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The Crespel & Deiters Group is expanding the factory of Extruded Cereal Products BV (ECP), a specialist in the extrusion of agricultural raw materials. Following the commissioning of a new production line at the Helmond site in the Netherlands in 2022, the manufacturing, storage capacities and office space are now being expanded. European wheat processor Crespel & Deiters said the overall investment specifically promotes the broadening of its food segment and is part of a growth strategy that includes the recent opening of a new company in the US. In the initial construction phase, additional storage capabilities will be created and a new administration building will be built. This operational process structure will then create space for the subsequent production expansion, Crespel & Deiters said in a statement announcing the expansion. The adjoining extrusion technology centre will also be enlarged, where the Crespel & Deiters R&D team develops customer-specific solutions. These are first tested on a small scale with the help of a laboratory extruder and then scaled up. Steffen von Glahn, global head of operations at Crespel & Deiters said that no process other than extrusion can produce “such highly functional ingredients using purely physical processes.” He added: “As texturisers, extrudates have massive potential to help shape product innovations in the plant-based segment and in healthy, protein-rich foods. Demand is already high and we expect it to continue to grow, so we are investing now.” With increased capacities, Crespel & Deiters said it will be better able to meet increased international demand for extrudates in the future. Texturates serve as the basis to produce meat alternatives, while crispies create a crunchy effect and add protein to snacks, cereals and sports nutrition products. ECP has been part of the Crespel & Deiters Group since 2020. The product development team at Loryma, the group's food specialist, integrates the extrudates into application concepts and supports international manufacturers. Sales in the US are handled by the recently founded Crespel & Deiters Food USA LP. The investment is also a commitment to production in the Netherlands, which means that all the group's value-added steps — from the production of wheat starch and wheat proteins to the refinement into customer-oriented solutions — will continue to take place in Europe.