Sachsenmilch Leppersdorf GmbH: 20 years of success with the best of milk

What started over 20 years ago in Leppersdorf, Saxony, near Dresden with the dairy Alois Müller GmbH & Co. KG’s purchase of a vacant hall, is now one of the most modern dairy factories in the world. Steady growth, strong roots in the region with an international outlook and ongoing investments are only a few of the factors which made the Sachsenmilch Leppersdorf GmbH a driving force in Sax­­ony’s economy and one of the larg­­est employers in the region. Since the take­over in 1994, the plant has become one of the highest performing dairies in Europe. To date, over 820 million euros have been invested in a new building and the expansion of the company, making the plant one of Unter­nehmensgruppe Theo Müller’s largest investment projects.

By now a 2,300-strong workforce is employed at this site. In a complex facility with fully automated components, a variety of products is manufactured from the nearly 1.8 billion kg of delivered milk per year – from butter and UHT milk, fresh milk pro­­­­ducts and desserts to cheese and products such as lacto protein, whey protein and lactose (milk sugar). Pro­­ducts such as the well-known regional brand Sachsen­­milch as well as the Käserei Loose’s acid curd cheese and cooked cheese are produced here.

In 2011, a new local production plant for whey refining was put into operation, paving the way for Unter­nehmensgruppe Theo Müller’s access to new future-oriented markets. Sachsenmilch Milk & Whey Ingredients benefits from this investment. The brand’s products are not only suitable for traditional whey custom­­ers in the confectionery, baked goods, beverage, and dairy sectors, but also for use in the areas of sports, baby food and clinical nutrition. In addition, the whey products manufactured on-site fulfil halal, kosher and vegetarian requirements and this business area continues to expand.

The 22 million euro investment in an on-site bioethanol plant is another proof of know-how, as it converts molasses – a residual product of whey – into an annual ten million litres of environmentally friendly fuel additive. In 2014, a gas and steam power plant was completed to generate energy on site, and as both elec­­tricity and heat are needed, it has a very high level of efficiency and therefore guar­­antees a good raw material utilisation.