Machines for the Right Flavor
Interview with Dipl.-Ing. Nils Albers, Owner and Managing Director of Alfred Nolte GmbH
Only roasting, salting, and seasoning give almonds, cashews, peanuts, or pistachios the right flavor. Alfred Nolte GmbH from Reinbek develops and builds modern machines and production lines up to turnkey plants for food refinement. With its 80-year expertise in special machine construction, the company has made a name for itself not only in Germany.
For Managing Director and owner Nils Albers, the transformation of the company is among the most defining developments in recent years. "We have evolved from a pure machine supplier to a system provider," he explains. Together with partner companies, they now manufacture complete production lines, also on scales at which otherwise large corporations operate. "As a network of agile specialists, we can deliver factories turnkey," he emphasizes. That Alfred Nolte GmbH deliberately maintains its location in Reinbek is part of this concept. The projects, however, have a global reach. The foreign share varies significantly in the project-driven business but is currently around 15%. Nils Albers sees potential here: "We want to move towards the USA more boldly again and also expand contacts to Canada and the European environment." The company currently employs 20 people and is growing moderately. For large projects, partner companies and temporary work are also used. The annual turnover varies significantly between 1.8 million EUR and 8.5 million EUR.
For the upcoming year, Nils Albers expects many customers to be cautious: "In the food industry, we are feeling the uncertainty of consumers.
The systems are becoming more digital
Despite market conditions, Alfred Nolte is heavily investing in future topics. "We are committed to full digitalization. This is a major upheaval for us," says Nils Albers. At the same time, the company continues to advance its machinery technologically, for example towards CO2-neutral operating methods. Topics such as remote maintenance, software updates, and integration into overarching factory systems are increasingly in demand. "We will also use AI," says Nils Albers, for whom digitalization is a key factor for success both internally and in client projects. Another focus is securing skilled workers. He even sees the current economic situation as an opportunity: "Maybe this will make it easier for us to recruit new skilled workers, especially with regard to succession planning." He describes the company culture as familial: "We operate internally and with our partner companies like friendly families." In sales, the company focuses mainly on internet presence, press articles, and personal recommendations, as well as in-house trade shows and direct exchanges with decision-makers. Large retail chains are among the customers as well as young start-ups. A start-up in the field of legumes and alternative proteins was supported from the beginning - it has already ordered the third size of the system.