role in the process of protein shifting - a mechanical process that increases the protein concentration in vegetable raw materials. Ultra-fine grinding with the ZPS and subsequent high-performance classifying of the finely ground product with the ATP cassifier produces speciality flours with a significantly higher protein content than the starting material. These are then used as the basis for vegan burger patties, lupin schnitzel and many other plant-based foods.

Hosokawa Alpine and Bühler: cooperation on many projects

The contribution to the GIC is just one of many projects that Hosokawa Alpine and Bühler have implemented together since the start of their strategic collaboration in the field of sustainable proteins in June 2021. The two partners sell joint projects to customers and regularly organise webinars together. In September 2024, Eric Emmert, Senior Sales Manager in the Food division at Hosokawa Alpine, took part in Bühler's ‘From Plant to Plate Workshop: Unveiling the Plant Protein Process’ in Uzwil and spoke about protein shifting. And other companies from the Hosokawa Micron Group are also benefiting from this cooperation: in October, Hosokawa Micron Powder Systems (USA), together with Bridge2Food and Bühler, organised a ground-breaking workshop that focused on promoting innovations in the field of plant-based and alternative proteins. Further projects are being planned.

Explore more: Bühler and Hosokawa Alpine to collaborate on sustainable proteins | Protein shifting (dry fractionation) | Bühler's Grain Innovation Center, a powerhouse for innovation, opens its doors

Image: Bühler AG