ProSweets 2020 is coming. From ProSweets 2019: innovative sweets and snacks machines by Koelnmesse, the international organizer of food fairs and events regarding food and beverage processing. (video: Koelnmesse Gmbh)
Thanks to their modular design the complete solutions for almost every budget that will be presented at the Cologne fair grounds are also suitable and ideal for the demands of fast-growing start-ups.
The flexible and fast conversion to suit different formats is a must for them so that they can achieve maximum machine efficiency.
Requirements: fully automated processing and packing machines
Premium continues to be a convincing criterion for chocolate, small shaped bakery products create surprising effects and bars impress with exotic nut mixtures: Keeping up with the trends of the market today proves to be a challenge more than even for the sweets and snacks manufacturers.
They require fully-automated processing and packing machines that are easy to operate, clean and service.
It has to be possible to call up all of the raw materials and recipe data fast at any time. This enables the downtimes to be reduced to a minimum and the overall equipment effectiveness to be increased. It doesn’t play a role here as to whether it is an entry-level machine or a high-speed solution.
Flexible modular systems that are tailor-made to the process
Filled or solid, formed using wet sleeves or cold stamped: a host of chocolate variations can be manufactured using the solutions presented at ProSweets Cologne.
Modern moulding plants process up to 40 moulds per minute today – with throughputs of 8,000 kilogrammes an hour.
Modular concepts with thoroughly hygienic designs provide the necessary flexibility. They enable the gradual expansion of the production line through the implementation of additional components in order to extend the product diversity.
The process can be regulated simply and precisely via a touch panel. Depending on the requirements, the filling area can be fitted with several pouring machines or handling systems for ingredients.
The manufacturing of bars: continual mixer, cooling tunnel, cutting system combined with a packing system
Regarding the manufacturing of bars, productivity is also the focus of the exhibitors at ProSweets Cologne. For start-ups, who are taking the plunge on the sweets market, the Cologne supplier trade fair is the first point of contact for ideas and technologies for the production of sweets and snacks.
The modular design of the machines that will be presented on-site is the ideal starting point for the industrial small batch production, because it enables a retrofit upgrade to achieve a higher level of automation at any time.
With such a solution, comprising of a continual mixer, a cooling tunnel and a cutting system, a complete assortment of bars with different ingredients, shapes and sizes can be produced. Combined with a packing system, manufacturers can procure their system solutions for the production of bars from one source.
Hollow figures brought into optimal shape, integrated small surprises
Sweet treats are playing a growing role on the sweets shelves. The best example are chocolate hollow figures like Santas, snowmen and Easter bunnies.
Since recently, the cold stamping method is being implemented as an alternative to the conventional centrifugal casting method, which offers product developers a wealth of new creative options.
Not only individual half moulds with an even wall thickness of under two millimetre can be shaped precisely using this technology. Chunky recipe ingredients like brittle or almond slivers can also be added, if they are homogeneously mixed with the chocolate before being stamped. A further aspect of the technology is the possibility to integrate small surprises like balls of chewing gum or toy figures into the hollow body using a simple process.
Infinitely adjustable nozzles as well as robots, the trend towards more flexibility
Even before the chocolate is centrifuged or cold stamped, the empty halves of the mould are decorated. Whereas this decorating procedure was carried out by hand in the past, today programme-controlled decorating systems are increasingly implemented for this task.
Here infinitely adjustable nozzles as well as robots, which paint the hollow figures autonomously, represent the omnipresent trend towards more flexibility. A wide variety of combinations comprising of dark or white chocolate can be applied accurately to the desired position and errors such as air pockets can be avoided.
At the same time, the systems save all of the data and the decoration pattern can be called up at the push of a button.
Filling of chocolates or chocolate bars with automation and intelligent software
Automation and intelligent software for the filling of chocolates or chocolate bars are also on the advance – very much in the spirit of “Sweets & Snacks 4.0“, a theme that will be discussed intensely at the Speakers Corner in Hall 10.1 on the Tuesday of the trade fair.
Equipped with one-shot or triple/quadro-shot technology, the pouring machines of the latest generation can process a practically unlimited number of liquid and highly-viscous masses into extremely thin-walled sweets specialities with a filling share of up to 80 percent.
Wide selection of processing and packing technology
ProSweets Cologne not only offers a wide selection of processing solutions. Top loaders, side loaders, case packers or tubular bag machines: the portfolio of the exhibitors at the Cologne fair grounds encompasses services and needs-based technologies for the packing of sweets and snacks, which range from the basic model through to the innovative, high-performance machine.
Here, it becomes evident that the days of “one size fits all” are over. Seamlessly integratable systems for the inner and outer packing are called for, which offer a high degree of flexibility regarding the different packing styles. The format changes can be carried out without tools in a few minutes thanks to the latest servo and robot technology.
ProSweets Cologne, from 2 to 5 february 2020
From 2 to 5 February 2020, the visitors of ProSweets Cologne can gain an accurate picture of the efficiency-increasing innovations the machine builders are introducing to meet the many demands of the sweets and snacks industry.
In the scope of live demonstrations it will become tangible at the exhibition stands how the digitalisation is increasing the flexibility and enabling individualised products.
Koelnmesse, ProSweets 2020, the global competence in Food and FoodTec
Koelnmesse is an international leader in organising food fairs and events regarding food and beverage processing.
Trade fairs such as the Anuga, ISM and Anuga FoodTec are established world leaders. Koelnmesse not only organises food and food technology trade fairs in Cologne, Germany, but also in further growth markets around the globe, for example, in Brazil, China, Colombia, India, Italy, Japan, Thailand, the United States and the United Arab Emirates, which have different focuses and contents.
These global activities enable to offer to the customers a network of events, which in turn grant access to different markets and thus create a basis for sustainable and stable international business.
