Makat Candy Technology feiert 2019 seinen 90. Geburtstag und steht im Jubiläumsjahr besser da denn je. Neben der starken Marktposition überzeugt die Tochterfirma von Bosch Packaging Technology mit Innovationskraft und einem ausgezeichneten Service.
By Alfons Strohmaier
One quickly reaches one‘s limits when attempting to get a grasp of Makat Candy Technology GmbH, headquartered in Dierdorf-Wienau/Germany. The description on the corresponding website from Bosch Packaging Technology (BPT) simply states: “Since 1929, Makat has been building highly specialized machinery for the confectionery industry. Right from the beginning, Makat developed so-called mogul plants. Very quickly, the name Makat achieved an excellent reputation for high-performance and quality machines.”
In 2002, Bosch took over the company from its former owner, Fred Schäfer. To this day, Makat Candy Technology has remained an independent business unit within the group and is at the same time firmly integrated into the Bosch Packaging Technology system of affiliates. Together with the Viersen location, which manufactures Hansella kitchens for mass production in addition to other product lines, Makat forms the division “Process Lines for Confectionery”. Uwe Jansen, who has guided the company as its Managing Director since 2015, explains: “We combine the best of both worlds, with the flexibility of a mid-sized company and the opportunities offered by a global corporation.” For example, Makat can draw on BPT‘s expertise in the pharmaceutical sector and can also offer complete systems from the kitchen to packaging.
In this conglomerate, Makat, as a mogul system manufacturer with a long tradition, has developed in recent years into one of the world‘s leading special machinery builders for the production of fruit gums, jellies and sugar confectionery products. Today, Makat systems can be found on every continent, with the company already supplying its machines to more than 50 countries. According to Mr Jansen, recently demand has particularly increased in emerging markets. Makat‘s clientele ranges from global players to small family-operated companies in niche markets.
The basic success factor is the constant renewal and adaptation of the strategy to the realities of the times. Jansen puts it in a nutshell: ”Today, we are no longer pure machine builders, we are a company that offers its customers a comprehensive package of services in addition to system solutions.“ The focus is always on the question: "How can we help the customer more?” This is evident in the Application and Technology Centre at the site, which was established in 2013 and has since become the contact point for customers from all over the world, both from confectionery production itself and from its suppliers. Under the leadership of Patrick Knoll, the team can comprehend and replicate all production steps for both starch-based and powderless depositing on a laboratory scale – from the raw materials to the finished confectionery product. "Whether product development and test runs on small systems, experiments with new raw materials or detailed analyses – the broad range of products and our know-how are used and appreciated by numerous customers,” reports Product Manager Dr Sandra Link, who works closely with the Application and Technology Centre.
In 1929, Werner Makat joined forces with Paul Rostock near the German city of Dresden and made his vision a reality with the construction of his first mogul system – at that time still made of wood. Since then, numerous pioneering achievements and consistent modernization have accompanied the eventful history of the traditional company. Following World War II, Makat re-started in the city of Viersen in 1950. Fred Schäfer bought the company in 1976 and relocated the production to his company’s headquarters in Wienau. This resulted in the creation of a broad range of machines and services, including starch conditioning systems along with machinery for finishing work.
To maintain this success, Makat has invested in new buildings for production and administration, most recently on a large scale in 2015. Today, an area of 10,000 m2 is available here, employing around 100 people.
Important milestones in the company‘s history are the market launch of the high-speed mogul HLM35 with an innovative depositing process in 1981 and the world premiere of the the first Jumbo Mogul in 1990 with a working width of 1,200 mm and thus 50 % more output. A year later, the Center-in-Shell depositing head (CiS) was introduced. ”Numerous innovative and pioneering industry formats such as two and three-layer products, colour gradients, starlight or jellies with a filling centre were only possible because of our developers and technicians”, emphasizes Mr Jansen. “Makat has always been on the cutting edge with its developments”.
Important milestones were the HLM35 RS and HLM35 RS Jumbo systems, together with machinery for controlled powdering (PMU), Makat HC 530/1060 lines for the production of hard candies, and powderless depositing with Silicone Rubber Mould (SRM) for the production of toffees, fondants and – most recently – of gelatine products. Thanks to intelligent servo technology, PMU can also precisely powder out and position the products on strips for subsequent coating. Drum systems in hygienic design for oiling and sugaring the sweet articles as well as starch conditioning systems complement the equipment that covers the entire production process for fruit gums and confectionery. The systems, which can be supplied in stainless steel or painted versions on request, offer great flexibility and efficiency.
The continuous optimization of the technology is one of Makat’s success factors. For example, movable depositing heads have been developed which enable format changes or cleaning during ongoing production. In addition, there are continuous detail improvements and further developments such as the Rotation Nozzle Cleaning System (RNC) for precise cleaning of the powder box edge using a special compressed air process. As a cooperation partner with suppliers from other sectors, Makat is also demonstrating new possibilities, most recently with the depositing of chewing gum.
The latest innovation, presented at ProSweets 2018, was the expansion of starchless depositing for the production of gelatine articles. The products are finished in just 20 min. Mr Jansen stresses that this by no means signals that mogul systems are now obsolete: “SRM is more of an evolution than a revolution. We use familiar components which we further develop accordingly.” With both technologies, Makat offers even more opportunities in this process, above all for enriched articles in the OTC segment, as well as for trendy niche articles from large companies or innovative new developments from smaller firms. Accordingly, Makat can also advise manufacturers on the growing trend towards Healthy Foods. Accordingly, the company experienced an enormous response at Vitafoods in Geneva, a trade fair for food supplements.
Makat has always supported its cus-tomers with comprehensive services. This commitment has been further strengthened. "We have developed the mindset of our employees towards genuine customer orientation. This now benefits us. After the successes of previous years, we are still on course for expansion," Jansen is pleased to report. And this is precisely the challenge that drives the Makat team to deliver further top performances.
