Walter was given clear advice: make sure you have good composition and workshop drawings with which you can manufacture a prototype. “You can easily resolve any teething problems, after which you can create a revision drawing”, says Maisha. If you have this, you can manufacture, assemble and commission the installation anywhere in the world. This will deliver savings on the stocking and transportation of components. Walter agrees: “You have to leave the design of such an insect breeding unit to experts. Once again, we’re reminded that we’re biologists, not engineers.” Of course, he knew of the name Iv-Industrie but assumed their work was purely to do with building oil and gas platforms. And of chemicals, pharmaceuticals and food? Maisha: “A process is a process. Whether it concerns oil, milk or larvae. However, an important difference here is that larvae are alive and require a different approach than with a liquid or solid. This is what made it an interesting challenge for us.”
Walter is hoping that the party that built the larvae breeding unit will take Iv-Industrie’s recommendations on board so that in ten years’ time, the first ‘larvae factory’ can finally be installed. Walter: “If I had known in advance that it would take so long, I probably wouldn’t have started it. But that’s also the key to making great steps: you have to keep going and you have to believe in it. And I never lost faith in this!”