AGRANA Opens Research & Innovation Center in Tulln
11 Sep 2014 --- The grand opening of the new AGRANA Research & Innovation Center (ARIC) in Tulln today signals the beginning of a new chapter for AGRANA research. With these new premises, the global sugar, starch and fruit company AGRANA has combined all research and innovation activities of ‘Zuckerforschung Tulln’ (ZFT), previously at different geographical locations, and the Innovation and Competence Center (ICC) under one roof in Tulln.
This will create synergies for cross-divisional research focal areas such as nutrition physiology, sweeteners and aromas, microbiology, product quality and safety, and organic products. Furthermore, this new AGRANA research headquarters enables an ideal connection to universities and their graduates.
“The field of research and development has always been an important part of AGRANA’s success. Efficient research provides a competitive edge in the market and our passion for innovation has always given us the opportunity to outperform the industry average.
An important rule here has always been the following: innovation must provide the best solution at the right time in the market – otherwise it has no chance of becoming a reality,” says Johann Marihart, CEO of AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG, emphasising the importance of R&D for the Group.
The AGRANA Research & Innovation Center is active as an international provider of research and development services, as well as services in the areas of sugar, food, starch, organic and fruit technology, and microbiology.
Working closely with its customers, the company develops new formulas, special products and new application possibilities for existing products. The new research facility also offers its specialised R&D expertise to third parties, serving as a state-accredited laboratory for quality control for sugar beet and bioethanol analytics. ARIC is a wholly owned subsidiary of AGRANA Beteiligungs-AG and is managed as an independent company.
60 employees work on various research projects in an area of around 4,000 m2. The amount invested in the expansion of the research facility in Tulln totalled approximately four million euros.
