issue_2_2017_rev2

42
processing & packaging
A new level of raw material preparation: RAPS
opens new plant
RAPS has invested around €1.5 m in new technology at its German headquarters. Working with a
renowned plant manufacturer, a state-of-the-art facility for raw material preparation has come to
life. Offering a wider selection of cleaning methods and improved contaminant detection, the
company can now handle a broader array of raw materials at higher throughput speeds.
Cleaning technology
With its new plant, RAPS is
focusing on physical cleaning
technology to achieve maximum
raw material purity. Trials have
shown that this method enables
even the smallest foreign bodies to
be identified and eliminated. As
well as metal, glass, stones and
bones, which are
usually detected using X-ray
equipment, RAPS’ innovative
solution can also pick up wooden
and plastic foreign objects and, at
the same time, reduce raw
material wastage.
Stricter quality control
Due to the diversity of the raw
materials it deals with, the
company had previously
outsourced some of the
purification processes to external
contractors. Now, however, thanks
to its investment, RAPS is able to
handle everything in-house,
meaning it can also meet stricter
quality control criteria. “We work
with natural raw materials and, as
such, have to cope with
fluctuations in quality and supply.
The more our customers’ quality
requirements increase, the more
complex the processing procedures
become. It is therefore essential
that the technology we use keeps
pace with these demands,“ says
Florian Knell, Managing Director of
RAPS GmbH & Co. KG. “It was a
conscious decision to bring all of
our raw material preparation inhouse
as we wanted to have
complete control over every
important processing step. In doing
so, we can ensure continuous high
standards, maximum transparency
and full traceability for our
customers.”
Frank Kühne, Chairman of the
Advisory Board and Main
Shareholder of RAPS GmbH & Co.
KG, adds: “This investment is
integral to keeping the company
future-proof and competitive.
These kinds of corporate decisions
are geared to ensuring a long-term
outlook for our German
headquarters and the RAPS group
in general. I am delighted that the
plant is now operational – enabling
us to react more flexibly to
both market changes and
individual customer demands.”
About RAPS GmbH & Co. KG
For over 90 years, RAPS GmbH &
Co. KG from Kulmbach, Germany,
has been known as a first-class
supplier of high quality raw
materials and a reliable source of
innovation, technology and
expertise. RAPS delivers both
segment- and client-specific
services, and processes
approximately 1,100 raw materials
and ingredients from all over the
world. With a total of seven
production sites in Europe and
more than 900 employees
worldwide, RAPS produces over
40,000 tons of different food
ingredients and additives each
year. n
RAPS GmbH & Co. KG
www.raps.de
www.foodmagazine.eu.com issue two | 2017