Automation on Show at IBA
iba is the world’s biggest trade show for the bakery industry and is held every three years in Munich, Germany.
It is a marathon, held over six full days and spread over 12 halls of over 11,000 square-metres each. According to the organisers, the show had 1,373 exhibitors and 76,800 visitors and, going by the accents and dress code, it is safe to say from all corners of the globe.
Not only is iba the biggest but it is also the best trade show for our industry. One of the key elements in the long-term success and strength of the show is that it is owned by the German bakery industry (Zentralverband des Deutschen Backerhandwerks). This ensures the bests interests of the industry are maintained and the result is an outstanding success.
I have been fortunate to go to more iba’s than I can remember and this one was the best I have been to. And without doubt I have never heard so many Australian accents in the halls of iba! We attended each of the six days from opening to closing, clocking up around 10km to 12km on foot a day. Exhilaratingly exhausting!
Being held in Munich in the heart of Bavaria and in the week leading up to the famous Oktoberfest is a seriously strong drawcard for bringing in international visitors. We hosted a Friends of Vanrooy Dinner for our clients at the famous Augustiner Keller Beer Garden and we all enjoyed the beautiful Bavarian hospitality including the huge beer steins and pork knuckles.
For exhibitors, knowing the show is every three years, they will budget accordingly and really go all out with the stand design and with the equipment and products they will display. It is the perfect showcase to release new technology in equipment and new ingredients to the marketplace. For visitors, you can mark it in your calendar now knowing that in three years’ time you will get to see the latest and greatest our industry has to offer.
The biggest topic of discussion and the strongest interest that I found was on automation. We are all looking at ways to automate a process. Automate to gain production efficiency but also product quality and consistency. Especially for some of the more mundane or tedious tasks. Examples of this from some of our suppliers include:
A patented dough divider for soft and fermented dough that uses a scale to accurately and gently divide each dough piece, but at high speed.
Technology that gives online connectivity to ovens and retarder proovers for control of process, energy efficiency and analysis of efficient work practices.
An ultrasonic cutter, showing how much time can be saved and consistency obtained in cake cutting.
A dough mixer with a unique bowl-cooling system as well as a vertical bowl storage system for removable bowl dough mixers.
From all of the exhibitors I have spoken with since the show has finished, they have all reported the show was hugely successful for them, so you can expect them to go harder next time round. So make sure you lock iba 2021 in to your calendar!
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