IDM | Site report
Lactoprot: Expansion ahead
A new plant in Lübeck, Germany, opens new possibilities for sales
Private milk and whey processor
Lactoprot has had an astonishing
growth over the past few years.
The company, incl. subsidiary
Dairyfood, is running four manufacturing
plants and has added yet another
one a year ago from Tate & Lyle. After
thorough refurbishing, the new plant in
Lübeck has started up several months
ago. IDM visited Lactoprot’s facility.
From the outside, the Lübeck plant
doesn’t really make much impression
but when entering the facility, the true
dimensions of a factory with 3,000 sqm
floor space and a throughput of 20,000
tons of dry products per year come to
shine. There are several mixing and packaging
lines installed, partly in very specific
arrangement making sure that Lactoprot
has a unique position in specialty mixes
and stabilisers etc. This is extremely important
when it comes to allergen-free
products as the mixers and one of the
five bagging lines can be completely wet
cleaned. The other four bagging lines are
run for specific products so that crosscontamination
can be ruled out. Given
the strict batch separation of the Lübeck
plant, Lactoprot can supply according to
Kosher, Halal and organic standards.
Ongoing investment
Production in the Lübeck plant has been
clearly structured, top-down on the
three existing floors. The hygienic conditions
required for a dry mix facility are
met everywhere and the whole plant is
under conditioned air overpressure. All
production takes place in a containment
pattern. This means that raw products
are fed from Big Bags or bags into one
of the several 1,600 kg stainless steel
vessels for transport inside the plant.
14 · 8 2017 | international-dairy.com
Lactprot will soon add a 6,000 liter mixer to the existing 1,500 and 3,000 liter mixers
(photo: IDM)
Steffen Rode, who owns the majority
in Lactoprot, keeps on upgrading
the new plant. A brand new 6,000 liter
mixer made by Lödige will be added
to the existing 1,500 and 3,000 liter
blenders soon. Besides manufacturing
own blends, Lactoprot is also acting as
contract producer, currently 50% of
the capacities are utilised by contract
productions for worldwide renowned
companies as more and more such
customers are now knocking on Lactoprot’s
door, Mr Rode told IDM. In order
to cope with large production runs, the
Lübeck plant will receive an automated
(bagging) palletiser line next year and a
packaging line for small base pouches
of up to 5 kg mainly for spots nutrition
powders.
Building on competence
Besides all contract production, the
company has not forgotten to put a focus
on own products. Lactoprot’s portfolio
of own manufactured products
Mixing vessels can be wet cleaned at the
new Lactoprot plant (photo: IDM)