The new hub focuses on testing systems, as well as measurements of ventilation and air flow in professional kitchens, with a view to strengthening the company’s position in the market.

Testing and validating the functionality of systems tailored for demanding customer environments is essential to Halton’s way of operating. The Innovation Hub is bringing new scope and accuracy to the company’s testing methods.

Heinz Ritzer, director of Halton’s German operations, said: “The new Innovation Hub will use ultrasound technology to examine airflow patterns, rather than using only traditional methods such as orifice plates. This will help to reduce the margin of error in measurements to as low as to one per cent.”

“An Innovation Hub in Germany will enable the major acceleration of product and solution development in the related unit. The new hub will increase the unit’s impact on our business and strengthen our local presence, which is important to customers in the region.”

Besides the testing area, the factory hosts a new show kitchen environment presenting the company’s ventilated ceilings and kitchen hood solutions, which also come with an integrated lighting system that adapts to the human circadian cycle. These ventilated ceilings and integrated lighting solutions were largely developed in Halton’s German factory.

The show kitchen also operates Halton’s patented, demand-based ventilation system, Halton M.A.R.V.E.L., which enables reductions in the energy consumption of professional kitchens by over half, depending on the composition and use of the kitchen.