Syntegon’s Makat team celebrates honours with its equipment World Confectionery Award
Syntegon's Makat team claimed honours at this year's World Confectionery Conference. Pic: Franziska Engelbarts
Germany’s Syntegon packaging and processing systems has been in celebratory mood this week after receiving its award for best equipment innovation at this year’s World Confectionery Conference, writes Neill Barston.
The event, held in Harrogate, Yorkshire, UK, last month attracted a dynamic audience representing the complete chain of the sector, from machinery and systems suppliers, through to ingredients and finished product specialists across the industry.
Judges of this year’s World Confectionery Awards at the show had been impressed by Syntegon’s Nutraflash turnkey solution for the gummy segment, which has been devised by its Makat division, which had offered visitors to this year’s Interpack event in Dusseldorf, their first chance to experience the new line, which has placed enhanced efficiency and flexibility as cornerstones of its development.
The award was one of five presented at this year’s conference, and though Syntegon was unable to collect the accolade on the evening, it has been warmly received at its company headquarters. Plans for the 2024 edition of the World Confectionery Conference are progressing strongly, and set to be released imminently, building on the success of the show over the past three years.
Konrad Schütte, Managing Director at Makat, expressed the company’s elation at the honours for our 2023 event. He said: “We are thrilled to receive this recognition. This award will hold a special place within our organisation, serving as a significant source of motivation for everything the future holds.”
Within starchless production of supplement gummies, discussions are often limited to the depositing line, neglecting potentials given by a holistic approach. With NutraFlash, Makat has gone one step further. Dr. Sandra Link, Product Manager at Makat, explains: “NutraFlash is an innovative turnkey solution that sets new standards within the starchless production of supplement gummies – an all-in-one solution including kitchen, depositing, and product finishing, forming a closed and seamless production without manual mold handling.”
As the company explained, the turnkey solution Makat NutraFlash includes an end-to-end recipe management and a coordinated control concept for harmonised operations. Furthermore, it features a process monitoring and operator-guiding-system: sensors at critical process steps ensure preventive error detection and consequently allow the staff to intervene promptly and efficiently to secure the availability of the turnkey line. In addition, the NutraFlash considers the needs of supplements in each process step: Precise dosing of ingredients, achieving high dry-substances, protecting sensitive ingredients, accurate depositing, gentle product handling.