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The site in Germany processes local pulses into high-quality food and feed ingredients Beneo, a leading manufacturer of functional ingredients for food, feed and pharma and member of the Südzucker Group, has officially inaugurated its first pulse-processing plant after a construction period of just one and a half years. The opening is the result of an investment of around €50 million by the Südzucker Group in its site in Obrigheim, Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. Here, pulses such as the local faba bean are processed into ingredients for food and feed production. To mark the occasion, on 11th April, a special inauguration ceremony was attended by Daniela Schmitt (Minister of Economic Affairs of Rhineland-Palatinate), Johannes Steiniger (Member of the German Bundestag), Nicole Eicher (Mayor of Obrigheim), Dr Niels Pörksen (CEO of the Südzucker Group), Olivier Roques (CEO of Beneo GmbH), Niels E. Hower (Member of the Executive Board of Beneo GmbH) and Dirk Dinger (Chairman of the Works Council of the Obrigheim plant).

Up to 25 new jobs will be created at the new plant, which has been built next to the existing Beneo site where its sugar replacer Isomalt and the smart carbohydrate PalatinoseTM (isomaltulose) are produced, on an area of around 4,000 m² – about half the size of a football pitch. Sustainability has been a key focus for the new development, with the plant production running entirely on electricity from renewable energy sources. Additional power is generated by a rooftop photovoltaic system and waste heat from production is used to heat the building, while the pulse processing requires no water.

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The company announces the launch of PA12 Blue food grade, an innovative plastic material designed to meet the requirements of industrial environments where hygiene, traceability, and safety are priorities. Designed for critical applications, this high-performance polyamide combines robustness, reliability, and compliance with European food safety standards, particularly Regulation EC 1935/2004 and EC Directive No 2023/2006.

PA12 Blue stands out for its bright colour, chosen to facilitate the rapid identification of any residual fragments during quality controls. This choice of colour serves a purpose: the colour blue, rarely present in natural foods, makes it easy to spot any accidental contamination, thereby reducing risks for the food production chain. This material helps strengthen product safety while simplifying quality control processes. Manufactured using selective laser sintering (SLS) technology, PA12 Blue is characterised by excellent mechanical performance. It offers increased resistance to wear and tear, shocks, and thermal stresses, as well as having high dimensional stability. Its compatibility with intensive cleaning environments, particularly due to its resistance to chemical agents, makes it a material of choice for industries subject to strict hygiene protocols.

In addition to its raw version, PA12 Blue can be improved with chemical smoothing, a process that improves surface finish by making it smoother and more watertight. This characteristic is particularly necessary in environments where cleanliness and ease of cleaning are major concerns, such as in the food, pharmaceutical, and medical industries.

By offering materials capable of combining technical performance and regulatory compliance, Sculpteo supports companies in optimising their production processes while adhering to high standards of quality, health and safety.

This new material enables the design of custom parts that meet the requirements of the most stringent environments in terms of quality and regulatory compliance. This aligns with Sculpteo’s global approach aimed at anticipating the evolving needs of industries, particularly in terms of health and safety and material performance. With the launch of PA12 Blue, Sculpteo reinforces its position as an innovative leader in additive manufacturing, offering solutions adapted to the challenges of tomorrow.

This means that the company is among the top 5% of the companies audited by EcoVadis in the last 12 months; previously Herma was among the top 12%. Following two silver medals in previous years, Herma was able to achieve a gold medal for the first time in the EcoVadis sustainability audit. The company, which specialises in packaging and product labelling with its headquarters located in Filderstadt, has therefore made it into the top 5% of the companies audited by EcoVadis in the last 12 months. EcoVadis is one of the world's leading providers of sustainability audits. Around 150,000 companies across 185 countries have now undergone an audit there. "The gold medal underlines that our ongoing commitment to sustainability is having an impact," says Marcus Gablowski, Chief Sustainability Officer at Herma. "We believe it is important and necessary to uphold the indisputable value of sustainable business especially in times of global crises and uncertainties.

This is the only way to ensure the long-term stability of companies and general prosperity", adds managing director Dr. Guido Spachtholz. Elise Keuler, Marcus Gablowski's colleague in the sustainability team, continues: "This is a great success, which we are particularly pleased about, but for which we have worked really hard – we are pleased to see our efforts recognized in this way. We know that positive EcoVadis ratings continue to be highly valued by our customers. This also shows us that sustainable action is still recognised and acknowledged."

Gerhard Schubert GmbH has designed and, in 2025, significantly expanded its proprietary CARE monitoring solution – short for ‘Connection for Analytics, Reporting and Efficiency’. The upgraded platform enables the standard-compliant calculation of key OEE figures for packaging machines, leaner processes thanks to decentralised data management as well as customised presentation of content. Since 2025, new Schubert machines are equipped with an interface to the new CARE system as a standard feature – and the company is gradually adapting its existing machines. Since 2022, CARE has been an integral part of the packaging machine manufacturer’s digital service portfolio. The online machine platform offers users full transparency regarding their lines’ performance. CARE obtains information on production speed, uptime, rejects and throughput, for example, via interfaces to the machines, including quality control scanners. The CARE control system also provides key performance data – a key Schubert feature that significantly enhances data granularity. The system summarises this data concisely in a dashboard. Customers can view all the values via a web portal – and will receive even more precise insights in the future. “Transparency, user-friendliness and lean processes are at the forefront of digital solutions – and with them, ongoing adjustments,” explains Sonja Burkert, Lifecycle Product Manager at Schubert. “We have continuously evolved CARE in close collaboration with users so that customers can access the transparency they need regarding their OEE – in a way that is even more standardised, faster and more customised.”

