Baker Perkins investment in Innovation Centre

Product and process development capability extended Baker Perkins has further invested in its product and process development capability for the snack and cereal industries. A new SBX Master twin-screw extruder installed in its Innovation Centre widens the selection of potential applications and end product options. The new extruder, with a 250 kg/hour maximum capacity, is ideal for both short runs for initial development purposes, and longer runs to optimise a process and confirm its stability and product quality. Customers from around the world visit the Innovation Centre at Peterborough, UK for a variety of purposes. Creative original ideas for snack and cereal products are explored; processes developed and proven in co-operation with Baker Perkins process technologists. As well as product development, customers use Innovation Centre facilities to evaluate a wide range of process technologies for existing products. This could, for example, be converting snacks or cereals made with a single-screw extruder, to continuous twin-screw operation. Potential benefits include the choice of a wider range of ingredients, greater throughput, improved quality and added flexibility. Companies find that thorough trials, often using their own raw materials, provide a reliable basis for trouble-free commissioning of new plant or the launch of a new product. The Innovation Centre is used by customers from all regions of the world who develop high quality end products for their respective marketplaces. It is a secure environment where visitors are assured of total confidentiality. The new extruder can be run in standard or extended-barrel mode, which allows a wider selection of process options including a longer cooking time. Direct expanded, face cut, extruded and formed, and co-extruded products can be made. The Innovation Centre also contains facilities for downstream snack processes including drying, toasting, frying, baking, coating and flavouring. The Baker Perkins SBX Master twin-screw extruder is available in a range of outputs between 250 and 2,300 kg/hour of snacks or cereals. It is the basis for extrusion systems making standard direct expanded snacks, and provides a low cost point of entry to the growing breakfast cereals market. The Baker Perkins modular Snack and Cereal Master concepts means that as a business develops, a line may be extended in stages to broaden the range of products that can be made.

For more information on Baker Perkins investment in Innovation Centre talk to Baker Perkins Ltd