Newsroom

September 1^st, 2021

More than 2,000 FRITSCH machines perform a special task every day. While they pursue their supreme disciplines of dough sheet production and forming, they create the basis for the premium quality of baked goods that are characterized by an excellent taste. As of September 01st, 2021, some of them will now appear under new names.

The clustering of machine families according to end product groups as well as performance spectrum in the semi-automatic area creates a quick and easier overview of the FRITSCH portfolio. With the VARIOCUT, the VARIOFLEX and the MULTIFLEX, a total of three machine families are distinguished within the framework of dough processing. In addition, there is the new brand PROGRESSA. Analogous to the already known IMPRESSA lines in the industrial sector, this stand for a combination of dough sheet production and processing line. Depending on the combination and the corresponding output volume, the PROGRESSA lines bear the name suffix basic, plus or prime.

A detailed overview of the new machine names can be found on our website www.fritsch-group.com.

For many years, there have been many FRITSCH ROLLFIX machines on commission at vocational schools, at various locations of the National Bakers Academy and at many other cooperative partners of the baking industry. In total, FRITSCH machines are on commission at more than 20 establishments in Germany, Austria, Bulgaria and Poland, and are being used above all for training the next generations of bakers.

FRITSCH management has now decided to donate these sheeting machines to the schools and organisations. “We appreciate the long-standing cooperation with the schools and companies. A solid education in the baking craft and the future of the industry are very important to us. The establishments have been working with FRITSCH machines on commission for many years now. We have therefore decided that these schools and organisations should be allowed to keep their machines,” declares Andreas Eyd, Managing Director FRITSCH.

The Justus-von-Liebig-Schule in Mannheim, for example, has been operating a ROLLFIX 300WK since 2012. It uses this machine mainly for its masterclass and for the vocational education of bakers and salespeople. But the ROLLFIX is also used in the one-year vocational school course and orientation classes, and provides first points of contact with the bakery trade.

“This sheeting machine is of very high quality and sturdily built, and offers excellent accident protection. I already worked on a ROLLFIX back when learning to be a baker, and I love the foot operation. All FRITSCH machines I have worked with so far have always been absolutely reliable and easy to operate and maintain. I was overjoyed when FRITSCH provided me with a ROLLFIX on loan in response to my request. They even let me choose precisely the model that was most suitable for my teaching purposes,” reports Steffen Götz, senior technical teacher and deputy head of the nutrition department at the Justus-von-Liebig-Schule in Mannheim.

The Akademie Deutsches Bäckerhandwerk Südwest e.V. in Stuttgart was also pleased to receive two FRITSCH ROLLFIX machines. “One of the machines is in our pastry shop, where it is used for making sweet treats with the apprentices and the master students. The other is in our training bakery, used mainly for working booked doughs or for rolling out shortcrust pastry,” relates Tobias Pfaff, headmaster at the National Bakers Academy.

“The machines are incredibly robust and durable. Despite having inexperienced trainees working frequently on the machines, we have not had any damage to them so far. We are very grateful for the long-standing cooperation with FRITSCH. We have been cooperating for more than 20 years now, and are impressed with the high quality of their machines. It delights us that FRITSCH shows such great interest in quality training and highly skilled workers. These are essential for the continued existence of the bakery trade,” Pfaff says.

Udo Bernhardt writes nearly 50 years of FRITSCH history

Udo Bernhardt, a long-standing employee of FRITSCH GmbH & Co. KG was given a warm send-off in November for his retirement. He can look back on nearly 50 years of FRITSCH history. During this time, the technical draughtsman was instrumentally involved in many innovations. Arguably the most important development of his career was the fully automatic pretzel twister. Working during his free time in his garage at home, he invented a machine that revolutionised the baking industry.

“There are three keys to Udo Bernhardt’s success,” FRITSCH Managing Director Frank Gabriel said during the send-off. “One is his inexhaustible drive to find a solution. You hear people say, ‘Udo will have an idea at any time: while eating, while sleeping and, of course, even on weekends.’ Another key is that his understanding of dough and how it behaves is exceptional. If this were horse riding, you would call him a horse whisperer. Furthermore, his relations with our customers were always excellent.”

Udo Bernhardt worked at FRITSCH for nearly half a century. His father owned a bakery. Therefore, he grew up in the industry, and handling dough has always been a part of his life. On the 1st of September 1972, he started his training as a technical draughtsman and, after this training, he was given a position in the engineering office. There were eight drawing boards, and an equal number of colleagues, working there at the time. Today, the Engineering department has more than 50 employees.