The continuation of the strategy requires organizational structure development The Handtmann Filling and Portioning Systems division, part of the diversified Handtmann Group headquartered in Biberach, Upper Swabia, is advancing its ambitious positioning as a values-based global market leader in comprehensive production solutions. In this context, the division has been renamed from Handtmann Filling and Portioning Systems to Handtmann Processing. The new name reflects both the current actions and the vision of the division. With the motto "Leading in Processing," the focus on sustainable comprehensive solutions is emphasized, while the slogan "Connecting Orange" emphasizes global, collaborative, and synergistic partnerships in the market. As part of this initiative, the leadership structure was reorganized effective March 1st. The executive management, comprised of CEO/CSO Harald Suchanka and CTO/COO Dr Mark Betzold, will now be supported by a management team with four Vice Presidents. Martin Staudenrausch is responsible for Global Technology, while Romina Müller, as Vice President of Global Sales & Marketing, oversees international market operations. The team is completed by Stefan Rampf, who handles Global Finance & Controlling, and Ralf Jedrysiak, who is in charge of Global Supply Chain Management. The global production facilities will continue to be led by Dr Mark Betzold.

At Vitafoods in Barcelona and PLMA in Amsterdam, the new ‘Better Snacking’ range will take center stage at SternLife. The high protein bars offer a special flavour experience and at the same time indulge without remorse. SternLife will also be presenting light, refreshing alternatives to creamy protein shakes. Visitors to Vitafoods at stand 3G122 and PLMA at stand 1.A39 can experience these special moments of indulgence for themselves. In Germany alone, the market for protein and energy bars grew by 19% last year. According to experts, this positive trend is set to continue. SternLife is providing an impetus for this with its new ‘Better Snacking’ range. The high protein bars are based on classic confectionery and therefore emphasize indulgence. This clearly distinguishes them from conventional protein bars. ‘The bars appeal to a broader target group with their extraordinary flavour experiences,’ says Hans-Christian Seidel, Business Development Manager. ‘In addition to athletes, it is primarily lifestyle customers who like to indulge in sweet snacks without feeling guilty.’ With its reduced sugar and high protein content, the new range of bars fulfils one of the current top trends in the snack market: indulgence without remorse. This makes it the door opener for new mainstream customers. Manufacturers of sports nutrition can benefit from this, as can lifestyle brands, classic confectionery ranges and retailers' own brands. Customization to the respective brand profile is possible without any problems. The ‘Better Snacking’ range includes the CHOC Core bar with 25 per cent protein content. With its crunchy bite thanks to the solid protein chocolate core, the bar is uniquely positioned in the market and a successful example of the Top Ten Trend 2025 from Innova Market Insights: Tradition reinterpreted. Full of marzipan indulgence without added sugar, but with a creamy nougat filling: with the Marzipan Nougat FUSION bar, SternLife presents a traditional combination from the confectionery segment as a nutrition bar with 20% protein. The PURE Hazelnut Choco Bar with 20% protein also promises pure indulgence. The clean label product also impresses with its short list of ingredients. Sprinkled with large, crunchy peanut halves in combination with a fine caramel cream, the Deluxe BIG Peanut bar has a particularly high protein content of 35%.

The company is expanding its presence with the strategic acquisition of Premier Juices, strengthening its offerings in natural fruit-based products and solutions. This move further enhances Döhler’s ability to support its growing customer base across the beverage, food, and life science & nutrition industries with a broader portfolio of products and services. It also reinforces Döhler’s position as the leading science-based and technology-driven natural ingredients platform shaping the future of nutrition and longevity. Döhler North America’s portfolio includes natural flavors, colors, and health ingredients, along with a wide range of plant-based products, ingredient systems, and end-to-end solutions. Premier Juices’ expertise and portfolio of fruit products - including lemon, lime, mango, passion fruit, pineapple, guava, cranberry, grapefruit, apple and more, enhance Döhler’s established leadership in the market and the ability to deliver a broader and more comprehensive offering. By integrating Premier Juices’ blending, packaging and quality control solutions, Döhler North America expands its capabilities with tailored formats for the food, beverage and life science & nutrition industries, as well as foodservice and private label businesses. With access to an enriched product portfolio, enhanced warehousing, and superior technical support, customers now have greater opportunities to develop successful products and unlock new market potential. A Strategic Step in U.S. Market Expansion This acquisition further solidifies the market presence of Döhler North America by adding strategic operations in Delaware – a key logistics hub improving supply chain efficiency. With optimized distribution networks, Döhler North America is positioned to provide even greater service reliability and flexibility to customers across the region. With this expansion, Döhler North America reaffirms its commitment to developing and delivering natural products and integrated solutions that meet customer needs and evolve with consumer preferences.