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Inside DKSHInnovative testing facilityA new lab-scale beverage pilot plant in Thailand is helping our customers inthe food and beverage industry develop new products using our suppliers’advanced new ingredients. The plant helps to reduce product innovation costsand access to market times.As the leading Market Expansion Servicesprovider with a focus on Asia, one of ourfundamental objectives at DKSH is to drivegrowth both for our suppliers and our customers.In December 2010, in line with thisstrategy, DKSH’s Business Unit PerformanceMaterials, a distributor of specialty chemicalsand ingredients in Asia, inaugurated alab-scale beverage pilot plant in Thailand.DKSH’s new beverage pilot plant is speeding upcustomers’ access to market.The scope of the plant allows our customersto innovate and design new products by experimentingwith new ingredients providedby our suppliers, so that they are equippedto face new market demands – for example,a search for low-fat, healthy, and convenientfood and drink products has been one of thekey trends in the global food and drinksmarket. The plant consists of UHT/HTSTpasteurizing systems, in-line homogenizer,and bottling equipment with testing facilitiesfor pH, solid analyses, viscosity, and anultraclean fill hood. These features makepossible small-scale experimentation for ourcustomers in the Asian beverage and dairymarkets, with products ranging from juicesto teas to soy-based drinks.When designing the plant, DKSH identifiedthat a major obstacle to innovation in theAsian beverage market was that running atrial on a full-size processing line would betoo costly for many of our customers. Bymaking this pilot plant available, DKSH isreducing the costs associated with productinnovation – many of our customers wouldotherwise not be able to afford a facility onthis scale. DKSH is also shortening access tomarket times – as customers can simulateproduction of a new product, they can carryout more trials in less time.David Macdonald, Vice President PerformanceMaterials at DKSH Thailand, explains:“This investment further enhancesour leading position in the South East Asianbeverage and dairy industry by allowingDKSH to introduce exciting new ingredientideas, to assist costumers with faster-to-marketinnovations using our state-of-the-artlab-scale beverage plant, and to minimizecustomers’ costs in doing so.”With this project, DKSH has expanded on itsrole of ingredient sourcing by offering valueaddedservices like research and developmentto our customers. Having the right infrastructureat their disposal is an important factor formany of the companies in this industry thatare looking to grow.FactBoxProducts tested in the new laboratoryJuices, juice concentratesMilk, milk drinks, milk replacements, yogurt,ice cream mixes, soy beveragesNutritional drinks, isotonic drinksBrothsTea, coffeeDKSH’s magazine for Market Expansion Services51