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From George Moeritz
Dresden. Fragrant croissants and Sachsendreier rolls for breakfast, plus good news and bad news: this is how Michael Gutting received Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU) at the Hafenmühle in Dresden at 8 a.m. on Monday. Gutting and his family own ten mills throughout Germany, including Dresdener Mühle GmbH since 2014. The Bindewald and Gutting Group has big plans for Saxony's largest grain mill with its 73 employees: capacity is to be increased by half.
Gutting said that around 40 million euros were available for the expansion. But then the bad news: "We are investing here at the site - or at a site where it is possible." The attractive industrial building from 1913 could therefore also be abandoned.
When asked about possible relocation plans, Dresden managing directors Dirk Willkomm and Norman Krug said that nothing had been decided yet. There have long been rumors from the industry that the company is considering a possible new building in an industrial park west of Dresden on the freeway - if an expansion at the traditional location does not succeed. "We'll have to see what we get approved here," said Krug. The listed mill building with its 63-metre-high tower cannot be extended. The neighbors are the Alberthafen and the German Red Cross, and there is little space around it. "We have to build upwards." The company is in talks with the authorities.
Dresden mill must store 60 flour blends separately
Willkomm said that the company is "very flexible when it comes to adapting the construction plans". In any case, the company will need more storage space for different types of grain, more flour silos and a new loading facility in the future. "Our customers are evolving, we have regional grain grown for specific applications". This means that the mill is supplying more and more varieties: 67 grain qualities and up to 60 flour mixtures have to be processed and stored separately, said the Managing Director. Wholemeal wheat flour and spelt meal, crushed and flaked rye are included.
Some of the Saxon flour is sold under the Kathi brand, and Bahlsen in Berlin is also a Dresden customer. The marquee for Kretschmer's reception was decorated with 25-kilo sacks labeled "Dresdener Stollenmehl", as well as "low-dust process flour". Around a quarter of the brand flour is exported. Every day, the Dresden mill grinds around 600 tons of grain. The quantity has already increased considerably: in 1987, 125 tons were milled daily.
The raw materials come from a maximum of 100 kilometers away, the bosses emphasize. 90 percent of the grain for the Dresdener Mühle grows in Saxony. The company's own fleet of 23 vehicles delivers to customers - the long trucks are marked "Dresdener Mühle" as well as "Saalemühle", as the Saxon company works closely with the Alsleben plant. Apprentices from other companies in the group also come to Dresden for training.
200 Saxon bakers use Ährenwort brand flour
If Michael Gutting has his way, the Dresden mill will process 300,000 instead of 200,000 tons per year in future. For comparison: according to the agricultural report, 2.6 million tons of grain were harvested in Saxony last year. There is still enough space for milling in the existing mill, said Willkomm. He is also not worried about the supply: the 200 or so farms that supply the mill could sell a larger part of their harvest to it, and the circle could still be expanded.
Around 200 bakers buy the Dresden flour through the "Ährenwort" program, which tells them exactly where it comes from. Regional master baker Stefan Richter from Kubschütz called it "very fortunate that we have regional mills". Short distances are environmentally friendly. Richter also buys from the Rätzemühle mill in Spittwitz and the Neumühle mill in Rennersdorf near Herrnhut.
Former farmers' president Vogel: "mixed" harvest
Most bakers are loyal to their mills. This also applies to Lukas Claus from Coswig, junior manager of around 100 employees with nine sales outlets. Although the bakery buys many of its ingredients from the Bäko purchasing cooperative, its wheat and rye come from the Dresden mill. For the man from Coswig, it would make no difference if the mill were to operate outside Dresden in future.
Saxony's former farmers' president Wolfgang Vogel, co-initiator of the Ährenwort program, was also invited to the mill breakfast. Vogel reported that the grain harvest in Saxony was as good as finished, except in the mountains. The harvest was "mixed". Vogel expressed concern as to whether Saxony would still be able to produce enough quality wheat in the future - the fertilizer ordinance requires less nitrate to be used to protect the groundwater. Farmers have protested several times against the designation of "red areas" on maps, where fertilization is restricted. Vogel said that such restrictions could lead to more quality wheat having to be imported, as is already the case in Denmark.
Minister President Kretschmer sought to talk to employees of the mill, drivers and laboratory assistants. In a short election campaign speech, he reminded the audience of the upcoming construction of the new microchip factory by investor TSMC from Taiwan: "We must ensure that employees are not taken away from the skilled trades and SMEs," said Kretschmer. Managing Director Krug explained the reason for the company visit: "We want to support the Minister President". The economy needs a clear policy.
