Bühler inaugurates Grain Innovation Center to drive industry collaboration and technological advancements

Swiss technology group Bühler recently unveiled its new Grain Innovation Center (GIC) in Uzwil, Switzerland, marking a significant step forward in grain processing innovation. This state-of-the-art facility, designed to foster collaboration and provide cutting-edge solutions, will support customers from the food and animal nutrition sectors as they strive to stay ahead of industry trends and remain competitive in a rapidly evolving market.

The GIC, a modern successor to Bühler's former Grain Technology Center, spans 2,000 square meters over five stories and is equipped with over 70 advanced machines from Bühler and its partners. It is built to provide a platform where customers can experiment with grain and pulse processing technologies to enhance their production processes. The facility is part of Bühler’s broader strategy to empower customers to overcome key challenges in the milling industry, such as maintaining flour quality with fluctuating raw materials, improving energy efficiency, and meeting increasing consumer demand for healthier, sustainable products.

“The Grain Innovation Center is the latest addition to Bühler’s growing network of Application & Training Centers in Uzwil,” said Johannes Wick, CEO of Grains & Food at Bühler. “Our center provides customers with a wide range of choices, ensuring flexibility as they address industry challenges and find innovative solutions for their markets.”

As global grain supply chains continue to shift and consumer preferences evolve, the milling industry faces a complex set of challenges. In addition to maintaining high-quality output with varying raw materials, companies must adopt new technologies—such as automation, IoT, and data analytics—while addressing environmental concerns. Bühler’s GIC is designed to help companies navigate these issues by offering a comprehensive testing and development environment.

At the heart of the GIC’s offering is a high-tech “playground” for milling and grain processing. The center enables customers to carry out trials on food and animal feed, developing new processes in areas like cleaning, optical sorting, grinding, sifting, mixing, and protein shifting. The facility is also equipped to support trials for dehulling, peeling, and pearling grains and pulses, as well as testing for commodities like coffee, nuts, and insects.

“Our goal is to offer an unparalleled environment for customers to develop tailored processes,” said Stefan Birrer, Head of Business Area Milling Solutions at Bühler. “The GIC is more than just a facility; it’s a symbol of our commitment to helping customers succeed in an industry that is constantly evolving.”

In addition to supporting food and feed trials, the GIC includes facilities for feed production with capacities of up to 5 tonnes per hour, offering valuable data on the physical and chemical properties of products at each stage of production. This data is crucial for continuous and precise monitoring, helping companies optimize their processes for efficiency and quality.

The GIC is also part of Bühler’s broader innovation ecosystem, which includes the recently launched Flavor Creation Center, Food Creation Center, Protein Application Center, and Energy Recovery Center. Together, these centers provide full farm-to-fork coverage, allowing Bühler to offer a comprehensive set of solutions across entire value chains in the food, feed, and protein industries.

“Our broad business stretches across the entire protein value chain, and with these centers, we are closing internal gaps and enhancing material flow,” said Rudolf Hofer, Head of the Grain Innovation Center. “This makes us uniquely positioned in the market to offer holistic solutions that support sustainable growth.”

In line with its commitment to supporting the future of the industry, Bühler is also investing in workforce development. The Milling Academy and the Swiss Institute of Feed Technology (SFT), both of which offer training programs for milling and feed professionals, will be housed in a new building next to the GIC. Scheduled to open in January 2025, the new facility will offer classrooms, labs, workshops, and meeting spaces to better equip Bühler’s team and customers with the skills necessary to navigate the fast-changing landscape of the milling industry.

Last year, over 1,000 customers and 150 internal employees participated in more than 120 training courses offered by the Milling Academy and the SFT. The new facility will further enhance Bühler’s ability to provide top-tier training in an increasingly competitive and complex work environment.

The GIC’s emphasis on sustainability is evident in its integration with Bühler’s Energy Recovery Center, where side streams such as wheat bran, rice husks, and corn husk are processed to generate energy for Bühler’s Uzwil offices. This innovative approach demonstrates the company’s commitment to reducing waste and energy costs while helping customers explore sustainable practices in their own operations.