Tobias Rosenbaum

The food industry faces growing pressure from increasingly strict requirements for product safety and variety, combined with the need to operate efficiently and cost‑effectively. In my experience, resolving these conflicting demands requires excellent communication and close collaboration within project teams. Especially in the early project phases, I place great importance on a clear methodology and the right combination of expertise across project partners and networks.

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For me as an engineer, the food factory of the future always begins with a well‑designed process concept. This includes the intelligent selection and configuration of production technologies, machinery and systems. Interfaces and scalability must be considered from the outset. Despite increasing complexity, robustness and operational reliability must remain the top priority, including RAMS considerations. Even rapidly growing segments such as alternative proteins can rely on proven process technologies, provided they are combined in a structured and well‑thought‑out way.

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During site visits, I often see that food production facilities are less automated than comparable plants in other industries and still operate without modern transport and warehouse logistics. Consistent automation and integrated intralogistics, rather than fragmented solutions, are critical success factors, especially in brownfield expansions. They shorten material routes, reduce land usage and ensure reliable delivery capacity for a growing and increasingly diverse product portfolio.

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Rising energy costs, future CO₂ pricing, limited building space and stricter regulatory requirements make sustainability a decisive success factor for industrial projects and a key driver for new investments. However, sustainability in industrial construction goes far beyond installing photovoltaic systems on factory roofs. Significant economic advantages can be achieved through the thermal and electrical integration of production processes with building services and plant infrastructure, often combined with eligibility for public funding. In the future, projects will not succeed despite sustainability, but because of it.

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For owners, investors and financiers alike, robust projects are essential. Clear supply and service interfaces, transparent project management and reliable partners offering binding cost and schedule guarantees form the foundation for successful investments.