Cocoa processing on track

The machines in our new PRONATEC cocoa processing plant in Beringen have all been installed. Now it’s time for commissioning, machine by machine along the entire process. This is where the meticulous checking of the approximately 7,000 control signals fits in.

One year after the start of the ambitious expansion, we are proud of the plant we have installed for a 100% residue-free production of organic cocoa liquor, cocoa mass and cocoa butter. We are on schedule, all hurdles have been overcome and we see the commissioning in March 2022 as a motivating goal on the horizon.

Team spirit already palpable during construction
"It is unbelievable what our internal team has achieved this year, in collaboration with numerous external experts," says a delighted David Yersin, CEO and Managing Director of PRONATEC AG. ‘This was only possible thanks to meticulous planning and real team spirit across all departments.’ The Beringen team is not quite complete yet – additional specialists in the areas of production and technology are currently being recruited

Sensory analysis of beans is getting off the ground
The quality assurance team, on the other hand, is complete and the laboratory is set up. Sensory analysis of cocoa beans is already being carried out. Plant manager Yannick Rihs, , who is responsible for planning and coordinating the entire start-up, looks forward with excitement to the coming months: "When the first organic beans rattle through the pipes, filling the air with the smell of roasted cocoa nibs, and we hold our own cocoa liquor in our hands – those will be special moments for me."

Ready, one machine at a time
In the meantime, we will need a little patience. Checking the 7,000 or so control signals is an important piece of concentrated work, to make sure that later on, all the machines will communicate seamlessly with each other and be in touch with the central automation system. This will enable consistent process monitoring and the precise separation of each individual production batch. In this way, PRONATEC guarantees a precise separation of each batch in the production process as well as full traceability from the cocoa farmer to the end product. Incidentally, the power requirements of the cocoa processing plant in Beringen are covered 100% by renewable electricity from hydropower.

Meeting the huge challenges demanded exceptional performance, as you will see from the following glimpse of the powder plant assembly.