The packaging testing centre at the Research and Teaching Institute for Brewing in Berlin (VLB) has been under new management since July this year. Florian Heukäufer has taken over as laboratory manager, succeeding Susan Dobrick, who left the VLB at her own request.
Florian Heukäufer (34), a graduate of the Brewing and Beverage Technology programme at the Technical University of Berlin, completed his master's degree in 2020. He then joined the VLB's packaging testing centre as a research assistant, where he worked in quality management, research and project work. Most recently, he held the position of deputy laboratory manager before taking over as laboratory manager of the packaging testing centre in July 2025.
With his in-depth experience in packaging testing and his comprehensive knowledge of filling and packaging processes in the brewing and beverage industry, the Berlin native is ideally qualified to manage this specialised laboratory. A particular focus of his work is on root cause analysis for non-conformities in beverage containers. To further optimise work processes, Heukäufer plans to continue driving forward digitalisation in the packaging testing centre. In addition, a central contact address has been set up to improve customer communication. All enquiries and test results can be handled efficiently and transparently via packaging@vlb-berlin.org.
Florian Heukäufer succeeds Susan Dobrick, who has headed the VLB packaging testing centre since 2016. The VLB management would like to express its sincere thanks to Susann Dobrick for her many years of successful cooperation and wishes her all the best for the future.
The VLB Berlin packaging testing centre has been operating since 1972 as a specialised laboratory for the brewing, beverage and food industries. Its range of services includes testing glass and PET bottles, plastic crates, crown caps, labels, screw caps, cans and outer packaging, as well as the production of filling quantity templates.
Further information about the VLB Packaging Testing Centre can be found at: www.vlb-berlin.org/en/vp
Florian Heukäufer has taken over as laboratory manager