30 May 2024 Dohler’s major new investment in Paarl
German foodbev flavour giant Döhler is deepening its commitment to the African market with a major expansion of its Paarl plant in South Africa. Your editor was at the opening ceremony on 16 May 2024…
“Impressed, very impressed!” Those were my key thoughts on touring this fabulous new plant, gleaming with tons of stainless steel and miles of piping on the site of the old Filmatic factory in Paarl Industrial.
The second key thought was, in these troubled times, “What a great vote of confidence in the Western Cape, in South Africa and regionally, and in the growth scope offered by SA and Africa further afield.”
The new factory, at a capex of over R400m to date to complete phase one (the exact sum is not available), is close to Döhler SA’s original plant in Paarl and features state-of-the-art production lines, bulk refrigerated storage, packaging and blending facilities and R&D labs. It will handle compounds and emulsions as well as powdered and liquid flavours, and substantially increases the company’s capability for processing bulk juice concentrate.
It also means customers will now have direct access to Dohler’s complete portfolio of compounds – showing its commitment to being at the forefront of the foodbev, life science and nutrition sectors in the region.
Akram Sabbah, GM for Southern & Eastern Africa, emphasised the strategic significance of the expansion, stating, “The Paarl plant has been an integral part of Döhler’s success in Africa. This expansion reflects our dedication to meeting the evolving needs of our customers, and it positions us for even greater accomplishments in the future.”
Jochen Bitzel, a member of the Executive Board, expressed enthusiasm about the expansion’s potential, adding, “We are excited about the potential this expansion brings. It significantly increases our production capacity. This strong boost in capability enables us to better serve our customers across Africa and solidify our position as industry leaders.”
The expansion of Döhler’s plant in Paarl was officially inaugurated on May 16 with a ceremony attended by customers, prominent industry figures, the Drakenstein executive mayor and the Consul General of the German Consulate in Cape Town.
Caption to lead photo: Architect’s impression of the plant when Phase 2 & 3 are complete.
Paarl-based Sirius Engineering was appointed Consulting Project Engineers for the project, responsible for the design and construction of new bulk storage facilities, a highly automated process and packing plant, services and utilities as well as general warehousing and logistics facilities.
The project team is working closely with Döhler management and its international Central Engineering Team to ensure that Döhler standards are met in every aspect.