Contract manufacturing of encapsulations, spray granulates and powder products for the food, feed, cosmetics and chemical industries
Erbo Spraytec AG
Bützberg (CH)New on Amplifa
About us
Erbo Spraytec AG is a contract manufacturer of powder products and granulates based in Bützberg, Switzerland, and part of the family-owned Erbo Group. Using fluidized bed technologies, the company converts liquids into powder form with defined physical and chemical properties. Core processes include spray granulation, spray congealing, matrix encapsulation, core/shell encapsulation, hot-melt coating, agglomeration and instantisation. Processed materials include water-soluble substances, fats and lipids, plant extracts as well as raw materials such as DL-methionine and choline chloride. In addition to contract production, the company offers product development on two pilot systems, a laboratory for quality control, milling and mixing as well as packaging and logistics services. The products are used worldwide in the food, feed, cosmetics and chemical industries.
- Site
- Bützberg
- Processes
- Spray granulation, Spray congealing, Matrix encapsulation, Core/shell encapsulation, Hot-melt coating, Agglomeration, Instantisation, Microencapsulation
- Materials
- Water-soluble substances, Fats and lipids, Plant extracts, Plant material (leaves, seeds), DL-Methionine, Choline chloride, Fat powder with omega-3 fatty acids, Water-soluble substances (PP technology)
- Certificates
- ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 45001:2023, GMP+ Feed Safety Assurance (FSA), GMP+ Feed Responsibility Assurance (FRA) – GMO Controlled, FSSC 22000 (ISO 22000:2018, ISO/TS 22002-1:2009, Version 6), Kosher, Halal, GMO controlled, EnAW certificate for decarbonization (participant since 2003, roadmap for, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, FSSC 22000, GMP+ FSA / FRA
- Founded
- 1972
- Industries
- Food industry, Animal feed industry, Cosmetics industry, Chemical industry
- 01
Customer meeting / project definition
- 02
R&D work (laboratory, pilot systems PP-5 & MP-1)
- 03
Raw material procurement
- 04
Milling & mixing
- 05
Fluidized bed spray technology (granulation, encapsulation, coating)
- 06
Quality control
- 07
Packaging
- 08
Warehousing & shipping
Materials & Processes
Water-soluble substances (PP technology)
Bottom-spray spouted bed processes at process air temperatures of +30 to +230 °C, among other applications for granulation and instantisation.
Fats and lipids (MP technology)
Top-spray fluidized bed processes at -20 to +70 °C, among other applications for spray congealing and hot-melt coating.
DL-Methionine
Base material of the rumen-protected proprietary product ERBO-Methionine for ruminants.
Choline chloride
Base material of the rumen-protected proprietary product ERBO-Choline.
Plant extracts and plant material
Encapsulation of plant extracts for livestock as well as milling of leaves and seeds down to approx. 0.5 mm.
Fat powder with omega-3 fatty acids
Rumen-protected fat powder with essential omega-3 fatty acids (ALIkon Omega-3 / ALIFET Omega-3).
Locations
Bützberg
CHHeadquarters, production and R&D site
- Lot size
- Pilot: from 2 kg; production: batch size ≥ 3 t, campaigns ≥ 10 t
- Materials
- Water-soluble substances, fats and lipids, plant extracts, DL-methionine, choline chloride
- Fluidized bed spray granulation system PP-500 (ProCell, bottom-spray)
- Fluidized bed spray system MP-11 (top-spray)
- Pilot system PP-5
- Pilot system MP-1
- Impact mill (particle size down to approx. 0.5 mm)
- Paddle mixer for dry components
Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spray granulationPlastics | – | – | – | from 2 kg (pilot system) – ≥ 10 tonnes per campaign | water-soluble substances |
| Spray congealingPlastics | – | – | – | – | fats, lipids |
| Matrix encapsulationPlastics | – | – | – | – | – |
| Core/shell encapsulationPlastics | – | – | – | – | – |
| Hot-melt coatingSurface | – | – | – | – | fats, lipids |
| AgglomerationPlastics | – | – | – | – | – |
| InstantisationPlastics | – | – | – | – | – |
| MicroencapsulationPlastics | – | – | – | – | – |
| Milling (impact mill, particle size down to approx. 0.5 mm)Plastics | – | – | – | – | plant material (leaves, seeds), coarser products |
| Mixing (paddle mixer, dry components)Plastics | – | – | – | – | powder components |
| Product development / R&D (pilot systems, laboratory)Engineering | – | – | – | Small quantities (from 2 kg) | – |
| Quality control (chemical and physical analyses)Testing | – | – | – | – | – |
| Packaging (bags 1-25 kg, bag-in-box 1-25 kg, big bags)Assembly | – | – | 1 kg – Big bags | – | – |
6 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fluidized bed spray granulation system (PP technology, bottom-spray spouted bed, ProCell) | PP-500 | 1 | – | 2009 | Bützberg, CH |
| Fluidized bed spray granulation system (MP technology, top-spray fluidized bed) | MP-11 | 1 | – | 1995 | Bützberg, CH |
| Pilot system fluidized bed spray technology (PP technology) | PP-5 | 1 | – | – | Bützberg, CH |
| Pilot system fluidized bed spray technology (MP technology) | MP-1 | 1 | – | – | Bützberg, CH |
| Impact mill | – | – | Particle size down to approx. 0.5 mm | – | Bützberg, CH |
| Paddle mixer | – | – | – | – | Bützberg, CH |
Additional services
Quality
A laboratory with equipment such as a particle size analyzer, laser microscope and GC is available for quality control. Properties of prototypes and products are verified on site using chemical and physical methods.
| Evidence | Bützberg |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | |
| ISO 14001 | |
| ISO 45001 | |
| FSSC 22000 | |
| GMP+ FSA / FRA | |
| Halal | |
| Kosher |
History
- 1912
Samuel Böhlen-Cottier lays the foundations of today's company with a small retail shop as supplier and trader.
- 1972
Founding and start of production of Alifet AG (today Erbo Spraytec AG); first spray tower in Switzerland for calf milk replacer powder.
- 1982
One of the first manufacturers worldwide to produce and market rumen-protected fat (ALIFET/ALIkon).
- 1995
Commissioning of the MP-11 fluidized bed spray system; matrix encapsulation and coating techniques for feed additives.
- 1998
Production and marketing of ERBO-Methionine and ERBO-Choline (rumen-protected).
- 2000
Production of encapsulated plant extracts for livestock through matrix encapsulation and coating.
- 2009
Opening of the second spray tower PP-500 (ProCell technology) for food, animal feed and cosmetic active ingredients.
- 2020
Construction and occupancy of a new multi-purpose building with offices, R&D rooms, laboratory capacity and space for new pilot systems.
- 2024
Construction of a third production system to expand the range of offerings.