Exhibitor previews, part II
Exhibitors attending iba ’25 are sharing their stand preparations and plans for innovation. The Baking + Biscuit International interviews with exhibitors will be available online at www.bakingbiscuit.com, with additional insights.
For a quick guide through the halls, the exhibitor color codes, per hall, are:
Hall 9 – blue, Hall 10 – red, Hall 11 – yellow, Hall 12 – green, Hall 13 – orange, Hall 14 – violet, Hall 15 – purple
Handtmann’s iba stand concept is ‘THE TASTE OF INNOVATION’, with solutions for processing doughs as well as liquid, viscous, stiff, solid, and chunky product masses. A new dough-dividing solution is introduced. It ensures optimal product quality and precise weight accuracy, especially in industrial production, while remaining flexible for different types of dough. Another novelty is a multi-lane co-extrusion process for filling and forming stuffed products, highly flexible across various applications and products with a high filling content, the company underlines. A new multi-lane solution for continuous, oil-free dough dividing will also be showcased.
Solutions for other processes such as dosing, forming, and extruding will also be presented, supported by practical digitalization and automation features.
AMF will highlight its newest technology at iba, including its hydrogen oven and hybrid baking systems. AMF will showcase technology for dough make-up, proofing, baking and packaging, including: a high-seed bun make-up system, a mini Combo make-up system for breads and buns, a Tromp pizza pressing unit, side-injecting machines for buns and rolls, sheeting and laminating systems, complete pizza topping solutions, as well as continuous/tunnel ovens and slicing and bagging units.
The specialist will illustrate its focus on sustainability, digitalization, automation and hygiene. Live baking is also staged at the stand. “Optimizing processes to reduce energy use and minimize waste is crucial,“ AMF highlights.
The Austrian automation specialist prepares a full-scale demo of its MES system for iba, including how to measure and analyze production for efficiency improvements. Recipe management and the control of raw material handling systems will also be highlighted.
AutomationX observes: “A growing trend is using AI to support production planning and scheduling. Our priority is to offer a solution adapted to the bakery industry that meets all their requirements: Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) closes all open gaps between ERP systems – MES and the production equipment.” It is viewed as a necessity, which is why APS solutions to plan production independently from a single person in the production are an innovation driver.
“As production grows in complexity, there are fewer people available who have a total production overview. Hence, the need for software assistance,” Thomas Mühlehner underlines.
Another important focus for the solutions developed at AutomationX is supporting production teams with accurate information about the performance and quality of their production lines in real-time, to ensure deviations and breakdowns are handled in real-time.
At iba, BÖCKER highlights ready-to-use liquid sourdoughs. “Our range offers numerous alternatives with an extra flavor kick. These products are easy to dose, simple to use, and ensure consistent baked goods quality, without the need for complex sourdough management,” the specialist emphasizes.
Visitors will find a new product launch at the stand: the BÖCKER Wheat 100 Liquid, a new sourdough product with an intense aroma, suitable for mixed-type breads, hamburger buns, and toast bread. It achieves a distinctive flavor, with a clean label and no added salt. “Thanks to its high concentration, only a small dosage is needed. Its flexibility is evident in its suitability for all dough processes, including long fermentation and combined methods,” BÖCKER explains.
Every day, at 11 AM and 4 PM, the company’s bread sommelier, Martin Göttlich will present the BÖCKER Sourdough Language, a tool for precisely describing sourdough flavors.
Coating specialist COATRESA will showcase its new range of coatings, the Testrong PRO. They offer extra non-stick properties (lasting 25 % more time) and extra abrasion resistance (an added 10 % in hardness). “This shows that we keep innovation as a priority year after year,” says Eduard J. Castaño, VP of Marketing & Business Development.
COATRESA’s main priority is to develop solutions adapted to the products that each company bakes. “We are looking forward to welcoming all bakers to discuss their baking pan needs and to work together on any bakeware and coating solutions they may require. We will offer non-stick coatings tailored to each baking application, including PFAS-free options, long-lasting coatings, and high-performance solutions.”
Dawn Foods will unveil their highly anticipated Global Bakery Trends at iba, delving into consumer behavior, discussing macro industry influences, and spotlighting the latest market developments shaping the bakery landscape. “Four key trends will be highlighted, exploring their implications for businesses and innovation in the coming years,” Dawn says. A diverse range of solutions will be showcased, highlighting the synergy between Dawn’s and Royal Steensma’s product portfolios for sweet bakery inspiration and innovation.
