Twilmij’s Jan Kuperus shares his experiences with Delft Solids Solutions

Since 1963, Twilmij has been developing and producing high-quality cores and premixes for the European animal feed sector. Our team offers expert nutritional support, helping our customers with both technical and product knowledge. Since 2017, we’ve been a part of DSM Nutritional Products, which is the world’s leading vitamin producer.

At Twilmij, we produce around 3000 premix recipes on demand. Each nutritional requirement comes with a custom recipe. When there’s no pre-made answer, we collaborate closely with the customer to create a suitable recipe. We also work with DSM, which provides reliable vitamins. We focus on aspects like segregation, flow behavior, and hygroscopicity in the production of a stable premix. My role is to identify and prevent any unwanted interactions in the premix. Sometimes, this even involves splitting a recipe into two to avoid chemical or physical instability. This way, we can still meet the nutritional needs while ensuring the premix is stable.

I’m a Premix and Process Engineer at Twilmij. My job is to inform customers about the chemical and physical properties of the premix. I studied biotechnology, specializing in process technology at Wageningen UR. After working in algae research for a few years, I decided to transition into the food and animal feed sector. Through my network, I found a position at Twilmij, and I’ve been here for 3.5 years now.

When I joined Twilmij, I quickly realized that powder handling and powder behavior is a unique field. We began looking for workshops and courses to deepen our knowledge. This eventually led us to organize an in-company course with DSS. Our team, especially those who frequently deal with powder behavior, took part in the course. It helped expand our understanding of powder dynamics within the company.

One of our main challenges is maintaining homogeneity and stability in the premixes. Sometimes, we can’t maintain the desired level of consistency, especially in certain weather conditions. For example, during the summer, we receive reports that the premix experiences bridging, or it hardens in bulk storage silos. Based on this, we researched how climate and humidity affect the flowability of the premix. As a result, we made adjustments in our raw materials, such as reducing hygroscopic ingredients, and stopped recommending some raw material combinations.

The DSS in-company training was very helpful. It provided us with the foundation to understand the negative effects powders can have during production and how to prevent them. Interestingly, we also learned that some issues aren’t caused by the premix composition itself, but by technological solutions like silo design and transport systems.

Yes, we’ve attended several DSS seminars. We participated in the Powder & Particle Characterization Day in 2018, the Powder (Non-) Flow Day, and the Mixing Day in 2016, and the Dustiness Day in 2024. These seminars have been incredibly valuable, not only for learning about new developments but also for discussing powder handling challenges with industry peers.

The training quality was excellent. The main goal was to give us a solid understanding of how powders affect production and how to solve these issues. One key takeaway was that sometimes the solution isn’t in the premix itself, but in the equipment design—like silos and transport systems. The training opened our eyes to different approaches for handling powder-related challenges.

I see attending seminars as a great way to stay updated on new powder handling developments. I also find the networking opportunities incredibly valuable, especially the lunch discussions. These conversations reveal that despite the differences in industries, we all face similar powder handling challenges. It’s reassuring to learn from others and keep up with new solutions in the field.