Groundbreaking Ceremony to Start Construction of the Koehler Group Innovation Campus
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Construction work has begun on the new technology building that will become the innovation campus of the Koehler Group. This momentous occasion was rung in symbolically by the group’s COO Dr. Stefan Karrer and the management team of Koehler Innovation & Technology in a groundbreaking ceremony. The new functional building is being constructed on the factory premises at the Koehler Group’s headquarters in Oberkirch. It is scheduled to be completed in late 2023 and will have a total surface area of 1,375 m2 . The new facilities will provide enough space for all Koehler Research & Development employees in one place.
Centralization and expansion of Koehler’s innovation and research activities
In keeping with the motto “innovation through investment,” the new building will meet the highest structural and technical standards in order to create the best possible working environment for Koehler Innovation & Technology, the research and development arm of the Koehler Group. In the process, the various laboratory areas will be merged and centralized to create synergies and boost the agility of the innovation and research division. Dr. Stefan Karrer, COO of the Koehler Group, explains: “Concentrating our technology division in one building at one location will not only underline our sustainable corporate development, but will also significantly optimite the entire processes in our facilities. And what’s more, it allows us to create an environment where innovation can flourish. This will help propel us to pioneer status in the development of paper-based solutions.”
A cutting-edge workspace and laboratory environment where innovation can flourish
The four-story building will contain ultra-modern workspaces, laboratories, and technical rooms. “Laboratories have specific requirements, such as precisely defined climatic conditions,” explains Michael Trautmann, Corporate Director Central Plant Engineering of the Koehler Group. “The systems have been designed for the greatest possible energy efficiency using the very latest technology. For this reason, heat recovery systems and the use of heat pump technology are being incorporated.”
A modern and high-density laboratory environment will be created on the first floor and in the basement, while our analytics department is located on the first floor. Additional, flexible open workspaces outside the lab areas will be created on all floors. These will serve not only as places for communication, but also as documentation zones, in other words places of retreat where researchers can evaluate and document their experiments.
Significant investments enable Koehler to explore new, interconnected research opportunities The modern and innovative workspace and laboratory environment will provide the perfect conditions for developing and analyzing the sustainable papers produced by Koehler Paper, as well as evaluating their recyclability. These are the foundations for the development of sustainable, paper-based solutions for a circular economy, and this is what will give Koehler a competitive advantage. In a highly collaborative process between the laboratory, the technical center, and recycling partners such as the Koehler Paper factory in Greiz, pioneering products for the future can be created in this way – something which has already been proven by the innovative and fully recyclable Blue4est® thermal paper. Dr. Markus Wildberger, Corporate Director Koehler Innovation & Technology, adds: “We have significantly expanded our analytics department and our sensor technology, as well as making significant investments in analytical equipment. This has opened up new research opportunities to us. In technology terms, Koehler is in an excellent position. With the new innovation campus, which will soon consist of a total of 3 building complexes, we will be able to fully exploit our potential."”
The analytics area with bio-laboratory and sensor technology room is the highlight of the new innovation campus
One of the building’s highlights will be the analytics area, with an integrated sensor panel for evaluating packaging materials in direct contact with foodstuffs. Odor and taste tests will be performed on paperpackaged products, such as Ritter Sport chocolate bars, while olfactory tests will be conducted both by trained personnel and with the aid of cutting-edge analytical equipment. Another feature worth mentioning is the planned bio-laboratory, where investigations into the biodegradability of raw materials and paper-based products will be conducted under representative standard conditions.
