The latest technical equipment in conjunction with commitment and know-how as a contract manufacturer is the basis of our success.
The SternMaid factory in Wittenburg, near Hamburg, has already been enlarged several times. Our skills acquired in the course of many years and our know-how as a contract blending company are reflected in the production plant. All the technical equipment conforms to the latest standards. That makes us extremely flexible and enables us to offer contract production of the highest quality even if deadlines are short.
Our contract production plant: fully automated production lines of the latest design. More …
On three fully automated production lines of the latest design, operated by means of a central process control and visual display system, we blend all manner of different formulations. An unbroken chain of documentation, strict adherence to formulations and safe and reliable processing go without saying. The three completely separate compounding lines enable us to work on different orders at the same time without the risk of cross-contamination.
Micro-dosing technology for working in liquid substances. More …
The latest micro-dosing technology, some of it developed by SternMaid itself, enables us to work liquid substances into the powder mixtures too. This can be done so accurately that extremely fine distribution of the particles is ensured at all times.
Feeding station for sacks and big bags. More …
This is where the active ingredients and their various carriers are fed in through hoppers without causing dust. These substances are then ready for further conveyance by a suction weighing system. The feed hoppers are fitted with suction filters, and a vibrating floor ensures that the material is withdrawn reliably and dosed evenly into the pneumatic conveyor systems.
Pneumatically filled dosing containers. More …
The pneumatically filled dosing containers are placed on the station as required by the formulation. This automation system for small quantities, designed by us, weighs concentrates of active substances automatically and accurately to the gram. Frequency-regulated dosing screws pass the substances on to extremely precise small-component balances, where they await automatic conveyance by the suction weighing system.
Special suction weighing systems. More …
The suction weighing systems fill the blenders with carrier materials from the feeding hoppers as well as the concentrates of active ingredients. This suction technology makes it possible to combine a very large number of components with different grain sizes and physical structures in the compounder and then blend them homogeneously.
Barcode-controlled high-bay warehouse. More …
Our warehouse also operates according to the latest principles and with maximum precision. It is barcode-controlled. That makes it possible to check incoming and outgoing movements of goods in real time and speed up handling enormously. By using this technology we are able to offer our customers a minimum stock administration service.
The new unit with fluid-bed technology makes a wide range of processing methods possible.
With the introduction of fluid bed technology, SternMaid will be able to offer drying, granulating, agglomerating and coating as a new range of services. It will enable us to spray enzyme solutions onto wheat flour, apply vitamins to carriers or encapsulate probiotic micro-organisms with a protective and functional shell of fat. Read more about the fluid-bed dryer.
Filling lines for small packs and large containers.
Our small pack lines fill cans and tubs, tubular and block-bottom bags and folding boxes of different sizes. Sacks, fibreboard boxes, drums, big bags or a silo: we can fill products or transfer them from any initial container into any other, just as you wish. Read more about our filling lines for small packs and large containers.
GMP certified counter-current container blending unit for highly sensitive products.
SternMaid has a new compounding unit for baby food, food supplements, vitamin mixtures and other highly sensitive products. The new high-tech plant has a number of special structural features and control systems in order to combine maximum safety with the greatest possible flexibility in respect of the range of products and batch sizes. Read more about our blending unit for highly sensitive products.
Handling of raw materials
- Acceptance of raw materials from silo vehicles or in big bags or loose containers
- Physically separate conveyance of raw materials to prevent cross-contamination
- Dosing of raw materials directly to the blenders through separate pipe systems
- Automatic “Dositainer” feeding system for very small quantities. Quick availability of products through storage according to raw materials and built-in dosing system. Simple changing of products without residues.
- A wide range of raw materials in stock enables synergisms in purchasing
Blending technology
- Blending units with cutting heads and spraying, heating and cooling devices
- Extremely fine, homogeneous distribution of ingredients under gentle production conditions. Blending accuracy as high as 1:100,000
- Possibility of working in liquid substances through special nozzles as 0.01 to 60 % of the formulation
- Pilot blending plant for quantities from 25 to 2,000 kg
- Three separate blending lines for different products and quantities
- Feeding and process technology with the latest process control and visual display systems
- Fully automatic feeding of the blenders within extremely narrow tolerances; even dosing accurate to the gram
- Computer-aided, operator-controlled hand weighing system for micro-ingredients and raw materials not capable of automatic conveyance
- Batch-by-batch documentation of setpoint/actual values in weighing
- Counter-current container blending unit designed to pharmaceutical standards for extremely sensitive applications