Bühler Inaugurates Grain Innovation Center
Swiss technology leader Bühler Group has inaugurated its new Grain Innovation Center (GIC) in Uzwil, Switzerland, enhancing its capabilities in grain processing and innovation for the food and animal nutrition industries. The 2,000-square-meter facility is equipped with over 70 high-tech machines, creating a collaborative environment to help customers stay ahead in a competitive market.
Replacing Bühler’s former Grain Technology Center, the GIC spans five floors and serves as a platform for developing grain and pulse processing methods. It supports Bühler’s broader strategy to address industry challenges, including maintaining quality amid fluctuating raw material supplies, boosting energy efficiency, and responding to the rising demand for sustainable products.
“The Grain Innovation Center is the latest addition to Bühler’s network of Application & Training Centers in Uzwil,” said Johannes Wick, Bühler’s CEO of Grains & Food. “Our center enables customers to tackle industry challenges with flexibility and innovation.”
The milling sector faces evolving demands due to shifting global supply chains and consumer preferences. Companies are increasingly compelled to adopt advanced technologies such as automation, IoT, and data analytics, while also addressing sustainability. Bühler’s GIC offers a comprehensive environment for testing and development, helping customers to navigate these complexities.
Central to the GIC is a high-tech “playground” for experimenting with food and feed processing. Customers can conduct trials on processes including cleaning, optical sorting, grinding, sifting, mixing, and protein shifting. Additional capabilities allow for dehulling, peeling, and processing grains, pulses, coffee, nuts, and insects.
The facility also supports feed production trials with capacities of up to 5 tonnes per hour, providing detailed data on product properties throughout production—data essential for optimizing quality and efficiency.
The GIC is part of Bühler’s innovation ecosystem, complementing centers such as the Flavor Creation Center, Food Creation Center, Protein Application Center, and Energy Recovery Center. Together, these hubs support the company’s farm-to-fork approach, providing solutions across the food, feed, and protein value chains.
To support workforce development, Bühler is also investing in a new facility for its Milling Academy and the Swiss Institute of Feed Technology (SFT), scheduled to open in early 2025. The building will house classrooms, labs, and workshops, enhancing training for Bühler’s clients and team in a dynamic market. Last year, the Milling Academy and SFT trained over 1,000 customers and 150 employees across 120 courses.
The GIC’s sustainable design is reinforced through its integration with Bühler’s Energy Recovery Center, which processes by-products like wheat bran, rice husks, and corn husk to generate energy for Bühler’s offices. This initiative highlights Bühler’s commitment to reducing waste and energy costs, offering customers a model for sustainable operations.