The extension will help to enhance Nestlé’s innovative technologies for new product development and apply these to the company’s operations worldwide.
PTC Konolfingen focuses on the development of infant formula, dairy products and medical nutrition. Nestlé’s latest investment is part of its commitment to increase its R&D capabilities.
The company opened a Clinical Development Unit earlier this year and is set to open the Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, both based in the Swiss city of Lausanne.
In total over half of Nestlé’s global investment in R&D is spent in Switzerland.
Werner Bauer, chief technology officer for Nestlé, said: “We are committed to research and development in Switzerland. We have had an R&D capability at Konolfingen for over 40 years since our company first acquired the milk sterilising site to develop milk products and processes.”
The new extension will feature a new spray drying tower, installations for ‘wet mix’ processing and special production lines to package Nestlé powdered products. It will also be equipped with a process control system to meet a variety of food and safety standards.
The PTC developed hypoallergenic (HA) infant formula in the 1980s to meet growing consumer demand for a product less likely to cause allergies than regular formula.
It also produced a probiotic especially for all infant formulas including HA and created and patented a spray drying process.
The company’s research and development includes fundamental research at the Nestlé Research Center in Lausanne, Switzerland, with units in St Louis in the US, Beijing in China and Tokyo in Japan.
Source: Nestlé
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