GEA`s 10,000th liquid manure spreader unit: EL48 8800 model with a capacity of 10,500 US gal. From left to right, Randy Gorter – Head of North America Manure Management Sales at GEA, Chris and Paul Winter - owners of PK Winter Farms Inc , Scott Shane - GEA Manure Management Sales Specialist and Jason Baumgarn – AWS Salesman. (Source: GEA)

GEA recently achieved a significant milestone in its company history by manufacturing its 10,000th liquid manure spreader tank. With a stainless steel reservoir capacity of 10,500 US gallons, the EL48-8D 8800 is the biggest single reservoir model available on the market. The unit was sold by GEA dealer, Automated Waste Systems (AWS), LLC and delivered to PK Winter Farms Inc. in Sheldon, Iowa.

The day shift fabricating team at GEA’s manufacturing site in Drummondville, Canada (Source: GEA)

“I have been farming for 35 years and we have been working with AWS for the past 7-8 years as we have been hauling our own liquid manure,” said Paul Winter from PK Winter Farms. “We are very excited about our new 10,500 gallon EL48-8D 8800 manure spreader from GEA. We really like the job it does.”

GEA’s liquid manure spreader product line includes eight models with capacities to suit all sizes of livestock farms and manure hauling businesses. The EL48-8D 8800 is GEA’s largest model. The reservoir consists of 3/16-inch thick (5 mm) high-quality stainless steel, with internal baffles that limit the movement of liquid inside the reservoir during operation.

“I am very proud to be part of an organization that has made such an impact on the liquid manure spreader industry as we have with our line of spreaders.” said Randy Gorter, Head of Manure Management Sales, North America, at GEA. “We started building liquid manure spreaders in 1990. We introduced our steerable line of spreaders in 1992, and here we are now, 28 years later, delivering number 10,000.”

The 8800 spreader can be outfitted with GEA’s latest innovation in the liquid manure spreader product line, the Hydraulic HE impeller drive. This optional feature allows for simple set-up of equipment and eliminates the risks created by the PTO rotation, since the spreader pump is activated by a hydraulic pump versus a PTO driveline. Built-in features includes field proven Power Steering System, Hydraulic Suspension, and an advanced Weight Transfer System enabling the operator to shift the load toward the tractor by lifting the front axle of the spreader for increased traction, easier pull, and better fuel economy.

“We have been and continue to be a market leader with this product because of our dedication to quality and reliability,” adds Gorter. “The liquid manure spreader is just one example of the many standout products we have delivered to customers around the world, to help them be more efficient when it comes to their manure management equipment.”

Founded in 1957 in Wickham, Quebec, Canada, J. Houle & Fils Inc. was acquired in April 2007 by WestfaliaSurge GmbH, an international leading manufacturer of milking equipment and a member of the GEA Group. Since 2015, the manure management product line is part of GEA’s Milking & Dairy Farming product group and it is currently distributed in 22 countries through a large network of distributors who provide quality service and support for all GEA products.

The Dairy Technology Award, presented by the trade magazines molkerei-industrie and International Dairy Magazine (both part of B&L MedienGesellschaft) and the Association of Ahlem Engineers, once again goes to GEA in 2018. This award honors the newly developed system for the preparation and addition of tempered process water for the food industry, which has already been successfully commissioned at a cheese dairy.

The addition of tempered water plays a crucial role in many processes in the food industry, for example in the production of a wide variety of cheeses. Used as wash water, it has a significant influence on the quality of the cheese, as rinse water it is used in automated systems to significantly reduce phage risk. The new system, developed by Joachim Löw, Milk and Cheese Processing Technologist at GEA, convinced the jury with maximum product safety, a high degree of standardization with maximum flexibility and low operating costs. The system naturally incorporates complete production data logging, the monitoring of all relevant parameters as well as the connection to a dynamic recipe. 
The Dairy Technology Award
The award, which was presented for the first time in 2009, honors the successful implementation of technical innovations in the dairy and food industry. Eligible for the award are processes, plant parts, complete production units or relevant solutions that have clear advantages for the industry as a whole or that represent technological progress. The assessment of the applications and the selection of the winners are carried out by a jury of renowned experts. 
GEA is once again among the award winners in 2018. GEA's 'Provident Flow Analysis' system, which can be used to react to disruptions and delays in complex, interconnected process chains at an early stage, as well as the hygienic GEA decanters of the ecoforce series were awarded in 2015. In 2012, GEA was awarded the trophy for the development of a dynamic recipe control, which provides recipe parameters beyond delivery limits to a wide variety of participants in the process chain - at the right time and in the correct sequence, as well as for the GEA prolong, a separation process for double sterilization which extends the shelf life of drinking milk.
“GEA develops customized solutions for our customers in order to meet the increasing demands in terms of quality, safety, standardization, flexibility and cost reduction. We are very pleased to once again receive the Dairy Technology Award, because it reiterates the innovative strength of our development work” says Niels Erik Olsen, executive board member of the GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft and responsible for Business Area Solutions.
The award ceremony will take place on March 21, 2018 as part of Anuga FoodTec in Cologne

