Bühler Southern Africa supplies manufacturing equipment, solutions and services to various industry sectors including the mining and power industries, as well as the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), food and feed production sectors, and manufacturers of advanced materials.
Marco Sutter, MD, Bühler Southern Africa.
MD Marco Sutter says opportunities in strengthening local supply chains, especially within food processing and agribusiness, will be the main focus for the company in 2025. “The African market remains key, with ongoing growth in the staple foods like maize as well as rice and pulses, driven by increasing demand for locally produced, high-quality food products.” In addition, the mining and infrastructure sectors present opportunities to deploy innovative technologies that enhance operational efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
The African market is essential to Bühler’s growth strategy. With a young and rapidly growing population, the continent offers significant opportunities to build resilient food systems and manufacturing hubs. “Our focus is on delivering tailored solutions that address local challenges as well as enabling scalability and sustainability. Meeting the needs of this market also aligns with Bühler’s mission to feed the world sustainably,” says Sutter.
Sustainability remains core to Bühler’s vision. In 2025, it plans to enhance its green supply chain initiatives by localising more manufacturing processes, so reducing transportation-related emissions. “Collaborating closely with our partners, we remain committed to achieving carbon-neutral production by 2030 and continuously improving the energy efficiency of our solutions. Aligned with our sustainability goals, we aim to reduce energy, water, and waste in our customers' value chains by 50% by 2025 and decrease greenhouse gas emissions in our own operations by 60% by 2030,” says Sutter.
He acknowledges that last year was a challenging year, shaped by various external factors. Elections across many African countries brought a degree of uncertainty, and rising steel prices, increased transport costs, and limited access to foreign exchange in several regions presented significant hurdles. “Despite these challenges, Bühler remained resilient, focusing on innovation and customer-centric solutions,” he adds.
The company saw steady demand in the food and beverage sector, particularly in the staple foods markets and grain storage, as the need for efficient and sustainable food systems continues to grow. In the mining sector it saw strong demand driven by the need for material handling solutions and an increasing focus on energy-efficient technologies. “Looking ahead, we aim to strengthen local supply chains and drive sustainable practices to support our customers and communities effectively,” Sutter says.
Bühler also embarked on various upgrades at its Johannesburg facility last year. Francois Knoetze, Head of Manufacturing, says these included installing First in First out (FIFO) racking to improve stock use, new compressors to ensure greater energy efficiency in compressed air production, and new welding machines. Knoetze points out that Bühler’s customers will benefit from the increased throughput and shorter lead times for delivery enabled by the upgrades.
Continuing to spend up to 5% of turnover on research and development a year, Bühler aims to develop innovative technologies, machines, and services for the food, feed, agriculture and mobility industries. This differentiates it in the market, delivering high performance, productivity, reliability, and improved sustainability.
For more information visit: www.buhlergroup.com
