SIG, a leading systems and solutions provider for aseptic packaging, has inaugurated a technology centre at Dubai Silicon Oasis (DSO), in collaboration with SPX Flow, as part of its 20th anniversary celebrations in the MEA region.
The hub was opened at SIG’s regional headquarters in DSO on the eve of Gulfood Manufacturing 2021, in the presence of SIG CEO Samuel Sigrist, Deputy CEO Juma Al-Matrooshi and Gerard Lang, SPX Flow’s vice-president of Nutrition & Health Systems.
Mr Sigrist said: “As we celebrate our 20th anniversary in MEA, we are looking to lead the next era of growth and boost food and beverage innovation in the region and beyond.
“Together with our customers and partners, we will continue to focus on developing the sector, embedding cutting edge technology and sustainability, and creating world-class innovations.”
Dr Matrooshi said: “SIG’s new technology innovation centre will act as an incubator for talent from all over the world and a global hub for launching successful ideas through creativity, technology, training, innovation, and testing.
“This is in line with the UAE’s vision for its next phase of growth: Projects of the 50. Our leadership has placed innovation, digital, technical, and scientific excellence at the centre of this vision and to make the country the ‘capital of the future’. SIG’s launch today supports the pillars of this vision: talent, companies and investments in these sectors.”
Mr Lang added: “We are very proud of our strategic collaboration with SIG to develop and manufacture engineered process solutions. SPX Flow provided our UHT Pilot System, capable of processing increasingly popular products, such as dairy, grains, fruits, and even nuts to exacting specifications for the dairy and food industry and food consumers.F&B producers can capitalise on growth opportunities while benefitting from better plant performance, product quality and time to market.”
The SIG Technology Centre is designed to assist established F&B leaders from the region and back budding entrepreneurs looking at starting up their food and beverage businesses. Its avant-garde extrusion, innovative quality measurement system, advanced testing equipment, and future digital technology capacities allow faster development and validation of new products and packaging that meet the ever-increasing consumer demand for sustainability.
Ahead of the opening, the centre was granted a Platinum LEED certification by the Green Building Certification Institute and awarded an industrial license by Dubai Municipality to produce fruit-flavoured drinks, fruit juices and dairy products. Customers can take advantage of SIG’s operation and expertise to design and launch new products into the market. SIG can also co-pack products within its customers’ existing portfolio.
The plant also offers F&B companies flexibility in processing and filling, sizes, types of products, including food, beverages with and without particles using SIG’s exclusive drinksplus solution. The plant can also produce Heat&Go products that can be heated in a microwave. Plant-based beverages, milk drinks, on-the-go breakfast drinks, sauces, creams, juice with particles, and functional ambient yoghurts are some examples of the vast variety of products that can be produced at the Technology Centre at DSO.
Customers and shareholders will also be able to use this modern, trendy location for training and meetings.