GEA was awarded by Shenzen BTR New Energy Materials during their Annual Supplier Commendatory Meeting 2017 with the “Award for Excellent Supplier”. BTR is a global leading lithium battery anode and cathode material solution provider, and the largest lithium battery cathode material supplier in the world. The “Award for Excellent Supplier” acknowledges the top level performance and the best quality in addition to delivering innovative and pragmatic solutions far beyond customer expectation. GEA offers a very large technology portfolio covering the entire production chain for lithium.

Working in partnership with the industry GEA developed evaporation, crystallization and drying technologies that are key to producing lithium from brine concentrates or from spodumene. GEA’s portfolio spans precipitation and membrane filtration systems for removing impurities, solid/liquid centrifugal separation, concentration and purification and fluid bed drying for lithium salt compounds. In addition, GEA has world-leading expertise in the spray drying of battery-grade powder for advanced lithium battery materials and offers service for its customers. 

“The Award for Excellent Supplier” is another milestone in the successful collaboration between GEA and BTR” says said Qian Jialin, Vice President, Head of APAC Chemical China, GEA. "This prestigious award is a clear sign of trust. We look forward to supporting the BTR growth strategy now and in the future. BTR can rely on our ongoing commitment to maintain our excellent quality and performance standard. I see great potential in expanding our global supply chain and exploiting our innovation power to further intensify our partnership with BTR”, says Jialin.

The technology group GEA has specified its process solution for flavor manufacturing and developed a new machine design as well as control and cleaning elements for the production facilities from the handling of raw materials right through to final packaging. With this, GEA helps flavor manufacturers to ensure the taste, consistency and repeatability of their products.

The goal is to create a flavor that mimics, as closely as possible, the real thing. But it’s not just the combination of raw materials that contributes to the taste result; the manufacturing process is equally crucial. Any variation in method can cause variations in a product that, for all companies, are unacceptable. GEA uses its 50 years of experience in the production of mixing, pumping, homogenization, drying and handling equipment to bring them together, to develop them and provide a consistent quality of the flavors.

Technology know-how ensures consistency

When producing flavors there is much opportunity for something to go wrong. An ingredient added too quickly into a mixing vessel, inconsistent temperature, insufficient mixing or incomplete homogenization can all have an effect further downstream that affects the outcome. Similarly, variations in oil droplet size, shearing or drying parameters can all have an effect that in some subtle way alters the product. All these parameters are critical to producing a consistent product. The process becomes more complex when 300 to 400 different flavors are produced on the same machinery. The control and automation should rule out deviations.

The new GEA integrated line controls all the individual unit operations precisely and, by doing so, controls the output. But repeatability is not just a question of adjusting a computerized control system. Achieving a consistent product also requires very precise engineering to allow the component parts of the line to work together in harmony. For example, feed systems must be calibrated specifically to match the capabilities of the mixer and the size of the mixer must be scaled precisely with the size of the dryer to ensure compatibility. 

Cleaning removes residues and odors

In order to comply with the hygiene regulations, every production plant must be cleaned effectively. But, as every flavor manufacturer knows, that’s not the whole story. Flavors and aromas can linger in equipment even after they have been cleaned to the most scrupulous hygiene standards. Any residue of the previous flavor can easily taint the next product, destroying the all-important consistency. To prevent this, GEA has done much more than provide an efficient rotating-ball cleaning system.

Getting the design right

With the overall concept, GEA has eliminated sharp edges or dead zones in the machines, pipework and valve systems, which even the smallest quantity of product could become trapped. Special materials have been carefully chosen to provide smooth internal surfaces to which product cannot adhere. The size of cleaning fluid tanks has been calculated to ensure that they hold precisely the right volume of medium to clean the whole system efficiently in less than four hours. Even gasket materials have been chosen to ensure that they do not harbor traces of product. These elements combine to ensure the efficiency of the CIP (Cleaning In Place) system making it efficient and enabling fast product changeover, reduced downtime, minimal waste and low use of water and detergents.

Sequenced production

There is also another key factor in maintaining repeatability. When producing multiple products on the same line it is critical that products are processed in the correct sequence to help prevent any tainting from one to the next. Purer flavors such as melon or strawberry, that are instantly recognized by consumers and are often consumed on their own, take precedence. Stronger flavors such as orange, garlic, chilli, curry, etc., that are usually mixed with dishes, come later. The control system on the GEA line is capable of not only managing the recipe for each product, but sequencing the production for maximum efficiency ensuring that after each operation the line is cleaned sufficiently. Deep cleaning can be performed at the end of the sequence before the program begins again. This also helps to minimize the use of chemicals and water and reduces plant downtime.