While working, yet only shortly after his training, Bernhardt gained his qualification as a Mechanical Engineer, which allowed him to provide FRITSCH with extra support during a time when staff was short. His professional training armed him with extensive knowledge that put him in a position to manage the Research & Development and Design of Line Machines departments with great success for many years.

At first, Bernhardt worked above all on the development of dough rolling machines. Then, he started developing solutions for the medium-sized and industrial sector, for example the first croissant machine “Croissantomat 2000”. Many innovations for FRITSCH were to follow, such as sheeting lines and diverse coiling systems. His most innovative development, however, is surely the “MULTITWIST” pretzel twister.

“I had fun at work every day. The daily drive to be better than the competition kept me constantly moving,” Bernhardt says, looking back at his time at FRITSCH. There is a quote from a customer etched forever into Bernhardt’s memory: “Every machine is good, as long as it never comes into contact with the dough.” And yet, the passionate inventor still managed to impress that customer with his innovative technology.

Don't miss the story about his most popular invention MULTITWIST!

The first impression counts

We proudly call our FRITSCH World of Bakery our world of experience for bakers. Together with our technologists customers experience very closely our machines and also our expertise in dough and the bakers handcraft. One of our focused goals during the visit to our WoB is offering our customers an unforgettable and sustainable experience of the brand FRITSCH. We want to pay great attention to welcome and service our customers.

In order to wrap up this important contact point of our WoB in a new appearance, we started to redesign the entrance and catering area of the WoB in August. While we took the first step towards a change this summer by renaming the "FRITSCH Technology Center (FTC)" into "FRITSCH World of Bakery (WoB)", we set another milestone this fall.

After finalizing and fine-tuning of our plans in August, we already began in September with pulling down and remodelling some walls and ceilings. The existing furniture was partly sold to our staff and partly donated to some charitable organisations. By the end of September, the floor work was finished and we dedicated ourselves to the interior design. A new floor, new furniture and new lights were installed. Fresh colour accents create a new feel-good atmosphere. As an essential element our reception for our customers was integrated into the lobby.

A lot of energy, sweat, colour and especially great teamwork of all FRITSCH departments as well as the craftsmen involved led to a modern lobby and catering area in which our customers can feel completely comfortable. The teamwork with the regional companies during COVID-19 pandemic has gained a special significance in our society.

It was a pleasure to work with different craft enterprises in our area as well as with the company Grimm from Ulsenheim, a partner with a lot of references in the field of shop fitting, to put the new colour, room and lighting concept in place.

We are eagerly awaiting the end of the Corona-pandemic to be happy to welcome again bakery fans from all over the world to the new “wow factor”.

We cordially invite you to WoB - a place where you can test and further develop your desired products with FRITSCH machines.

For the good cause: 2,500 Euro for the station Rainbow

By the sale of pallets to FRITSCH employees, over 1,500 EURO were collected on a donation basis. The two FRITSCH managing directors Andreas Eyd and Frank Gabriel have increased this amount to 2,500 EURO. The money was handed over in the "World of Bakery" in Kitzingen, to Monika Demmich, chairwoman of the "Station Regenbogen e.V." Würzburg. The association, founded in 1984, supports the children's cancer ward and has made it its business to accompany families who have to go through the disease with their children.

Among other things, the donation will be used to maintain and equip the 14 rental apartments in Würzburg. The relatives of the sick children can live there during the treatment period. The association also covers the costs of the clinic clowns and music therapists. Especially throughout the Christmas season, donations are also gladly used for Christmas handicraft materials.

Our World of Experience for Bakers

There are at least two things that baked goods everywhere in the world have in common. One is the raw materials that the dough-based delicacies are made from, and the other is the bakers, who love their craft with such a strong passion. 

At our FRITSCH World of Bakery (WoB), that is exactly the starting point from which we start the journey with our customers. Together, we combine enthusiasm for the handcraft of baking with the origins of the doughs, until the final product is perfect. 

This was also the idea behind renaming the FRITSCH Technology Centre to the World of Bakery. The new name reflects the baking “theme park” we have set up at the WoB to represent the entire value chain of a bakery from A to Z. From the ROLLFIX to the industrial production lines assembled from the FRITSCH IMPRESSA range, visitors get to experience the entire programme of lines and machines that FRITSCH has to offer. This is rounded off by professional bakery equipment for use in every size of business.

