Animal nutrition company Pancosma SA and its industrial partner, the Erbo Group, have announced the opening of a new spouted-bed granulation and micro-encapsulation unit in Bützberg, Switzerland. Daniel Kofel, Pancosma’s chief executive offer, said, “The investment of over €6 million into this exciting technology is crucial to the long-term growth of the company."
Originally developed as a pharmaceutical technique, spouted-bed granulation and micro encapsulation produce benefits such as “increased shelf life, taste masking, ease of handling, controlled release, improved aesthetics, taste and color,” said ArminVikari, Pancosma product manager. Pancosma plans ultimately to have 80% of its products manufactured at the Bützberg plant using these technologies.
Kofel said that spouted-bed granulation has number of advantages over the more traditional fluidized-bed method. “The most important advantage is that the feed additive is produced using lower temperatures and lower airflows,” he said. “This permits the incorporation of more sensitive ingredients, such as flavors and plant extracts.”
The Erbo Group, through its Spraytec business unit, specializes in feed additives production technology, including the manufacture of spray-dried, spray-chilled and encapsulated products.
