Multi Technology
Krones AG. Enabling Sustainable Innovation in High‑Performance Tunnel Pasteurization
Background
IPU’s Approach
Results
Value for R&D Management
Background
Background
Krones AG is a global market leader in beverage processing and packaging technology, serving breweries, soft‑drink producers, and food manufacturers worldwide. Within its Product Treatment Division, Krones AG develops, manufactures, and installs tunnel pasteurizers - critical equipment ensuring microbial safety and consistent product quality at high throughput.
As sustainability, energy efficiency, and digital performance become decisive competitive factors, Krones AG set out to develop a new generation of tunnel pasteurizers that could perform reliably under increasingly dynamic production conditions - while significantly reducing energy consumption.
To succeed, Krones AG needed to strengthen its R&D execution capacity, accelerate innovation, and ensure deep scientific rigor across multiple engineering disciplines - without compromising ongoing customer deliveries or commercial performance.
Client Challenge
The client faced a classic but critical R&D dilemma:
Key development resources were also required to support sales, configuration, and commissioning of new packaging lines and machines. This dual responsibility increasingly cannibalized core R&D activities, slowing progress on strategically important development initiatives.
Tunnel pasteurization is inherently a dynamic process, characterized by:
Frequent line stops and restarts due to supply interruptions or broken bottles/cans, variable throughput and line speed, and tight requirements for consistent pasteurization performance to ensure product quality. Krones’ ambition was to reduce energy consumption significantly, while maintaining product quality at variable line speeds.
IPU’s Approach
IPU partnered closely with Krones as an integrated R&D extension, combining strategic support with hands‑on technical execution.
1. Creating Direction and Focus
IPU facilitated management workshops with key stakeholders from R&D and product management to clarify technical ambitions and commercial priorities, define a multi‑year development roadmap and ensuring focus on high‑impact R&D activities that would differentiate the next product generation. This created a shared understanding of objectives, milestones, and resource needs – providing a strong foundation for execution.
2. Securing R&D Progress with Highly Skilled Resources
To prevent critical development work from being deprioritized, IPU provided senior engineering specialists who could: Take ownership of key R&D work packages, maintain continuous progress despite internal resource fluctuations, work seamlessly within Krones’ organization. This ensured momentum on strategically important topics while freeing Krones’ internal teams to balance development, sales, and commissioning activities.
3. Delivering Deep Scientific and Engineering Expertise
The development of a next‑generation tunnel pasteurizer required scientific depth across multiple disciplines. IPU contributed state‑of‑the‑art expertise within: Thermodynamics – understanding heat transfer, energy losses, and system‑level efficiency drivers, Model Predictive Control (MPC) – enabling robust control under variable speed and dynamic operating conditions, CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) – optimizing flow, heat distribution, and water usage, mechanics – ensuring mechanical robustness under dynamic load and operational variability, and data analytics – supporting performance monitoring, optimization, and future digital services.
Results
Results
The collaboration culminated in the successful launch of Krones’ eSync™ tunnel pasteurizer product line.
The new platform delivers significantly improved energy efficiency compared to previous generations, stable and consistent pasteurization performance, even under variable line speeds, and strong performance advantages relative to existing products and competitor offerings. eSync™ positions Krones at the forefront of sustainable, intelligent product treatment, supporting customers’ goals for lower operating costs, reduced environmental impact, and reliable production.
IPU continues to support Krones as a long‑term R&D partner. The partnership is focused on turning advanced engineering and data into tangible value – both for Krones and for beverage producers worldwide.
Value for R&D Management
Value for R&D Management
For R&D leaders, this case demonstrates: How external specialists can protect strategic R&D capacity during peak commercial execution. Deep scientific competencies accelerate innovation in complex, multi‑disciplinary systems, and clear roadmaps and focused execution turn ambitious sustainability goals into competitive products. IPU acts as R&D’s best ally – combining rigor, speed, and collaboration to help industrial leaders bring high‑impact innovations to market.