Technology company Insta and Enifer, which produces fungal protein from food industry side streams, have made a significant agreement for the delivery of an automation project to the startup's factory in Kirkkonummi. The agreement, signed at the end of September, covers the programming, design, and commissioning of the automation system. The demand for proteins is expected to double by 2050, creating a real need for innovative solutions.
Founded in 2020, Enifer develops and commercializes the processing and production of Pekilo fungal protein. The factory in Kirkkonummi will be the world's first commercial-scale facility to produce this type of protein from industrial side streams. The end product is a high-quality fungal or mycoprotein powder that can be used as a food and feed ingredient in various products such as yogurt, cereals, and meat substitutes.
Innovative and sustainable food production in collaboration
Insta and Enifer agreed at the end of September on the delivery of an automation project to the factory being built in Kirkkonummi. The delivery includes an automation system implemented with Siemens PCS neo technology, programmed, designed, and commissioned.
"It is great to be part of such a socially significant project together with Enifer. Insta has been strongly involved in several innovative implementations, and we are proud to collaborate on this unique project," says Tommi Komu, Director of Insta's Industry and Infrastructure Business Unit.
"Insta has had an excellent understanding of various technical solutions and Enifer's needs from the very first contact. The choice of partner was also influenced by Insta's extensive experience and impressive references in successful automation deliveries in food production. We are confident that cooperation with such a reliable and stable partner will go smoothly and bring us a step closer to our mission," says Ville Nissinen, Enifer's Lead Automation Engineer.
In global food production, key factors are responsibility, transparency, and product safety. Traceability is a critical factor in today's and future automation processes. Insta has over 40 years of experience in production control automation, and its delivery reliability is top-notch. Insta has implemented various projects for companies such as Valio, HKScan, and Atria.
A unique factory will meet the protein needs of about 40,000 people
The cost estimate for the factory utilizing innovative fermentation technology is 33 million euros. In the process, fungal mycelium is grown in a fermentation process, collected, and ground into powder. Various food industry side streams are utilized in the cultivation.
The factory, with a small carbon footprint, will produce about 3,000 tons of mycoprotein per year, meeting the annual protein needs of about 40,000 people. Construction in Kantvik, Kirkkonummi, began in the fall of 2024, and the automation system will be installed and tested by the end of 2025. Production is scheduled to start at the beginning of 2026 and be ready by May8.
Modern PCS neo technology ensures efficient and reliable operation
The automation implementation is carried out with Siemens' modern PCS neo technology, an innovative, web-based process control system. It improves implementation efficiency and reliability by enabling multi-user design and remote access from any location, increasing flexibility and collaboration opportunities. "The system's centralized, object-oriented data model ensures that all users have access to consistent and reliable data, speeding up decision-making. Deeply integrated cybersecurity protects facilities from attacks with multi-layered security measures," explains Komu.
In addition, the architecture of PCS neo, which follows the recommendations of the IEC 62443 standard and the "defense-in-depth" approach, enables the physical protection of critical data and systems.
The roots of fungal protein date back to the 1960s
The name Pekilo comes from the fungus Paecilomyces variotii. The basics of the fungal protein production process date back to the 1960s in the forest industry. From 1975 to 1981 in Jämsänkoski and from 1982 to 1991 in Mänttä, the Pekilo factory produced feed protein for chickens and pigs from forest industry side streams.
In 2017, the founders of Enifer, who worked at the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, began to consider reviving the Pekilo process. Now the innovation is moving towards industrial production under Enifer's leadership.
More about the topic:
Pekilo-protein: PEKILO® - Enifer
Insta's turn-key delivery solutions for industry: Turn-key deliveries of automation, electrification and digitalization (insta.fi)
For more information:
Insta
Tommi Komu Vice President Insta Automation Oy firstname.lastname (at) insta.fi
Enifer
Simo Ellilä CEO and Founding Member EniferBio Oy firstname.lastname (at) enifer.com
Enifer was founded in 2020 by five former VTT researchers to develop and commercialize PEKILO® technology. Originally developed and used on a commercial scale by the Finnish forest industry, PEKILO® technology enables the biotechnological conversion of side streams into protein-rich PEKILO® mycoprotein.
Enifer has already formed partnerships with major global feed and food industry companies, such as Nutreco's fish feed division Skretting, pet food manufacturer Purina, and Valio. www.enifer.com
info (at) enifer.com
media (at) insta.fi
Picture: Iiro Muttilainen
