Hastamat delivers key manufacturing site expansion amid equipment market growth
pic: Hastamat
German-based packaging machinery business Hastamat has made a significant investment into expanding its core production facilities at Lahnau, backed by a period of strong business growth, writes Neill Barston.
The company confirmed the start of work on an advanced new production hall totalling 2,310 square meters in space, with the expansion meeting heightened demand for its equipment ranges.
Furthermore, the business, which is the sister company of LoeschPack, which will be exhibiting at this year’s World Confectionery Conference on 12 September (tickets are still available via the website), noted that it is anticipating further demand within the sector.
While the broader market has experienced supply chain challenges in recent years, consumer interest in snacks and sweet treats has remained relatively buoyant, though there has been pressure on the premium segment as shoppers continue to grapple with the impact of inflation on many confectionery items.
“Hastamat has grown continuously in recent years. The new production hall is a sensible investment and a commitment to Germany as a location,” says Olaf Piepenbrock, managing partner of Hastamat’s parent company Piepenbrock. The new building is a consequence of the very positive business development of the past few years and creates the basis for future growth. The building offers sufficient space on the ground floor for the areas of production, warehouse logistics and quality assurance.
The upper floor will house offices, meeting rooms and sanitary facilities. “The production of complete systems with individual weighing, dosing and packaging systems requires a lot of space. After demolishing our approximately 1,500 square meter hall, we are significantly expanding our site in Lahnau by building an approximately 2,300 square meter production hall,” explained Michael Schulze, Managing Director of Hastamat.
As the company added, the new layout offers a decisive advantage, added Schulze: “Short distances and working on one level create an optimized flow of goods. This means we can produce the individual packaging solutions for our customers even faster and more efficiently in the future.” Hastamat has also taken space-saving high shelves, a modern ventilation system and electricity from its own production into account in its construction plan. The new building will expand the installed photovoltaic system in Lahnau by a peak value of around 200 kilowatts. Energy consumption is 40 percent of the required level – the machine manufacturer generates at least 65 percent of the electricity required from renewable sources.
