Bühler’s reported Mar. 20 that its new Grain Innovation Center (GIC) is nearing completion in Uzwil, Switzerland. This new, 2,000-square-meter facility will replace the former Grain Technology Center (GTC) that served the milling industry since 1951, but needed modernization to keep up with market demands.
The facility is being rebuilt to help users navigate evolving market dynamics in grain processing and develop future foods. In the multi-purpose center, users in the food and animal feed sectors can conduct trials on new products, and explore new processes and solutions. They can also access Bühler’s ecosystem of applications and training centers, covering the entire protein value chain. The new GIC is scheduled to open on Oct. 28, 2024.
“We’re so excited to be nearing completion of this important new facility, which brings together Bühler’s rich history in milling with cutting-edge technology,” says Christian Geser, project director for grains and food at Bühler Group. By integrating the GIC with Bühler’s network of application and training centers in Uzwil, customers benefit from an ideal setup that enables them to turn challenges into opportunities.”
Construction on the project started in August 2022 with removing all the old GTC’s equipment. Construction of the five-story GIC started in February 2023, and was completed in 12 months. Now, in March 2024, installation of all equipment and systems has started. Some of the previous equipment was refurbished for reuse in the new GIC. Remanufacturing machines offers not only economic but also environmental benefits, such as resource efficiency by reusing components and waste reduction. Some of the machines were sold to customers, and only a minor portion was discarded and recycled.
The modernization project also includes Bühler’s Milling Academy and the Swiss Institute of Feed Technology (SFT), both of which will be housed in a new structure strategically located next to the GIC to increase synergies. Spanning 1,600 square meters, this new training facility for the Milling Academy and the SFT will have classrooms, an open learning area, meeting rooms, a customer service corner, new laboratories, a workshop area, and a larger changing room for customers and employees. This new building will enable Bühler’s team and customers to adapt and develop the skills needed to keep pace with a quickly changing and increasingly challenging work environment.
About 800 customers and 150 internal employees were trained in more than 120 training courses offered by the Milling Academy and SFT in 2023. The building is slated to be operational by January 2025.
