After years of research, WP Kemper and Zeppelin Systems announced a strategic partnership that matches prehydration with an advanced batch mixer to reduce mixing times by up to 50% with industrial capacity of up to 4.8 tons per hour, according to the companies.

Specifically, the two equipment manufacturers are combining Zeppelin’s DymoMix prehydration system — often used with continuous mixing or as a standalone system for liquid sponge or sponge and dough — with WP Kemper’s Kronos bowl mixing system.

“The idea was to bring the best out of two different worlds. Zeppelin for one side, the real expert for continuous kneading, and Kemper, on the other side, the expert for batch kneading,” said Michael Euler, managing director, WP Kemper.

Mr. Euler added that the two systems not only enhance dough quality, but also provide a solution for the skilled labor gap in the workforce.

“You prehydrate all of the ingredients via the DymoMix feeding the kneader, and all the operator has to do is press one button, and the machine will stop itself at the ideal point to reach the optimal development of the dough,” he said.

At iba, which was held Sept. 15-20 in Munich, WP Kemper featured a 240 kg mixer that also comes in a 400 kg size. Multiple mixers can be combined with the Zeppelin prehydration system to increase capacity or provide resting time for specialty breads. WP Kemper tested the combined technology at Zeppelin’s facility in Germany.

Stephen Marquardt, director of food processing plants, Zeppelin Systems USA, noted the DymoMix can incorporate all of the dry ingredients, including flour, minors and micros with water and other liquids, including cream yeast and preferments. The system blends dry ingredients, then prehydrates the complete batch into the WP Kemper mixer. The batch may then be incorporated with oil and any delayed additions.

“We can run everything through the system, not just flour and water,” Mr. Marquardt said. “Because we don’t use high-pressure pumps, we can incorporate all of the ingredients, and we can add liquids from 10 to 150 baker’s percent.  You don’t have to add the yeast and minor ingredients at a second stage. It’s already done. As a bonus, we eliminate dusting issues that normally take place when the flour is added to the bowl.”

Patricia Kennedy, president of WP Bakery Group USA, suggested the two technologies could enhance capacity and product quality, even with high-moisture doughs. “People are going to realize that there is now a solution that allows them to get far more throughput in batch mixing than they had in the past,” she said.