Bühler, a food processing technology company based in Switzerland, has held a ground breaking ceremony on its Innovation Campus in Uzwil, Switzerland. Completion of the building is expected for the first quarter of 2019. This investment of over CHF 50 million (US$1 million) spent over three years, demonstrates Bühler’s commitment to innovation and technology.
The innovation campus consists of two key elements: the upgraded technology labs and the new innovation building. The new building will build a bridge between the engineering and business world in the existing towers and the upgraded application labs. On three levels, the modern building will be the home for project teams of employees, clients, start-ups, students and apprentices. It will feature an auditorium for up to 300 participants for large events. Collaboration and a “maker space”, a media center and a co-working floor with open and secured spaces for over 100 people will also be part of the building. Bühler’s apprentices benefit from a dedicated apprentice center featuring several training rooms.
Reflecting Bühler’s focus on the food processing industry, open living spaces with a central coffee bar, a tea lounge and adjacent thinking spaces will complete the building. The new building will bring together Bühler’s network of partners, be they customers, start-ups, academics, apprentices or suppliers, and create a link to the technology labs.
“This building is focused on collaborative innovation,” said Ian Roberts, chief technology officer at Bühler, in a press release. “We are creating a collaborative space for all functions, all ages, and all knowledge holders. It will allow us to live and foster our innovation culture and test future work practices.”
Innovation in food processing technology
Bühler’s existing technology labs, such as the Bakery Innovation Center, have been upgraded or will be during the building process, and are an integral part of the new campus, as they are closely interlinked with the new building.
Every year, Bühler invests 4 to 5 percent of its turnover into research and development. Internal and external innovation challenges foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. Bühler continues to innovate with new solutions, such as smart roller mills that use the power of IoT, new solutions for insect processing, which is a key answer to the world’s looming protein gap, or the innovative battery slurry that will contribute to the future of mobility. None of them would have been possible without open innovation and cooperation with Bühler’s network of partners.
