Federal Councillor Schneider-Ammann visits CTI innovation projects
Uzwil, 04.09.2015 - Federal Councillor Johann N. Schneider-Ammann visited the machinery and plant manufacturing company, Bühler AG in Uzwil today. The purpose of his visit was to gain a first-hand insight into two projects supported by the Commission for Technology and Innovation (CTI) that the company is carrying out on manufacturing a new kind of low fat chocolate and on optimising coffee bean roasting processes. Here he saw the result of successful collabo-ration between research and business in the field of innovation. In addition, he discussed with the management of this export-oriented company the importance of innovation and the challeng-es presented by the strong value of the Swiss franc.
Bühler AG, together with Coop’s Chocolats Halba division and the ETH Zurich, has developed an innovative process for manufacturing chocolate that considerably reduces the proportion of cocoa butter in the end-product while using the same ingredients and without losing the qualities of con-sistency and taste – which Mr Schneider-Ammann was able to verify himself. This new type of choco-late is currently in the early stages of development and is not yet on the market. The partners are now working on a follow-up project to scale up the process for industrial production. In the second CTI project presented to the federal councillor, Bühler AG has developed a new coffee bean roasting and grinding process, which optimises the roasting process in terms of flexibility and the means of con-trolling roasting profiles and flavour.
Mr Schneider-Ammann was impressed by the collaboration between research and industry. In the subsequent discussion he stressed the importance of innovation, saying: “Especially given the strong value of the franc, it is crucially important to promote innovation because innovation makes the Swiss economy competitive and in turn safeguards jobs. Collaboration between business and research is key.” The project partners also emphasised the importance of an economic environment that encour-ages business start-ups – one that must ensure access to international knowhow. Furthermore, they said, Swiss companies could further strengthen their market position by distinguishing themselves from their competitors through the “Swiss made” label.
Address for enquiries
Marco Peter
CTI Communications
media@kti.admin.ch
058 462 83 63
Publisher
Commission for Technology and Innovation - as of 1.1.2018 Innosuisse – Swiss Innovation Promotion Agency
http://www.kti.admin.ch
