Siccadania is installing the two largest flash dryers in Denmark as potato starch producer AKM expands

Andels-Kartoffelmelsfabrikken Midtjylland A.m.b.a. (AKM) is located in Brande and is the oldest potato starch producing company in Denmark, established in 1917.

October 07, 2017

Source

SiccaDania

Potato starch producer AKM in Brande, Denmark, has entrusted SiccaDania to design and build the two largest flash dryers ever installed in Denmark.

As part of AKM’s expansion strategy, a new starch plant featuring a much higher capacity is under construction. SiccaDania has been selected to provide the two dryers, which will have a combined capacity of up to 40 tons/hour of finished product.

Soren Sten Rasmussen, CEO at SiccaDania:

“This order is an important step for SiccaDania.”

“We recently completed the largest evaporator ever installed in Denmark for another Danish potato starch producer – in this case for potato fruit water [PP 'potato juice'], an effluent after the extraction of protein from the spent potato starch water.”

Generally, drying of potato starch has undergone very little development over the past few decades.

Steen Simonsen, Starch Director at SiccaDania:

“SiccaDania has developed several innovative aspects within drying and evaporation for starch applications and their by-products. These developments add significant value to our customers.”

“We have focused on process design improvements, sanitary design as well as ease-of-operation in the design of the new starch dryers.”

AKM has acknowledged this innovative approach by awarding the contract to SiccaDania.

If you compare this image of the AKM construction progress early September with the top picture (predating the construction start), you get a feel for the enormous scope of the expansion.

The dryers will be put into operation in August 2018.