BMA is keeping the investment volume in the field of research and development at a high level, despite the difficult conditions. The traditional machine and plant builder specializing in the sugar industry has been active at the site in Braunschweig since it was founded in 1853. The company has its own research and development centre at the "Am Alten Bahnhof" site.
In addition to the existing investment volume for research and development, BMA has received a subsidy from the state of Lower Saxony in the form of the corona special funding programme "Neustart Niedersachsen Innovation". The program will enable the planned development projects to be implemented quickly and comprehensively.
"To enable us to come out of the corona pandemic in a strong position, development must not be neglected at BMA. These current times have given us the opportunity to embark on new paths. We would like to thank the state of Lower Saxony for this funding programme supporting our research and development activities", states Uwe Schwanke, Member of the Board at BMA.
The funding totalling 1.1 million euro will go in to 4 research projects. The key focus is optimizing procedural processes, making use of savings potential and making technology more efficient. One of these development projects is focussed on optimised production processes for the crystallization and drying of sugar substitutes and so-called rare sugars. These groups of substances are playing an increasingly important role for BMA in addition to sugar from sugar beet or sugar cane. The demand for sugars with low calories and sugar substitutes in crystalline form is growing and the use of these substances is not just restricted to the use as a sweetener. The application area ranges from the food industry and use in pharmaceutical and cosmetic products, through to the chemical industry.
The other funded development projects focus on improvements for sugar plants that are supplied with equipment for sugar production by BMA all over the world. As in the first development project, crystals are the key focus. One of the projects optimizes the process for creating sugar crystals from dissolved sugar, another project separates these crystals from the liquid in centrifuges and the third project improves the sugar drying which ultimately produces the familiar granulated sugar.
There is still much untapped innovation potential in sugar production and the machines used. "With the subsidised development projects, we can use even more efficient, energy-saving and space-saving technologies in the production plants of our customers.", states the Head of Research and Development at BMA, Dr Andreas Lehnberger. BMA thus entrenches itself as the driving force for technical innovations in the sugar industry, now and in future.
Immediately after the funding was approved, the first measures for implementing the planned developments began. The funding programme "Neustart Niedersachsen Innovation" from the state of Lower Saxony will be supporting the projects for 3 years.