Probat opens new R&D centre with international coffee meeting

Probat opened the doors to its new research & development centre at the end of September, during its inaugural World Coffee Meeting. From 17 – 19 September, Probat hosted more than 140 visitors from almost 30 different countries to the educational event, featuring speakers from eight different countries who discussed global trends in the coffee business. Speakers included Soedomo Mergonoto, from PT Santos Jaya Abadi, the largest family-owned coffee brand in Indonesia, as well as V.G. Siddhartha from the Amalgamated Bean Company, the parent company of Cafe Coffee Day, the largest coffee chain in India. Additional market insights were provided by Gérard Meauxsoone from Meo, one of France's larger roasting companies; Ric Rhinehart, the Executive Director of the Specialty Coffee Association of America and and Dr Johannes Dengler of Germany's A. Dallmayr Kaffee. Dr Josef Kerler from Swiss-based giants Nestlé and Dr. Chahan Yeretzian from Switzerland's Zurich University of Applied Sciences discussed the flavour secret of a good cup of coffee and  the chemistry of coffee. Constanza Mejia de los Rios discussed the efforts undertaken by the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation to ensure sustainability in the production chain. Probat took advantage of the gathering to discuss their latest developments. Günter Simon, Managing Director of Bauermeister, presented on the latest grinding solutions, highlighting a modular approach, flavor protection, reproducibility and ultra-fine grinding. Dirk Brinker introduced the tangential roaster Jupiter Hybrid. Brinker highlighted how this innovation enables Probat to extend the roasting parameters of its tangential roaster concept. “The Jupiter Hybrid is the completion needed to produce all different roasting roasting profiles – from short-term to long-term roasting – with just one roaster,” Probat stated. “Thus, the Jupiter Hybrid offers a maximum of flexibility and can easily serve the market requirements for increasing diversification.” Klaus Genabith presented the features and opportunities the new Probat plant control system provides for its customers. This includes new options to facilitate enhanced production planning as well as streamlined processes. In addition to taking part in the World Coffee Meeting, distinguished speakers and guests were the first to witness this latest technology first hand with a tour the new state-of-the-art facility. “This investment underpins our position as market leader with regard to technology, sustainability and quality,“ says Managing Director Wim Abbing. The new centre features six industrial roasters, with a total hourly production capacity of almost 4 tons of green coffee. The machines can be used for roasting demonstrations as well as trials. The latest development in roasting – the tangential roaster Jupiter Hybrid – is a highlight. In the grinding department two different grinders, as well as ground coffee storage bins for the degassing of coffee, are on display. The new UW 300.3 Grinder Probat demonstrates the different particle size distributions, which the company notes is vital for some of the latest product developments in the world of coffee. The installation is rounded off by a green coffee plant comprising different green coffee receiving stations, a silo, weighing scales, cleaners and a pneumatic conveying system. All plants units and installations, roasters and grinders are controlled by the latest version of the Probat plant control system. The new laboratory enables Probat to run chemical analyses for either its customers or for its own developments. “In that sense, the new R&D site will not only be a demonstration plant but also home for comprehensive research activities on coffee, cocoa, nuts and any other product that can be roasted and /or ground,” the company said in a statement. “At the same time it is the cut-out in-house testing facility for all developments on safe, sustainable, energy-saving and environmentally friendly products.” The new Technical Center will be available for demonstrations and trials as of November 2012. To obtain full information contact Thomas Koziorowski, Director of Product Technology at Probat. +49 2822 912-0, info@probat.com, www.probat.com