Under optimal real-world conditions, we unite new product trends with the technical feasibility of our lines, develop new products and convert ideas into tasty baked goods that indulge all senses. The mission of the World of Bakery is to provide its visitors with professional and creative assistance in product development and process optimisation. Hand in hand, our customers and the FRITSCH specialists develop the best possible production processes that lead to ideal product results.

Our dough technologists are always by your side. All of them are qualified master bakers or food technologists who have deepened their knowledge through vocational training or academic study. But the best education is their many years of practical experience, their daily contact with national and international products and their contact with customers from all over the world. The team at the World of Bakery is led by Michael Gier. The master baker and food technologist has been with FRITSCH since 2006, and is known among many customers as a valuable advisor.

What also makes the World of Bakery special is that it is a place where different fields of specialisation come together. Dough technologists, research and development teams, the FRITSCH Academy and the FRITSCH marketing department are all represented here. This makes it a strong driver of inter- and multidisciplinary cooperation. In the World of Bakery, customers experience new, attractive and profitable solutions for their product portfolio every day. 

#SaveOurBakers - a campaign that gives artisanal bakers a voice  

FRITSCH values its bakers worldwide as a source of inspiration, but also much more than that. They are the most important partners in the area of technological development. The coronavirus pandemic continues to influence our daily lives. Small and medium-sized bakeries are among those going through a challenging situation. In March, FRITSCH launched the social media campaign #SaveOurBakers, an initiative that focuses attention on the personal experiences of bakers.  

Under #SaveOurBakers, we share the stories of our bakers worldwide and keep up a report on the ingenuity and commitment that they are showing in the action they are taking and new business models they are introducing to tackle the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to complying with the new regulations, they have brought out many highly creative solutions in a very short time: amazing things like pop-up bakeries, bread mobiles, special delivery services or the opening of online shops and pick-up stations. Many bakers are also supporting local producers and aid organisations through their ingredient orders and donations. At FRITSCH, we are very proud of the dignity and the many original ideas our bakers are showing in overcoming the difficult situation. Sharing these stories fills us with great joy.  More than 50,000 impressions have been made on social media channels so far. Customers from Germany, USA, Bosnia Herzegovina and Australia have taken part in the campaign.

Young Classics - the new division of FRITSCH

Young Classics? - Isn’t that a term used for cars? Is FRITSCH branching out into a new industry? You can be forgiven for asking these questions. Young and old, classics radiate that feeling of nostalgia. But the fact is, cars are not the only unforgettable classics out there – we have them in the baking industry, too. After all, FRITSCH’s heart beats stronger for bakery machines than for automobiles.

What does FRITSCH mean by Young Classics?

Young Classics refers to used machines from the FRITSCH portfolio that are returned by bakeries when they make new acquisitions or discontinue this line of business. Demonstration machines from trade fairs or from the World of Bakery also qualify as Young Classics.

What happens to used machines when they are returned?

We have three service tiers for the used machines we repurchase:

1. Machines that are less than 10 years old undergo a general overhaul to prepare them for resale. This involves inspection, necessary repairs, replacement of wearing parts and a safety test in accordance with European standards. Then, they are once again ready for use in another bakery, anywhere in the world.

2. Machines that are more than 10 years old and have spare parts that are hard to come by but are overall still in working order also undergo a general overhaul but with an additional retrofit. This means that discontinued components are replaced by new, currently available parts. After this, they are once again ready for another long term of service.

3. Only those machines whose parts are too difficult to replace due to their age, or have malfunctions that do not appear to be reparable, are recycled.

Bakers can purchase the reconditioned FRITSCH machines at attractive prices.

Where can I find out which used FRITSCH machines are on the market?

As for all other sales and services, the individual MULTIVAC branches handle the returns and sales of used machines, making them the right place to go.

The 1,000 square-metre Young Classic hall located in Kitzingen mainly presents classics from the A and B segments. There, the experienced workshop manager Dominik Segritz checks and repairs them before refreshing them with a fine tuning. The division is managed by Stefan Schmitt, who is proud of his Young Classics and is available as a contact person for MULTIVAC subsidiaries: Young.Classics@fritsch-group.com

Cleverly networked through knowledge transfer

We never stop learning. In this spirit, the FRITSCH Academy was launched on 1 July 2020. The FRITSCH Academy provides training both in the classroom and online for employees and customers.

FRITSCH has been part of the MULTIVAC Group for one year now. With over 80 subsidiaries, our customers always have a contact person right in their area. Our aim is to offer fast and competent service from professionally trained employees. To ensure this, we continuously hold modular training courses at all of our subsidiaries.

