CULEMBORG, THE NETHERLANDS — Rademaker Bv announced plans to open a new facility in Chicago to better serve its customers in the North American market. 

“The North American market has always been a major contributor to Rademaker globally, and this expansion reinforces our position as the industry leader,” said Eric Riggle, Rademaker USA president. “The facility will allow us to offer even more support and services to our customers in the US and Canada.”

The instability of the pandemic and other global events in the past few years led Rademaker to strengthen its presence in North America. In addition to the Chicago facility, which is expected to be fully operational in Q3 of 2023, Rademaker hired Burt Vanmiddelem as director of sales of Canada in 2022. 

With approximately 50,000 square feet, the facility in Chicago will offer customers expanded service, spare parts and training on a variety of Rademaker equipment. The facility’s Client Experience Center will allow customers and potential customers to test and validate their products on a variety of Rademaker equipment. 

The opening of this new facility will coincide with the launch of Rademaker’s Radini line of equipment, which serves small to mid-sized wholesale bakeries looking to incorporate automation either partially or fully into their operations. Radini encompasses a sheeting line, laminator, universal makeup line, artisan bread line and a croissant-shaping module. Radini is best-suited for production capacities ranging between 400 and 1,000 kg of dough per hour. 

“The Radini line serves a segment of the industry that Rademaker has not been known for, but we should be,” Mr. Riggle explained. “The craft artisan regional wholesale baker is a market that we’ve seen has been underserved.” 

The Radini line will be a standardized platform that customers can tailor to their products and capacities.   In addition to the Radini line, the Client Experience Center will also include an artisan bread line and donut line. Eventually Rademaker hopes to add machine assembly and manufacturing at the Chicago facility.