Troubleshooters on duty
Production of organic cocoa mass, butter and powder has begun at our new cocoa processing plant. But who is actually responsible for ensuring that all the machines interact properly, each employee knows what they have to do – and the spare parts and packaging materials have arrived on time, despite the delivery delays caused by the pandemic? Plant General Manager Yannick Rihs and Technical Manager Timo Speerli are on the front line…
PRONATEC has been established in the world of organic cocoa for more than 30 years. However, with our new cocoa processing plant, we will be able to raise the profile of our products on a scale that was not previously possible. “The degree of complexity and the demands are extremely high,” agree Yannick Rihs and Timo Speerli. “But for us, setting up a plant like this from scratch is a one-off opportunity.”
Yannick, you spent many years working on cocoa processing for Bühler in West Africa. What motivated you to get involved with setting up an organic cocoa processing plant in Switzerland?
The cocoa industry is like one big family. When I came back to Switzerland from the Ivory Coast in 2020, I spotted the job as Plant General Manager, and it seemed to be tailor-made for me: detailed technical expertise in cocoa processing, a solution-focused and pragmatic attitude, an analytical eye and a talent for organisation.
What do you like best about your job as Plant General Manager?
Sometimes I feel like the captain on the bridge of a boat (laughs). Switching between office work and hands-on problem-solving, between troubleshooting and concentrated analysis, working with other people and fine-tuning the machinery – I love that variety.
What have been the biggest challenges?
Certainly the transfer of know-how to new employees, also identifying complex interactions and striking a balance between long-term planning and coordinating the commissioning process.
What, in your opinion, makes our plant unique?
In our production hall, there’s a highly complex industrial manufacturing process going on but it can still be managed like a roasting workshop: all the parameters have to be defined and fine-tuned – and then transferred to the large-scale plant. Our full traceability is also definitely unique, and the batch separation, thanks to the automated batch production process. And the fact that, as a small, agile producer, we can go the extra mile to meet the needs of our customers.
Timo, what have been the biggest challenges for you so far?
My team and I are responsible for maintaining a high standard of operational reliability in the production plant. And, of course, that includes all the services in the building. I found the setting up, and the passing on of my expertise to the team, very challenging. Planning the ordering of materials was also often tricky, during this period when procurement is so difficult due to the pandemic. Thanks to my time working for a leading Swiss food producer, I have extensive knowledge of complex processing machinery (which I often have to take apart and repair), and a practical mindset that stands me in good stead.
What do you like most about “your” cocoa processing plant?
Seeing the cocoa beans turn into fine mass and super-smooth cocoa butter is fantastic. I am proud that we are an entirely organic operation. I like it when we meet up as a team in the command centre in the morning, where we can see the whole plant and plan our work for the day.
Yannick and Timo, have there been moments during the current trial production runs that you will never forget?
The moment when we switched on the nibs roaster for the first time, that was a big thing! But of course we'll also remember the incident when we overfilled the pre-grinder and had to empty out the half-ground beans manually with a shovel. You only do that kind of thing once!
What advantages do you see for our customers?
Our tremendous flexibility and our proximity to the customers. Our expertise in quality control, technology and cocoa processing. And in Kevin Katy, we have managed to bring on board a highly experienced cocoa processing engineer, with over 15 years’ experience in cocoa processing! Then of course there’s our fantastic team, who all work their socks off.
Yannick and Timo, thank you very much for your time.
Click here for more information about PRONATEC Swiss Cocoa Production.
In the next newsletter, our Chief Engineer for semi-finished cocoa products, Kevin Katy from the Ivory Coast, tells us about why he is motivated to see fairer cocoa production make a difference to the cocoa-producing people of West Africa, and what he finds particularly exciting about our production plant.