Bühler agrees deal with Premier Tech packaging as it extends its virtual world event
The Bühler Group has formed a joint venture with Canadian business Premier Tech global partnership for bulk packaging for food, feed and grain markets, including operations serving the international bakery sector.
As the Swiss-based equipment and industry solutions firm explained, its latest partnership will allow it to access Premier Tech’s leading technologies in bagging and palletising through the newly created PT-Bühler joint venture in China, serving the world with cost-effective packaging.
The deal was confirmed at Bühler’s Virtual World event offering a digital experience based on what would have been the company’s stand at Interpack, which has been postponed until February 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The interactive showcase, which featured a range of presentations from across the food sector, including confectionery operations, had been due to conclude today. But it has been considered so successful by the company, that the content, which includes the release of a number of new lines of equipment, will continue to be made available for the rest of May.
Speaking on the new partnership, André Noreau (main image), CEO of Premier Tech’s Systems and Automation business, said: “The global partnership will serve customers worldwide by building on Premier Tech’s recognised know-how in the field of automated packaging technologies while making full use of Bühler’s strong international sales and service network.
Bühler will continue to service its existing installed base and will also focus on sales and service through its global customer service focus and total plant-solution expertise so that customers can rely on timely, qualified support throughout the life cycle of the product.
After entering their strategic cooperation last year, Bühler and Premier Tech have worked closely together in the interest of forming a 50/50 joint venture in China that will officially start on July 1, 2020. The aim of the joint venture is to develop and market new cost-effective packaging solutions based on Premier Tech’s bagging expertise. Operating in Wuxi, China, PT-Bühler will focus on serving the food and feed markets in China, and other markets moving towards cost-effective automation.
“Customers will benefit from significantly more efficient, and even more accurate and food safe packaging solutions thanks to automation technologies developed by PT-Bühler,” says Johannes Wick, CEO of Bühler’s Grains & Food business. Attracting talents from both companies, PT-Bühler will benefit from Bühler’s know-how of high-quality manufacturing and supply chain management in China as well as its digital solutions, whereas Premier Tech contributes with its superior packaging expertise and technological leadership in this field.
Both Bühler and Premier Tech will offer the joint venture’s solutions in their respective markets, with Bühler focusing on turnkey plants, and Premier Tech on standalone solutions. Both partners are committed to work together in order to make for the best customer experiences while fully addressing their needs and complement each other in all cases where Bühler and Premier Tech will both be involved in any specific projects.
