Bühler and Haas Launch New Twin-screw Extruder

At iba 2018, Bühler and Haas are launching ContiMix, a continuous twin-screw extruder, which combines the mixing and the kneading process, making dough handling easier and more cost-effective.

This novel extruder is ideal for the production of consistent laminated doughs for products such as puff pastry sheets, as well as for flat or shaped products. Various configuration options allow customers to rapidly make recipe-based adjustments to the desired dough specifications. Bakery products produced with ContiMix have a volume of up to 2,400 kilograms of dough and a more intensive taste. Furthermore, the continuous process makes it possible to eliminate any additional standing time for the dough and the associated dough handling, thus reducing the workflow for customers. Thanks to a greater dough yield of up to 9%, increased plasticity, and the elimination of additional process steps, the ContiMix allows direct savings. Bühler is further extending its solution portfolio for industrial bakeries with the JetMix hydration module. It is a solution for producing hydrated doughs based on wheat or rye flours. As a result, the mixing and kneading time can be reduced by up to 50%, translating into worktime and energy savings. Depending on the recipe, the module achieves capacities of up to 8 tones per hour.

“We have recognized the potential of ContiMix, and have learned that we can make products of higher quality,” says Roberto Strabello, operations manager at Forno d’Asolo, the first customer to buy the new extruder. This producer of premium viennoiserie based in the Northern Italian region of Veneto makes its top-notch product – croissants – on the ContiMix product line with success.

“This novel development combines the mixing and the kneading process.  Customers profit from a more intense taste of the bakery products, higher volumes, and a better crumb texture,” says Bühler consumer foods product manager Stefan Hoh. Forno d’Asolo will start production with their second ContiMix line as early as in December 2018.

“We now offer solutions meeting all demands and requirements of our customers, be it dough production, shaping, baking, or finishing. Customers can turn their product ideas into reality with a trusted contact on the basis of our production solutions,” adds Haas CEO Germar Wacker,” says Johannes Wick, CEO of Bühler’s Grains & Food business.

Haas and Buhler Working Together

A year ago, Haas became a member of the Bühler Group. At iba, Bühler and Haas will show how they have evolved into a unique center of expertise covering integrated systems for the bakery industry.

Haas customers have now access to more than 100 local Bühler service stations, providing them with quick support. “Maximum uptime and consistently high quality is crucial for us. Together, Bühler and Haas can guarantee both,” says Thomas Gratzer, head of production and technology at Manner. By pooling research and development, Bühler and Haas can now offer even more complex, more productive one-stop solutions to their customers, covering the whole bakery process chain, the two companies say.

The Haas Group produces systems on which all types of waffles, wafers of all shapes, and cookies, cakes and other sweet and savory baked goods are produced on an industrial scale. For its part, more than 70% of all chocolate products worldwide are produced with Bühler solutions, which span the entire processing chain. And Bühler also supplies all the process stages upstream of industrial bakery goods production – from reception and safe storage of raw materials to proportioning and mixing of dry and liquid ingredients as defined by the recipe. And on to the kneading of oven-ready doughs.