Alland & Robert expands operations with 50% boost in production capacity
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With the opening of a new production line, Alland & Robert will have the capacity to process almost 30,000 metric tonnes of acacia gum per year, up from 20,000 today – a 50% increase in production capacity.
After two years of upgrade work, the Saint-Aubin sur Gaillon facility, first opened in 2007, has been expanded: a new drying tower and adjacent workshop have been added to the two existing towers, doubling the production facility from 8,000m² to 16,000m².
This investment – with Alland & Robert mobilising investments of over €11 million – will enable the company to keep pace with the sharp rise in global demand. At the local level there will be a real impact in terms of employment, with over 30 jobs being created by the new production line.
Alland & Robert says acacia gum holds significant potential for development in various industries where there is an underlying preference for natural and plant-based products.
The scale of this investment aligns with the goals of Alland & Robert’s CSR plan, as well as its sustainable development goals. In accordance with the 2015 Paris Agreement, the family-run company has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% per kilo of gum manufactured (scopes 1, 2
and 3) by 2025.
Alland & Robert now offers a new range of acacia gum, “Beyond acacia”, which is highly soluble and easy to use.
Beyond Acacia enables the creation of a sustainable range of gums with all the functional properties of acacia gum are preserved. Once dissolved, the quality is identical to that of the regular and instant ranges, which offers a host of benefits for industrial operators using acacia gum in their products, in various sectors including confectionery and soft drinks.
Alland & Robert says the transformation used to make high-density granules produces a much lower volume of carbon emissions. Moreover, the Beyond Acacia range’s improved solubility and dispersion capacity enables a reduction in energy use during the end-user’s industrial process, as the production phase will require less time and energy to complete. In addition, these granules dissolve completely without being heated, even at high levels of concentration.