Elb-Milch relies on safe filling technology from KHS

 
Dortmund, March 24, 2015 – With a production volume of 100,000 metric tons a year, Milchwerke Mittelelbe GmbH (or Elb-Milch for short), part of the successful Krüger Group, is one of the leading suppliers of milk and mixed milk beverages and powdered milk in Germany. Based in Stendal in the German federal state of Saxony-Anhalt, over the past few years the company has primarily established itself in the growth segment of milk and mixed milk beverages. Its range of products, which chiefly comprises generic brands for national discounters, demands great flexibility as regards diversity and packaging sizes and has to be aseptically filled without compromise.  For over a decade now Elb-Milch has thus relied on the KHS Innosept ABF 710 linear aseptic filling system.

Uwe Bedau, managing director of Milchwerke Mittelelbe, states, "This system in particular gives us the best protection for our sensitive milk products and packs them in top quality with the utmost efficiency. We can also flexibly fill our products into HDPE and PET bottles holding between 0.25 and 0.75 liters." 

With the help of this linear system from KHS Elb-Milch can process around 80,000 liters of milk per day to create a number of different products. The company is especially convinced by the high line availability of over 90% and the technical very low-maintenance concept of the filling machine. Based on the good experience they have had, Elb-Milch has now invested in two more identical, second-hand fillers which are currently being overhauled by KHS before being put into operation. The milk producer from Germany's northeast is thus again relying on the professional expert advice provided by the systems supplier from Dortmund, which also includes a full used machine consultancy program.  

The Innosept Asbofill 710 already in operation and the revamped Series 710 machines all have the same tried-and-tested filling technology. Says Bedau, "Firstly, the filler's aseptic zone, which is comparatively very small, gives us a contamination-free filling process with its non-contact, free-flow filling system. Secondly, the dry aseptic process helps us to save valuable water resources during production. Our company also uses a combined heat and power plant which has been specially designed to our specifications, with which we save about 19,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions a year."

Sustainability has always played a big role at Elb-Milch and is part of a very special philosophy. Bedau explains. "[Sustainability] means much more to us than just saving a bit of energy or water here and there. Our actions as a company should instead help to yield the best possible result for both man and the environment with the optimum use of resources."

This is just one of the reasons why Elb-Milch decided to further invest in two used, high-quality KHS machines. Previous experience with KHS' service concept triggered the decision to procure the two additional linear fillers. With this acquisition Elb-Milch can now access a full range of services which will generate further synergies for the company regarding costs for both maintenance and spare parts.
 
  
About Milchwerke Mittelelbe GmbH
Founded in 1949, Milchwerke Mittelelbe GmbH became part of the successful Krüger Group with over 4,700 employees in 1991. Its range of products includes own brands and private labels, semi-finished milk products in powder form and brand-name goods for reputed international discounters, all of which are packaged into different containers, packs and types of packaging. 

 
About KHS
KHS GmbH is one of the leading manufacturers of filling and packaging systems for the beverage, food and non-food industries. Headquartered in Dortmund, Germany, the company has an international production network with over 4,500 employees worldwide. In 2014 KHS was presented with the Innovation through Research seal. With this the Stifterverband, a nationwide German patron of education and science, honors companies' outstanding commitment to research and development and their particular responsibility to state and society.

KHS GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of Salzgitter AG. With around 25,000 employees throughout the globe the German steel and technology group achieved a turnover of over €9 billion in the 2014 business year. Within the Salzgitter Group the KHS Group and two other special machine manufacturers make up the Technology Division and are part of the core business of the MDAX-listed corporation.