He is in charge of the seven-person team at the center, focused on the development and testing of industrial processes for grains and pulses. Hofer took over from Uwe Schill at the beginning of 2015.
With the hiring of Hofer, this is the first time the facility will not be managed by a head miller.
Hofer describes himself as a 'career changer' and 'food generalist' who does not view milling in isolation but rather as a part of the food industry. Hofer only developed into a food generalist gradually.
After his training as a cook, he completed his vocational diploma and a bachelor’s degree as a food technologist at the Life Sciences and Facility Management department of the Zurich Technical University for Applied Sciences (ZHAW) in Wädenswil, Switzerland.
After a brief stint at Bühler in the development department of the Chocolate & Cocoa business unit, he completed a master’s degree in food technology at the School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan near Munich, Germany.
Parallel to that, he worked part-time at the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV in Freising, Germany, in the areas of analytical sensors and food quality and safety.
He returned to Bühler in 2013 where he prepared himself for his new job in the area of value added processes.
The GTC is an internal service facility concerned with the development of machines and processes as well as testing prototypes. In addition, the GTC conducts customer tests in the areas of milling, brewing, backing and specialty milling.