A systematic training programme constantly drives growth in knowledge and experience, thus ensuring a uniform standard within the network worldwide. This allows customer concerns to be answered with a comprehensive, solution-oriented response.

The training concept is geared to three target groups. In application-specific courses, MULTIVAC service technicians receive simulated enquiries from first and second level support. In sales training courses, the trainers focus on content relating to the FRITSCH portfolio, the market and the competition. The customer training programme focuses primarily on the technical handling of the machines and systems, such as operation, maintenance and cleaning.

Training courses can be held effectively in any location: as onsite training at our customers’ premises, at the FRITSCH World of Bakery, or online. The FRITSCH Academy hosts live events for interactively teaching the course content as well as for answering customers’ specific enquiries.

The FRITSCH Academy is directed by Stefan Schmitt. He has been with the company for over 30 years. Due to his longstanding experience in assembly, commissioning and customer service, he has deep knowledge of the FRITSCH portfolio and the industry as a whole. He is supported by Elke Döpfner, who draws from the wealth of experience she has gained from her sales activities in the Germany/Austria/Switzerland region.

If you have any questions about the FRITSCH Academy or the training courses offered, please feel free to contact us by e-mail - academy@fritsch-group.de.

#saveourbakers – An initiative to support local bakers

We are on an important mission. Bakers all around the world are our daily source of inspiration to further develop our bakery machines and lines. They are our trendsetters. They are our superheroes.

If there is one thing that we’ve all learned from several movies starring superheroes, it is that in times of crisis they are also sometimes struggling. The Corona crisis is currently determining our entire lives and is also putting our superheroes in a critical situation.

It is our mission to support our bakers during this tough time. Because our heroes don‘t give up. They are creating new campaigns in the shortest possible time and expanding their business models to still be there for their customers. The focus is clearly on the health safety of their employees and customers. In addition to the legal regulations, they have implemented a variety of measures, such as contactless and cashless payment, delivery services, online shops and pick-up stations and much more.

During the upcoming weeks, we will use our platform to share their stories with the world on behalf of our campaign #saveourbakers. Besides all the local and regional producers, bakers also deserve the sustainable support of their customers and partners. That is where we want to help with our network.

Do you want to be a part of our mission?
Please send us your story that you want to share with the world including pictures or videos via our social media accounts or via marketing@fritsch-group.com. Or show your support by using the #saveourbakers whilst sharing your story.

Sales and service structure

The integration of FRITSCH into the MULTIVAC Group opens up great potential for FRITSCH customers. The associated connection to MULTIVAC’s sales and service network enables, among other things, close cooperation in the areas of sales and customer service. With the MULTIVAC Group’s 87 subsidiaries, the company is represented on all continents. Way more than 1,000 consultants and service technicians around the world place their know-how and experience at the service of the customer. This brings FRITSCH even closer to the customer and into a position to respond more quickly and flexibly to inquiries.

The employees of the respective MULTIVAC branches are now available as contact partners for FRITSCH customers. They are the first point of contact that our customers can approach for all matters. A systematic training program constantly drives growth in knowledge and experience so that customer concerns can be answered with a fast, solution-oriented response. The subsidiaries work closely together with FRITSCH employees. FRITSCH supports them with its experience and expertise. Our common goal is the highest standard of quality, supported by excellent advice and comprehensive service.

FRITSCH customers benefit not only from the large number of sales employees and service technicians available for flexible on-site deployment, but also from their quick response time and fast support. Eliminating language barriers or major time differences, MULTIVAC employees strive to find target-oriented solutions for the wishes and needs of the individual customer.

5-day service and technical training for MULTIVAC service technicians

“One of our first courses of action is to focus on expanding our sales and distribution network. We are doing this by distributing FRITSCH products through MULTIVAC’s 87 subsidiaries. Customer proximity and real-time support for customer concerns will always be very important to MULTIVAC, so our future FRITSCH customers will also benefit from this,” explains Andreas Eyd, a Managing Director of FRITSCH.

This change has been driven forward in a highly focused manner since MULTIVAC acquired FRITSCH. A systematic and detailed training program has been developed for MULTIVAC Sales and Customer Service, which began last year in November.
The training program includes intensive product and service training for MULTIVAC employees working worldwide, and is structured in multiple stages.