Dawn’s Total Donut Solutions, Total Cake Solutions and the new Total Cookie Solutions will be featured, showcasing new inspiration with flavor and texture twists and creative combinations with the added Royal Steensma categories Souplesse (flexible fat-based coating), Chocuise (hard set fat-based coating) and Candied Fruit. The Dawn Balance® range will be exhibited, featuring better-for-you solutions that cater to evolving consumer preferences. Innovations like Pak Perfect® Donut Glaze and Pak Perfect® Icing, both with non-sticky properties, will also be showcased.
HEUFT specialists will share their expertise on topics including energy, thermal oil, artisan and industrial baking oven systems. The stand will highlight recovery, full energy management and the company’s new, hybrid heat exchanger. “We share all advantages of our preferred heat transfer medium, thermal oil, which enables all types of heat transfer,” HEUFT details.
Solutions from its sister company, ICECOOL, will also be exhibited at the stand. Application technicians from both companies will bake live. “Baking will take place in HEUFT ovens, while cooling and proofing will be carried out in our ICECOOL systems. Let’s engage in an active exchange!”
ICECOOL experts will present environmentally friendly refrigerants and their proofing and cooling systems, including the latest promising refrigerants, such as CO2, which has a low GWP value of just 1. All ICECOOL technologies, from cooling, freezing and conditioning systems to blast freezers, use sustainable refrigerants such as CO2 or R455A.
The SLOWPROOFER will be on display, a technology supporting a long and cool proofing process.
Information about the FRESHBAKER cooling system is also detailed at the stand, a cooling system that ensures consistently available bread of top quality.
The FRESHBAKER cooling system is also presented, which excels at time-independent bread pre-production.
The ingredient specialist sees opportunities in plant-based alternatives that enrich food culture instead of just giving up on some products: “End consumers expect a plant-based diet to offer variety, individuality, new textures and flavors that go far beyond pure imitation meat. New ideas from the VEGRAIN product range are a must at IREKS, where cereals provide the ideal basis for creative, plant-based snack pastries and dishes that offer variety,” the specialist observes.
‘Food moments’ make another trend IREKS focuses on, as baked goods can become a unique and unusual experience, a reward and a social media highlight. IREKS will also share its know-how to support the ‘Tastes of the World’ growing trend.
With the ‘Innovation and Sustainability’ theme, Kwik Lok showcases efficient and environmentally conscious solutions at iba, including eco-friendly closure options. “For high volume bakers, come see our fully automatic bagger designed with fewer moving parts for less maintenance and lower costs. It offers unparalleled speed and reliability for high volume operations,” Kwik Lok anticipates. For in-store and artisan bakery, Kwik Lok is also showing the countertop 093 semi-automatic bag closure: “Spend less time closing bags and more time baking and taking care of customers.” 2-D barcodes on Kwik Lok labels will also be presented, for their role in supporting product safety and serve as a communication tool to build consumer trust, expand marketing and branding to help boost sales.
Lantech will exhibit automated case-packing solutions. The manufacturer of end-of-line packaging machines will demonstrate a case-handling unit designed for efficient packaging and shipping of bakery and confectionery products. The C1000 case erector produces up to 30 cases per minute with flexible dimensions. It maintains a 90-degree angle regardless of the nature of the corrugated board, changing temperatures and humidity levels, and varying blank dimensions. The case bottom can be sealed with either hot melt or tape.
Loryma will introduce stabilizer systems that can replace egg and milk – LoryÒ Stab, with additional functional benefits. Ingredients that add to nutritional characteristics will also be unveiled: “Lory® Protein and Lory® Starch Elara can boost the protein or fiber content while reducing the carb count,” it says.
Loryma also presents specialty starches that can support the adhesion of seeds and toppings and provide a great shine or browning on baked goods. Its specialists will hold daily presentations and share insights on May 21, in the lecture area.
Meraner Mühle will put gluten-free products and Italian bread in the spotlight at iba this year, introducing gluten-free panettone and dumplings, in addition to its other gluten-free product solutions for muffins, croissants, pizza, flatbreads, grains, white and pretzel breads. The company will present its offer of gluten-free raw materials and mixes for bread and baked goods. The blends can also be produced in organic quality, on request.
The mill’s Lievito Madre natural yeast is produced in its factory in Lana, South Tyrol. It achieves increased dough tolerance and elasticity, acting as a natural baking improver. A wide range of products will be showcased at iba, made with the Lievito Madre natural yeast for a variety of applications, including ciabatta bread, panettone, pizza, pinsa and focaccia.
With the concept ‘Bake the world a little better’, RAPS introduces new solutions, such as improved savory fillings that offer various flavor options for ready-to-eat pastries. Furthermore, “We have created a new concept for adding flavor and color to the dough, with our new liquid ‘Magic Bakery’ products,” the company says. Savory fillings (including vegan) based on vegetables, herbs, meat, fish, or dairy products will be highlighted. Besides the Fresh Line, seasonings and bindings for pies, strudels or other snacks will also be showcased.
