Bucher Process wins major order from China
October 12, 2007 | by Bucher
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October 12, 2007, Bucher Process, a division of Bucher Industries, has won a major order worth a total of CHF 21 million with an option for another CHF 9 million from the world's largest apple juice producer, Shaanxi Hengxing Fruit Juice Co. Ltd. in China, to supply state-of-the- art milling and pressing technology for producing apple juice concentrate.
Established in 1997 in the old imperial city of Xian, Shaanxi Hengxing Fruit Juice Co. Ltd. produces and exports some 180 000 tonnes of apple juice concentrate per annum and is planning to modernise eight of its ten factories over the next two years. A key factor in awarding the large contract to Bucher Process was the substantially higher juice extraction yield that can be achieved with the Bucher HPX press than with European and Chinese belt presses made by other manufacturers. As raw material prices have also risen sharply in China, so has the economic importance of juice extraction yield for apple juice production. With the modernisation programme, Hengxing will considerably increase the profitability of its production lines while also significantly enhancing hygiene in production thanks to the closed design of the Bucher presses. In the first half of 2008, Bucher Process will deliver fruit juice mills and presses worth a total of around CHF 21 million to six Hengxing factories in all. An option to modernise two more factories has been agreed for 2009, with an investment volume of about CHF 9 million.
This major order from Hengxing is the largest single contract ever secured for fruit juice processing equipment. The presses to be delivered in 2008 represent the average production in one year. Capacity has been expanded so that other customers can also be supplied with the proven press technology in time for the 2008 fruit harvest.
In 2007, Bucher Industries is celebrating its 200th anniversary commemorating its successful evolution from a blacksmith's shop to a global technology group with leading market positions in speciality areas of mechanical and vehicle engineering. The company's operations currently include specialised agricultural machinery, municipal vehicles, wine and fruit juice production equipment, hydraulic components, and production equipment for the glass container industry. Bucher Industries' shares are traded on the SWX Swiss Exchange (SWX: BUCN).
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Source: Bucher, Press release