Bühler’s Grain Innovation Center nears operational readiness 

SWITZERLAND – Bühler, a leader in the grain processing industry, is gearing up to unveil its state-of-the-art Grain Innovation Center (GIC) in Uzwil, Switzerland, set to welcome visitors starting October 28, 2024. 

This cutting-edge facility represents a significant milestone, supplanting Bühler’s longstanding Grain Technology Center, which has been a cornerstone of the milling industry since 1951. 

The GIC is poised to revolutionize grain processing innovation, providing a platform for customers to navigate evolving market dynamics and shape the future of food.

Spanning an impressive 2,000 square meters, the Grain Innovation Center boasts cutting-edge infrastructure and top-of-the-line equipment sourced from Bühler and its partners. 

Catering to both the food and animal feed sectors, the center will offer customers the opportunity to conduct trials on new products, explore innovative processes, and find solutions to industry challenges. 

Moreover, customers will have access to Bühler’s extensive network of Application & Training Centers, covering the entire protein value chain.

Christian Geser, Project Director for Grains & Food at Bühler Group, underscores the significance of this modern facility, blending Bühler’s rich milling heritage with contemporary technological advancements.

Integrated with Bühler’s Application & Training Centers in Uzwil, the GIC provides an ideal environment for customers to tackle challenges and seize opportunities.

The impetus for the new facility stemmed from the need to modernize the former Grain Technology Center, which had been operational for nearly 75 years. 

With the food and feed sectors experiencing rapid changes, the GIC aims to address critical industry issues such as local sourcing of raw materials, enhancing productivity and safety, and developing healthier products.

The project, initiated with the dismantling of the old center in August 2022, swiftly progressed with the demolition and construction of the new GIC, completed within 12 months. 

As the installation of equipment and systems, including some refurbished machines from the previous center, enters its final phase, the benefits of this approach become apparent—both economically and environmentally.

Furthermore, the modernization extends beyond the GIC to encompass Bühler’s Milling Academy and the Swiss Institute of Feed Technology (SFT), which will be housed in a new adjacent facility spanning 1,600 square meters. 

This strategic co-location is designed to foster synergies, with the facility offering classrooms, meeting rooms, laboratories, and expanded changing rooms. 

Scheduled for operational readiness by January 2025, this new facility underscores Bühler’s commitment to skill development and adaptability in an ever-evolving industry landscape.

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