The RAPS Coatec process will also be presented, providing materials with a protective layer that shields them from external influences such as temperature, moisture and oxidation. The encapsulation of acids and carbonates allows for the controlled release of ingredients.
This year, SOLLICH KG highlights efficiency with high machine availability and improved handling, focusing on the easy and efficient cleaning of its machines and digitalization. The Enromat® M6-1050 with a new electronic reproducibility aid for mechanical settings (a patented feature) will be exhibited at the show. It has an eccentric decorator SED 1050 to produce a variety of embossed decorations at the outfeed. The system is complemented by a Thermo-Flow®+ KSK 1400 cooling tunnel. A Minicoater MC 420 enrober will run live demonstrations, with an automated decorating device. The Sollcodrop® ST drop molding system will also be on display; it is used to produce chocolate drops of 3 mm and larger. The SweetConnect® platform, allowing users to centrally manage all their production machines, will also be presented.
In the Middleby Bakery Group area, Sveba Dahlen will introduce several new developments. Among them is the SD Amigo – a Smart Control Panel that will be included as standard on the D-Series deck ovens. “With SD Amigo, we have created a control panel that truly makes bakers’ daily work easier,” says Åsa Ericsson, Marketing Manager, Sveba Dahlen.
Several machines will be on display at the stand, including the Rack Oven V-Series, a powerful gas-powered rack oven, which is also available in electric and oil-powered versions. The Exodraft will be introduced, an intelligent energy solution for gas-fired rack ovens and tunnel ovens. With advanced heat recovery technology, Exodraft reduces energy consumption, operating costs, and CO2 emissions. The D-Series deck oven, model D32E, featuring the new SD Amigo control panel and a built-in proofing, will be shown. The S-Series model SRP242, features a combination where the rack oven is gas-powered for the first time in 2025, by popular demand.
The Glimek Bread Line will run live demos several times a day.
Syntegon will present its solutions for cookie and cracker production. “Our stand at the trade fair reflects current market requirements for flexible, automated packaging solutions for an ever-increasing variety of products,” the company anticipates. The heart of the booth will be the new FGCT high-speed count feeder for sandwich cookies, which will have its European premiere at iba. It efficiently groups cookies and loads them into trays while significantly reducing product damage and food waste. It features highly automated technology for maximum flexibility and sustainability.
Innovation at Syntegon is primarily driven by three key developments, the company emphasizes: the increasing demand for sustainable packaging solutions, the growing variety of products on the market and the increasing need to automate production.
Verhoeven’s stand will highlight thinking outside the box, illustrated by three of its concepts: turnkey solutions, vacuum cooling & baking systems, and bread recycling solutions. The company introduces a new concept that illustrates the third category: RepeatLoaf – The Final Concept. “This innovative machine concept is a fully automated process to ferment return bread. Within 24 hours, the bread is converted into a dry, stockable powder. The end product has many applications, as an alternative to flour, as decoration or to enrich dough,” Verhoeven explains. A new experience is also in the works: a meeting with Verhoeven’s Avatar Astronaut Baker. Vactoria Verhoeven will introduce herself as the new Vacuum Operational Assistant. Vacuum cooling & baking solutions will be demonstrated live.
The group of companies comprising WIESHEU, WACHTEL ABT, Atollspeed, Winnovation and CoBa AfterSales will display their combined expertise in hot-air, deck, rack and hybrid technology.
With its rack and deck ovens, WACHTEL addresses the needs of bakery production facilities. With its in-store baking ovens, WIESHEU focuses on in-store baking at the POS, including branch operations of bakeries and bakery shops as well as food retailers and the convenience sector.
The expertise of both companies are particularly reflected in the jointly developed Dibas blue2 PICCOLO C combination – with the hot-air baking technology of the Dibas blue2 from WIESHEU and the PICCOLO Pro Plus deck oven from WACHTEL. The Atollspeed H series of appliances are also on show.
With the theme ‘We move baking’, WP BAKERYGROUP will present artificial intelligence-supported solutions for the entire baking process, focusing on AI-optimized automation and digitalization.
The concepts will be presented via multimedia content at five theme-oriented WP FutureLabs and can be experienced interactively. There, the companies of the WP BAKERYGROUP, WP Bakery Technologies, WP Haton, WP Industrial Bakery Technologies, WP Kemper and WP Riehle will present the AI-supported baking process. The only equipment at the stand links the present with the future: the intelligent WP Kemper mixer. The AI-supported sensor and control system knows how to guide the dough mixing process with different raw material and environmental parameters, just like experienced employees. The fast, intensive mixing of the ingredients and high energy input produce high-quality doughs with the three-zone kneading principle. The WP InnovationCube is the focus of the 500 sqm stand.