The second comprehensive service technician training was held in January 2020. Currently, the courses concentrate on the machine portfolio for handcraft and mid-sized businesses. During a one-week training course, service technicians from the MULTIVAC subsidiaries worldwide will acquire knowledge and skills about:

- The FRITSCH portfolio – an overview of the A and B programs
- The purpose and function of the machines and their components
- Fundamentals of technical documentation, e.g. identification of spare parts and reading of schematic diagrams
- Identification and rectification of errors, working from technical documentation
- Operation and handling of the machines
- The touchscreen – its menu structure and handling

Working in small groups, service requests from first-level support are simulated on the machines. The service technicians carry out problem analyses directly on the machines and rectify faults.
True to the FRITSCH philosophy “Passion for Dough”, working with the dough plays a major role. The participants get hands on when it comes to folding dough (booking), for example, or when setting up the tools on the machine. The goal is to instill passion for the baking trade in each participant, and familiarize them with the diversity of the FRITSCH portfolio.

“It is an exciting experience to get to know the FRITSCH machines and lines in such an intensive way. Especially experiencing first-hand how dough is processed on the machine and how the interaction between machine and dough works. My desire to learn even more about dough has definitely grown. I think such knowledge is important in order to provide the best possible solutions for customer inquiries,” says Radoslav Rapčan, a service technician from MULTIVAC Slovakia.

With this systematically structured training program, service technicians are being optimally prepared for field work for FRITSCH customers so that they can operate the machines, order and change spare parts, and carry out maintenance, inspections, and repairs directly onsite. FRITSCH service technicians will continue to provide back-end support.

Transitioning from MULTIVAC to FRITSCH machines requires a change in tactics, as Jan Schleelein, FRITSCH customer service technician for electrical engineering, points out: “Foil is a very resilient material compared to dough. For the FRITSCH machines, the technicians must become acquainted with optimizing the settings specifically for gentleness on the dough and precision of the processing.”

In addition to the mechanical, electrical, and dough technology training content, the service technicians get to know the FRITSCH Service Team and their contact partners. Currently, more than 1,000 service technicians are working for MULTIVAC and FRITSCH worldwide.

“We, the trainers of the FRITSCH Training Team, are impressed with the keen interest shown by the participants. The service technicians are already highly technically qualified, and that makes the trainings an incredible success. We are very much looking forward to the next trainings. They book out in a matter of days. The next service technician training is in April,” says Stefan Schmitt, FRITSCH Head of Customer Service Sales.

#Packaging meets #Baking at Europain 2020 in Paris

In 2019, we had our first successful trade fairs together with the MULTIVAC Group at IBIE in Las Vegas, südback in Stuttgart, and Gulfood in Dubai. We were able to continue our wave of success at this year’s Europain show, which took place from January 11 to 14. The show unites its multitude of visitors with the French baking culture. Interested visitors were able to experience FRITSCH and MULTIVAC at a 45 square-meter stand. The visitors all shared an enthusiasm for baked goods, baking techniques, and trends. The modern design of the stand boosted the cordial atmosphere by remaining true to the familiar FRITSCH concept:

“Given our passion for dough, everything we do revolves around perfect baked goods. That is why we teach our technology to handcraft.”

The highlight of the stand was the classic dough sheeting machine: the ROLLFIX 700, a powerful machine that never fails to impress with its functionality. It is the ideal solution for the gentle production of delicate puff pastries such as French apple turnovers.

We look forward to yet another special experience with MULTIVAC France from March 10 to 12. On these three exhibition days, we will once again be informing visitors to the CFIA in Rennes, France, about our range of machines and providing competent advice. You are welcome to visit us in Hall 6, Stand A41.

At MULTIVAC France, daily business now focuses not only on packaging but also on baked goods. It makes us especially proud that they are one of the first MULTIVAC subsidiaries to display FRITSCH machines in their showroom “Espace InovPack”. As a true technological showcase of MULTIVAC expertise, InovPack is above all a place for users of MULTIVAC and FRITSCH machines to meet and exchange ideas. InovPack has an operative showroom, a center for testing under real conditions, an application kitchen, and a complete documentation center. InovPack is accredited for providing continuing professional training, and the training center is open to employees for internal and inter-company meetings. The first FRITSCH machine at InovPack is the ROLLFIX 700 dough sheeter that was exhibited at Europain. Take the opportunity to visit MULTIVAC France to learn more about the functionality and handling of the ROLLFIX.
If you want to experience FRITSCH machines live and  to convince yourself of the ROLLFIX’s rolling quality first-hand, you’re more than welcome to visit us at our FRITSCH Technology Center in Kitzingen, Germany. The FRITSCH Technology Center offers a fully-equipped, 4,600 m² baking center to our customers.