Thanks to Bühler’s advanced digital solutions, Maestrani has achieved an impressive 18% increase in chocolate mass production while enhancing transparency and moving towards an innovative factory model.
With a heritage spanning 170 years, Maestrani produces more than 4500 tonnes of chocolate each year for its well-known brands, including Minor, Munz, and Maestrani. The company also attracts around 230,000 visitors annually to its Chocolarium World of Discovery in Flawil.
Guided by its mission to “make the world sustainably happier, bit by bit,” Maestrani is dedicated to continuous improvement. Christoph Birchler, CEO of Maestrani, emphasised the importance of digitalisation in staying competitive: “To meet growing consumer expectations and ensure our long-term competitiveness, we must be faster, more adaptable, and ready for future challenges. Digitalisation plays a key role in achieving this.”
Harnessing data with Bühler Insights
Maestrani began its digital transformation in 2016 with Bühler, focusing on improving process efficiency. At the heart of this effort is Bühler Insights, a digital platform that connects machines and visualises performance data.
Maestrani can capture real-time data throughout the production process by adding smart sensors to critical machinery, from mixing to conching. Bühler Insights allows staff to monitor essential performance indicators, identify inefficiencies, and make informed decisions.
“With Bühler Insights, we now collect and analyse dozens of data points per machine. This level of transparency allows us to move from reactive to proactive process management,” says Patrik Keller, Head of Production & Logistics at Maestrani.
Transforming insights into improvement
A major success from this partnership was pinpointing a bottleneck in the five-roll mill refiner. With the insights gained, Maestrani simulated potential improvements and installed a new conveyor system. This targeted change led to an 18% boost in production efficiency.
“With data transparency, we transitioned from relying solely on experience to making data-based decisions. This was a game-changer for our operational efficiency,” explained Patrik Keller.
Maestrani and Bühler’s relationship has evolved since 1985, from a traditional supplier dynamic into a strategic partnership. Bühler uses Maestrani as a testing ground for its digital innovations in real-world settings.
“Maestrani has been an ideal partner for us because of their openness to innovation and their willingness to explore new ways of improving production. By working together in real production environments, we have been able to refine our digital solutions and unlock significant efficiency gains,” said Fabian Dintheer, Digital Program Manager at Bühler.
Building on recent successes, Maestrani aims to further its vision of a smart factory. Future initiatives will focus on enhancing traceability, optimising conching processes, and increasing automation. These steps will help Maestrani meet market demands and produce chocolate more sustainably.
“Digitalisation is not just about increasing output. It is about producing smarter, with better quality, less waste, and more agility. This is essential for our future success,” stated Birchler.
