IDM | Site report
36 · 4-5 2017 | international-dairy.com
Mathias Hauer, Commercial Director Milk
& Whey Ingredients: We thoroughly validate
all our processing and management
around Whey 5 (photo: IDM)
(25 kg strippable bags filled on GEA Avapac,
Big Bags). Another two workers keep the hygienic
status of the operation up and running.
In total, 160 employees are working in Whey 5,
incl. a newly installed residues analysis lab. All in
all, Whey 5 has created 60 new jobs.
Whey 5 is also important to the whole Sachsenmilch
plant (1.8 bn kg annual milk and whey
throughput, 2,400 workers) in terms of energy
utilisation as it consumes lots of heat energy
produced by the gas turbine that generates
electricity for the whole Leppersdorf operation.
Hygiene comes first
Sachsenmilch has developed the hygiene concept
for Whey 5 together with customers in the
babyfood business. "We had the opportunity to
visit several plants of our customers to see what
their requirements for hygiene management are.
Of course, we also had our own ideas and some
elements out of that were gladly taken over by
several customers," explained Dr. Gorzki.
The result is the establishing of two, better
said three hygiene zones in the plant. The lower
hygiene zone, marked green throughout the facility,
allows for use of water while one can’t get
access to water in the High Care zone, marked in
red. Here, only dry cleaning takes places based
on fixed installed vacuum cleaners. Access to
the green zone requires a complete change of
clothes. Access to the red zone is strictly monitored.
One needs to have the right ID card and
one must pass through the switchboard gallery
which is always manned so that a visual control
can be made to avoid any incidental access of
persons who should not enter the High Care
area. Upon entering the red zone, one needs to
This poster reminds the operators in Whey 5 of the high care they have to take in their
daily work (photo: Truhlar)
undergo another complete change of clothing.
The access of equipment is possible at only one
gate, and in the High Care area, only sterilised
tools may be used.
Given the time consuming procedures for access,
workers have to think of what work at what
time and where they have to carry out, a normal
situation in a pharmaceutical environment. Not
surprising, the number of staff entitled to enter
Whey 5 is very limited. These workers receive also
permanent instruction as a High Care operation
highly depends on the attitude of the workers.
The most secluded part of Whey 5 is the bagging
operation. Incl. the Dr. Gorzki, only 11 people
may enter this area. Even auditors sent from
customers cannot get access.
The Whey 5 building has two separate staircases
and elevators. The whole building is under
overpressure of sterile air (HEPA class 13)
which is also led into the frames of the installed
machines. The air is conditioned in a way that
there can’t be condensation in any part of the
red zone which is kept at a constant 23 °C.
Safety is provided further by a general Hygienic
Design of the interior. Control cabinets are
mounted at 5 cm distance from the wall, there
are no even upper surfaces and the cable ducts
are all vertical – to prevent the formation of deposits.
And there are the floors which connect to
the walls in rounded edges.
The whey products made in Leppersdorf are
distributed worldwide, 50% of sales are made
in third countries, and the rest of the business
is generated in the EU. Amongst the customers,
one finds the names of all the big guys in
the babyfood and nutraceuticals businesses.
Sachsenmilch would not belong to Unternehmensgruppe
Theo Müller if it
wouldn’t plan forward even now when
Whey 5 is in middle of fine-tuning. Jeroen
Derks refuses to talk about details but
Jeroen Derks (left), MD Sachsenmilch,
and Dr. Lars Gorzki, Head of Production at
Whey 5: We operate Whey 5 in principle
just like a pharmaceutical plant, the working
processes have not much in common
with those in conventional milk or whey
processing (photo: IDM)
Whey 5 has ten lactose silos for product
storage (photo: UTM)
hints at separating whey protein ever further
to deliver highly added-value for the
company. IDM will report about the progress
of whey processing in Leppersdorf
in due time.