Global aspirations, regional roots: Palatia Malz GmbH celebrates its 120th anniversary
“I remember coming here for the first time with my father when I was a young boy. Now I am here with my own son after so many years, and can see how the company has grown – it’s a fantastic feeling.” Fabian Göhler, co-owner and brother of Managing Partner Dr. Axel Göhler is visibly moved: His 11-year-old son Oscar has just cut the red ribbon to open Palatia Malz GmbH’s new warehouse with bagging and packaging logistics in Wallertheim on the occasion of the company’s 120th anniversary.
The new warehouse covers an area of 2,500 square meters and has new offices, a kitchen, and communal areas on the upper floor, as well as a large conference room with sweeping views over the fields and vineyards of Rhinehessen. Farsightedness was also the driving force behind the construction of the new building, because the company’s annual production volume has soared from 250,000 bags in 2013 to over a million today. “This investment was essential as a key component of our development strategy and for the company’s further growth,” Dr. Axel Göhler said in his welcome address.
High demand from overseas
The new warehouse and logistics center with its bagging line and palletizer can pack malt in up to 900 bags or 50 pallets per hour and get it on its way to customers. Four docking stations for trucks ensure that the malt leaves the plant quickly to be shipped all over the world. But the warehouse’s storage capacity for 1,200 pallets also guarantees a constant supply and means that production can be separated from customer orders. After all, demand for quality malts “made in Germany” is high, especially overseas: The most important markets are the USA, China and South America. Bestmalz bags are even transported to the other end of the world: Stephanie Howard of Cryer Malt, the new distribution partner for Australia and New Zealand, is very satisfied: “Brewers in these countries love German malt. We are delighted that we can now supply them with Bestmalz products, too.” The many guests from New Zealand, Australia, the USA, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, China, and others at the anniversary celebration attest to the company’s good international relations. Pascal Piroué of Brewpark, sales partner for France, Belgium and the Netherlands, confirms that BEST special malts in particular, but also basic malts, are very popular in these countries due to their high quality.
Palatia Malz is not only appreciated abroad, but also benefits its direct neighbors, as Markus Conrad, Mayor of the municipality of Wörrstadt, explains: “Companies like this are tremendously important for us. They create jobs and draw attention to our region, also at an international level. That’s why we support Dr. Göhler and his team in any way we can – because it’s not only important to attract new companies, but also to look after those we already have.” The company’s good connections in the region were also evident in the many guests at the celebrations from partner farms in the immediate surroundings of the production site.
Around 100 invited guests were able to gain a deeper insight into the state-of-the-art logistics technology during individual guided tours. In the beer tent, music and a buffet put guests in the mood despite the gray weather, accompanied of course by the winning beer from the Best Brew Challenge 2019 made using Bestmalz: a Festbier style beer dubbed “Callista Sommer” by Rheinhessen-Bräu in neighboring Mainz.
