Werner & Pfleiderer strengthens its Middle East presence through integrated bakery solutions and strategic partnerships

As bakery manufacturers across the Middle East face increasing pressure to improve production efficiency, manage rising ingredient costs and address labour shortages, the demand for integrated automation and complete production solutions is gaining momentum. For equipment manufacturers, the challenge is no longer simply about supplying individual machines but about helping customers optimise their entire production process, from ingredient mixing to finished-product packaging.

Against this backdrop, Werner & Pfleiderer (W&P) Bakery Group is strengthening its regional presence with a comprehensive portfolio of bakery technologies and a collaborative approach to serving manufacturers. At Gulfood Manufacturing 2026, the German bakery technology specialist highlighted its capabilities across mixing, dividing, rounding, forming, baking, cooling and packaging, underlining its focus on delivering integrated solutions for industrial bakeries.

Speaking at the exhibition, Gerald Fauland, Regional Sales Manager, Werner & Pfleiderer – Bakery Technologies, emphasised the company's long-standing experience and its ability to address the diverse production requirements of bakery manufacturers.

"We are W&P Bakery Group, based in Germany, and we have been in the bakery industry for 140 years. We supply dividers and rounders, complete makeup lines and turnkey solutions. Our portfolio also includes ovens, mixers and cooling systems for products such as burger buns, Hot Dog, Samouli, and baguettes. We can support the complete requirements of a bakery," he said.

End-to-end solutions for industrial bakeries

W&P Bakery Group's approach centres on providing solutions that cover multiple stages of bakery production rather than focusing on individual equipment categories. Its portfolio encompasses the complete production process, beginning with mixing and dough preparation, followed by dividing, rounding and forming, and extending through baking, cooling and downstream operations.

At Gulfood Manufacturing, the company highlighted its capabilities in complete bakery production lines, including solutions for burger bun manufacturing. These encompass dough processing, product forming, seeding and automated tray loading, with integrated systems designed to streamline production and improve operational efficiency.

The company's automation capabilities extend to oven operations, depanning and cooling, including spiral cooling systems. By integrating different stages of production, W&P Bakery Group aims to help manufacturers establish more coordinated production environments, reduce manual intervention and maintain consistency across operations.

Recognising that packaging is an important part of the overall manufacturing process, the company is also expanding its capabilities through partnerships with specialised technology providers. This allows it to address a broader range of customer requirements and offer more comprehensive production solutions.

Safe Automation partnership expands regional capabilities

A key aspect of W&P Bakery Group's regional strategy is its collaboration with Safe Automation, a partnership that has been in place for approximately one year. The association brings together W&P Bakery Group's expertise in bakery processing technologies with Safe Automation's capabilities in packaging and inspection solutions, including X-ray inspection.

Fauland explained that the collaboration emerged from an existing professional relationship and a shared understanding of the requirements of bakery manufacturers.

"I know Safe Automation very well, and the company also supports bakery customers. This created an opportunity for us to work together, particularly because of its expertise in X-ray inspection and other solutions. Through this partnership, we can now support customers with complete production lines. It is not just about packaging and X-ray inspection. Safe Automation is a very good partner for us," he said.

The collaboration is particularly relevant as bakery manufacturers increasingly seek integrated solutions that connect processing, inspection and packaging operations. Rather than approaching different equipment suppliers for individual requirements, customers can benefit from a more coordinated approach to production-line development.

For W&P Bakery Group, the partnership also represents an opportunity to strengthen its visibility and expand its customer base in the Middle East, where the bakery market continues to offer growth opportunities.

"The objective was to strengthen W&P Bakery Group's presence in the bakery sector, particularly in the Middle East, where we see significant opportunities for growth. The market is expanding, and together with Safe Automation, we want to support customers across the region," Fauland noted.

Beyond expanding its market reach, the company expects the collaboration to improve customer accessibility and provide stronger support across different stages of bakery production. Its focus is on building greater market awareness while ensuring that customers receive the technical assistance and service they require.

Automation and precision become critical priorities

Labour availability and increasing production costs are among the factors accelerating automation across the bakery industry. As manufacturers look to maintain output levels with fewer workers, automated production lines are becoming increasingly important for improving productivity, consistency and operational control.

