GERMANY – After two years of construction, food machinery manufacturer MULTIVAC has officially inaugurated its new Center of Excellence for slicing technology in Buchenau, Dautphetal.
The facility, built at a cost of approximately 15 million euros(US$16.5M), was unveiled in a ceremony attended by Bernd Höpner, the company’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Dr. Tobias Richter, Chief Sales Officer (CSO), and Jochen Ertl, Senior Director of Slicing and the Buchenau site.
Since 2017, MULTIVAC has been developing slicing equipment at the Buchenau site, which has seen rapid expansion due to growing demand in the company’s Slicing Business Unit.
The new complex spans around 4,700 square meters and includes a Customer and Application Center, alongside production and storage areas.
This facility now serves as the second Application Center for the company, supplementing the one at MULTIVAC’s headquarters in Wolfertschwenden.
The Buchenau center is designed to offer enhanced opportunities for product testing and demonstrations.
Sustainability is a key focus of the new facility, which integrates a variety of environmentally friendly technologies.
The building’s heating system combines air-heat exchangers with a photovoltaic system, supported by waste heat from air compressors, eliminating the need for fossil fuels.
MULTIVAC, recognized as a major player in the food machinery sector, provides packaging and slicing solutions for a variety of products, including fresh meat, poultry, cheese, alternative proteins, and snacks.
The company has long been associated with innovative packaging that preserves the quality and appearance of food products, offering extended shelf life and enhanced protection.
The new facility at Buchenau is expected to further strengthen MULTIVAC’s capabilities in the industry.
The company plans to strengthen its presence in Germany’s existing meat processing sector, which has seen fluctuations.
In 2022, meat production in Germany experienced a significant drop.
According to provisional data from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), commercial slaughterhouses produced 7.0 million tonnes of meat, marking a decrease of 8.1% or 0.6 million tonnes compared to the previous year.
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