Danone’s Nutriciaspray drying plant is located at Balclutha, in the Otago region of the South Island, New Zealand. The plant processes raw milk sourced from eighteen local farms into powder that is used as the base for production of leading infant milk formula (IMF) brands including Aptamil and Karicare.
Boilers play a central role in spray drying – the process of converting milk into a dry powder through the application of heat – with around 85 percent of the entire plant’s energy consumption coming from steam production. Unlike gas or the more common coal-powered boilers, Danone’s biomass boiler will be powered by sustainable wood fuels, which will be sourced locally, therefore delivering a positive economic impact.
According to Cyril Marniquet, Danone’s New Zealand Operations Director, “At Danone, we’ve set ourselves an objective of becoming a carbon neutral company across our entire scope – from farm to family – by 2050. It is through key investments like this one that we take a step forward towards reaching this ambition.”
Veolia, a global leader in resource management, will be responsible for designing and managing the construction of the biomass boiler, guaranteeing the future operation and performance of steam production.
Danone’s investment in the plant also includes the installation of a new water treatment plant to more efficiently treat water waste, while ensuring compliance with Danone’s global clean water