However, Fauland believes that automation must deliver measurable value to manufacturers. In particular, weighing accuracy is a critical consideration, especially as ingredient prices continue to rise and even small variations in product weight can affect production economics.

"For customers, weighing accuracy is very important because it directly affects costs. Ingredients are becoming more and more expensive. If you require a 60-gram dough ball, it should be exactly 60 grams, not 70, 80 or 90 grams," he explained.

His observation highlights an important aspect of industrial bakery operations: accurate portioning is not simply a matter of maintaining product specifications but also of controlling ingredient consumption and reducing unnecessary material usage.

For manufacturers producing large volumes of bakery products, even minor deviations in dough weight can accumulate into significant ingredient losses over time. Accurate dividing and portioning therefore play an important role in improving resource utilisation and maintaining consistency.

As automation advances, the integration of different production stages also becomes increasingly important. Connected systems can help manufacturers manage operations more effectively, while reliable equipment performance and technical support remain essential to achieving the expected productivity gains.

Beyond machinery: A customer-focused approach

While technology and automation remain central to its business, W&P Bakery Group is positioning itself as more than an equipment supplier. The company aims to develop long-term relationships with customers by supporting them with technical expertise, after-sales service and assistance in product development.

Fauland highlighted that the company's responsibilities extend beyond machinery installation and automation. This includes addressing technical questions, providing ongoing support and working with customers on new recipes and product development.

"Together with Safe Automation, we aim to be a reliable and stable partner for our customers. Our role is not limited to selling machinery or providing automation solutions. We also offer service and support, address technical questions, and assist customers with development, including new recipes and new products," he said.

This approach reflects the evolving expectations of bakery manufacturers, who increasingly look for technology partners capable of understanding their operational challenges and supporting them throughout the equipment lifecycle.

For W&P Bakery Group, closer customer engagement will remain a priority in the coming years. Rather than focusing exclusively on machinery sales, the company intends to strengthen its role as a source of technical knowledge, assistance and long-term operational support.

Middle East remains a strategic growth market

The Middle East is an important market for W&P Bakery Group, particularly given the region's expanding food manufacturing sector and growing demand for modern bakery production facilities. However, the market is also competitive, making regional engagement and customer relationships important elements of the company's growth strategy.

Fauland, who is responsible for the region, sees considerable potential to increase the company's market share by strengthening its presence and working more closely with customers.

"The Middle East market is very important to me because I am responsible for this region. I want to increase our market share because there are many competitors and the market is growing," he said.

He also underlined the importance of Gulfood Manufacturing as a platform for maintaining visibility, connecting with existing customers and developing new business relationships.

Although visitor numbers at the 2026 edition were relatively lower than expected, which Fauland partly attributed to the prevailing geopolitical situation since March, he noted that the quality of visitors remained encouraging.

"Considering the current political situation, visitor numbers have not been very high. However, the customers who have attended and visited the exhibition are good customers and represent promising leads that we can follow up on," he said.

For the company, participating in international exhibitions such as Gulfood Manufacturing is also a way of demonstrating its commitment to regional markets and reassuring customers that its teams are accessible and available to support their requirements.

Building partnerships for the future

W&P Bakery Group's priorities centre on strengthening customer relationships, expanding its regional presence and delivering solutions that address the changing requirements of industrial bakeries. Its collaboration with Safe Automation is part of this broader approach, bringing complementary competencies together to provide more comprehensive production-line solutions.

Fauland believes that the company's value proposition lies not only in its engineering capabilities and long history in the bakery sector but also in its willingness to work alongside customers as a long-term partner.

"The most important thing is to work more closely with our customers. We do not want to be seen only as a machinery supplier. We also want to be a supplier of knowledge and assistance, and to be a partner with our customers," he said.

Summing up the company's approach and its message to potential customers, Fauland emphasised the importance of trust and long-term collaboration.

"We support you and assist you. We are not just a supplier; we are friends and partners."

With its established bakery engineering expertise, integrated production capabilities and regional collaboration strategy, W&P Bakery Group is looking to build stronger relationships with Middle Eastern manufacturers while supporting the industry's transition towards more automated, accurate and efficient bakery operations.