IDM | Technology/IT
MILEI’s new high-tech plant
Derichs realised the bulk material lines and a mixing line
20 · 9 2017 | international-dairy.com
Authors: Dipl.-Ing. Marc Derix, Head of Sales, Martin Röger, M.Sc., Marketing & Controlling,
Derichs GmbH Process Engineering, Daimlerstrasse 25 - 29, 52531 Übach-Palenberg, derichs.de
For almost 40 years, MILEI has been concentrating
on the enrichment and fractionation
of valuable whey and milk ingredients.
In order to expand the production capacity
and to modernise the production process,
it was decided to build a new production.
A new 15,600 m² state-of-the-art production
facility was built, which allows milk
processing to be increased from 20 million
kg per year to 150 to 200 million kg of milk
per year. The result is a production process
in which high-quality products are manufactured
with best possible energy efficiency.
The combination of the process steps is
unique worldwide. MILEI demonstrates its innovative
power in international competition
in the production of powdery and functional
high-protein derivatives from milk and whey.
After a long and intensive planning phase,
under the direction of the engineering firm
KSI as general planner for the whole new
production facility, Milei decided in 2014 to
have the entire bulk material plants, from the
outlets of the four drying plants to the filling
plants and an additional mixing line planned
and realised by the company Derichs.
Product variety
The extensive portfolio of MILEI ranges from
lactose powder, permeate powder via demineralised
whey powder to whey and milk protein
powder with up to 80% protein as well as
various dry-blended products.
System requirements
A sensitive area, such as the production
of high-quality food ingredients,
for example used in baby food production,
places great demands on plant
manufacturers. A dust-free system that
meets the highest hygiene requirements
(EHEDG, GMP, IFS) is just as self-evident as
compliance with the Atex regulations and
statutory provisions for batch tracking.
These requirements were fully met by
Derichs during the planning and realisation
of the plant.
From the conception to the construction,
the in-house production of many
components to PLC programming and
visualisation, Derichs was able to contribute
its full experience in the field
of plant construction in the food industry
– especially in the dairy industry.
Through close coordination with the
project management of MILEI, a faultless
and up-to-date standard production
plant could be built.
Plant concept
The entire plant was conceived as two
separate and independent parts: (1) a
plant for permeate Product feed via bag discharge station and Big Bag discharge (photo: Derichs) and lactose powder;