Handtmann Maschinenfabrik is a global leader in the food industry with its innovative system technology. Its modular construction product range also includes portioning machines in a variety of performance levels that can be combined with attachments for cutting, separating, forming and dosing for the manufacture of baked goods, confectionery and snacks.
By Alfons Strohmaier
At Anuga FoodTec trade fair in Cologne, Albert Handtmann Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG will present its latest concepts for the entire food products sector with the slogan, “We turn ideas into solutions”. With their wide range of sizes and customizations, these modular construction solutions provide leeway for everything from start-ups right up to fully automated, industrial high-performance production. In Cologne, the family-owned company, which focuses on long-lasting snacking and convenience trends, is set to present a range of new developments including the new VF 810 vacuum filler with the FS 521 forming system, featuring a capacity ranging from two to eight lanes. In contrast, the MSE 441 and MFE 431 forming units can be manually attached to the Handtmann vacuum filler.
Other Handtmann highlights for the fair will include the premiere of the company‘s comprehensive solution covering every process step, from filling and portioning right through to placement in the packaging, all from a single source. The manufacturer will also debut its new Handtmann Customized Solutions, offering individual customers tailor-made solutions in the spirit of Industry 4.0.
“We turn ideas into solutions” – during a visit to the Handtmann site in Biberach/Germany, one can‘t escape noticing with every step just how innovative and focused on sustainability and service this family business is. The company was founded in 1954 by Arthur Handtmann. It is led today by CEO Harald Suchanka, CTO Dr Mark Betzold and Valentin Ulrich (CFO), representing the third generation of the family running the company. Handtmann is active in some 100 countries around the world and currently has a staff of more than 1,200 employees. A hand-operated sausage filling and portioning machine Arthur Handtmann was asked to design represented the company‘s entry into the food products segment. Not long afterwards, the company‘s unique, patented vane cell feed system led to Handtmann’s assumption of an undisputed leading position in the overall food sector.
The company‘s loyal clientele has included manufacturers of baked goods, confectionery and snacks for many years. Dr Michael Betz reports that for the second-strongest segment alongside sausage and meat products, Handtmann has had its own Industries Management competence team for the last ten years. A food products technician and team leader, Dr Betz is also the company‘s contact for “New Food”. He explains: “As a supplier ourselves, we know the challenges that our customers face, and we constantly strive to provide proactive solutions. In this capacity, the transfer of know-how between the individual industries plays an important role.” He cites the example of a new kind of fruit gum, which is triple co-extruded using the Handtmann ConPro technology and manufactured in a very thin alginate shell with a liquid core.
The company‘s dough dividing and portioning machines in every performance level have long been firmly established in the baked goods segment. The industry has been persuaded for years by this equipment‘s extremely meticulous portioning precision right down to the gram using the vane cell feed system, which additionally guarantees an oil-free process. This represents a significant cost benefit, particularly in the processing of high-quality and expensive raw materials.
In combination with a variety of attachments for cutting, dividing, forming and dosing, Handtmann‘s complete systems are highly flexible. They are perfectly suited for different bread varieties like wholegrain breads, along with gluten-free baked goods, loafs, bars, cookies, triple-filled baked snacks and New Food in the form of vegan products and Ethnic Food. The innovative technology makes it possible to manufacture the greatest variety of mass consistencies, from liquid to soft, pasty masses and up to very firm masses such as marzipan and roll fondant. Along with tablets and bars in every variety including biscuit, muesli and fruit bars, Handtmann solutions are additionally used for production in the categories of fruit paste cubes, rum balls, fruit pastries, bread chips, vegetable sticks, crackers, gingerbread and confectionery. Quark balls, energy balls, nut, chestnut and very sticky date paste, collagen and fruit gum candies in an alginate shell are other products in the portfolio. ”Our systems also process chunky articles in a very gentle way,” emphasizes Dr Betz.
Handtmann has established a wide variety of dosing and forming concepts around the core of its vane cell feed technology, while recently adding numerous digital and interface-spanning concepts. The 2020 takeover of the Inotec operation in Reutlingen/Germany has now also added comprehensive expertise in emulsing, mixing, and mincing.
Handtmann‘s clientele includes start-ups, small companies and many mid-sized and large-scale industrial operations around the world. The role of baked goods and confectionery can also be seen in the company’s construction of a second technology centre explicitly for these two industries. The EU approval for the new baking technology centre fulfils the strictest food product legal requirements. Handtmann’s cutting-edge customer forum offers its clientele the opportunity to find and test out the optimum process solution for their needs. Handtmann’s wide array of available equipment including spiral mixers, VarioMix mixers, convection ovens, portioning and cutting units, fully automatic proofing machines and deck ovens ensures that ideas can be transformed into end products here.
In addition, application technology experts work on pre-oriented tests with new recipes and raw goods and then create highly expressive product samples. This is frequently the starting point for customized solutions, which are becoming increasingly important. Thanks to its modular construction products, its experience in different industries and its great flexibility, the Handtmann Maschinenfabrik team sees itself as the ideal partner for industrial companies that need customized solutions. Subsequently, 2022 sees the company focusing even more strongly on specific customer wishes in the spirit of “My idea. My solution”, with the Handtmann Customized Solutions (HCS) providing tailor-made solutions in the Handtmann quality that customers appreciate. HCS will also play an important role at the Anuga FoodTec trade fair (Hall 6.1, B010).
