Cheese plant ordered

APV has been awarded a contract for one of the largest capacity cheese plant orders it has ever undertaken. The cheese plant, worth more than 17 million euros, commissioned by the Mlekpol Dairy Group, is also one of the largest projects in Polish dairy history.

The dairy is based in the North East of Poland and is currently producing cheese, milk, fermented products and milk/whey powder. Three years ago, the decision was taken to extend the site to create a state-of-the-art cheese processing plant for the production of European soft cheeses.

The Mlekpol dairy cooperative is the largest dairy in Poland and includes seven dairies in the north-eastern part of the country. They are a market leader in UHT milk with a market share of 35% exporting a third of their production to countries such as Italy, France, Germany, Netherlands, Czech Republic and the UK. They also export their hard cheeses, milk and whey powder, and butter.

The order is for a complete cheese processing line including everything from milk reception through to the exit of the brining system. The line is fully automated using Wonderware FactorySuite and includes upfront milk pasteurisation and standardisation, APV cheese vats, OPD pre-press, APV Sanipress and the brining system.

APV is also providing a complete whey handling system including membrane plants to produce whey protein concentrates and a microparticulation plant that will produce the APV LeanCreme products. APV will also provide a CIP (cleaning in place) system to clean the new and existing plant.

The daily raw milk input to the plant is 1.4 million litres producing 7680 Euroblock (15.75 kg) cheeses and 38,400 loaf (3.15 kg) cheeses per day.

The project is scheduled to take 16 months with the first cheeses being produced after 12 months.