At Anuga FoodTec in Cologne, the technology group GEA will present the future of food processing with innovative machines and integrated solutions from March 20 to 23, 2018. The leading competence partner will focus on "Innovations & Liquids" during the global trade fair in Hall 10.2 Stand A-090-C-119 and will be showcasing a host of new technology and services in the area of processing and packaging technology for the food industry.

The numerous highlights include the GEA MaxiFormer – a rotating drum concept for meat forming, GEA CombiPlus – a new solution for the production of pasta filata cheese, the GEA S-Tech spiral freezer with new features as well as the GEA Hilge HYGIA H – a high-pressure pump for use in dairies. As GEA engineers continue to develop their high-tech offering, they are committed to providing sustainable solutions that enable careful and efficient use of natural resources while giving customers competitive advantage – whether with individual machines, complete production lines, or the many service products.

A much improved structure and quality for formed meat

Launched for the first time at IFFA 2016, Anuga FoodTec will be kicking off the sales release for the GEA MaxiFormer. This machine is a rotative drum forming concept that completes the GEA line solution for high capacity formed poultry, pork or meat replacement products. Its innovative low pressure meat filling principle results in a more consistent, higher quality formed product. In addition to this it provides more filling accuracy and less product waste by reduced leakage – the so-called smearing. Efficient use of a compressed air pulse for knock-out, without using water ensures cleaner and quieter forming and lowers operating costs.

New technology features for spiral freezer

GEA S-Tec spiral freezer and chiller represents the ultimate in hygiene standards with fully welded food zone structure assembly, open profiles, fully welded modular floor configuration option and high efficient Cleaning-In-Place options. Capable of handling capacities up to seven tons per hour, the GEA S-Tec spiral freezer is designed by expert engineers to exact specifications based on the product characteristics, capacities, facility space and line layout. High effective full height horizontal airflow and exact air temperature control ensure the best freezing and chilling performance and product quality. The machine can handle single-shift to 14-day operations without interruption to defrost, based on the evaporator configuration selected for customers’ needs – with GEA Sequential Defrost (SD) or Snow Removal System (SRS). Combined with GEA refrigeration systems, the freezers provide the most performant and economic solution for food application. CALLIFREEZE system, GEA revolutionary freezing process control is now measuring continuously the product level of frozenness at freezer outfeed and adjusts freezing time, air temperature and fan speed to achieve the exact freezing quality with minimum energy consumption.

Combi Plus: Great efficiency and highest flexibility for pasta filata cheese producers

GEA’s latest development in continuous stretching machines is the ideal solution for producers of pasta filata cheese that require the highest flexibility in the production process, and an excellent yield, while keeping maintenance costs at a modest level. With a capacity from 1,000 to more than 6,000 kg/h, Combi Plus is suitable for producing many different types of pasta filata cheese, such as pizza-cheese or scamorza, starting from milk, commercial curds or mixtures of both. Double feeding of the heating fluid – steam and/or water – allows the Combi Plus to work in the traditional way with water, but also with water and steam or steam only. The continuous stretching unit, with rotary paddles of various dimensions, provides high versatility and flexibility for the production processes, while increasing the yield, lowering operating costs and reducing energy and water consumption.

Hygienic pump series extended

In 2018, GEA's pump centre of excellence in Bodenheim will be sending the completely newly developed high-pressure pump for use in dairies to Anuga FoodTec in Cologne: The GEA Hilge HYGIA H is designed for system pressures up to 64 bar for filtration processes in the dairy industry, where it can handle liquids as well as homogeneous air or gas-containing media. It is available in two sizes, of which the larger variant – powered by a 45-kilowatt motor – delivers a volume flow of up to 200 cubic metres with a maximum delivery head of 70 metres. 

The new high-pressure pump from the H-series is based on the GEA Hilge HYGIA hygienic pump series, which, due to its high surface quality and adaptability, is suitable for a large number of media and applications. Thanks to the new concept of modular motor connection, it can be equipped with a wide variety of motors, thereby meeting international standards and specifications. Like the HYGIA K and HYGIA Adapta series, the GEA Hilge HYGIA H is 3A-certified for the US market. This is also where GEA is planning a large-scale market launch for its GEA Hilge pump range in 2018.

GEA service products live on stage

During the GEA SAFEXPERT™ program, the equipment will be screened systematically regarding biofilms and bacteriological species will be identified. Any biofilms will be removed to enhance the safety and quality of the products. Due to the consistent nominal production capacity, customers will have a high return on investment.

Another highlighted service tool is the new GEA IO control generation, which was unified for its entire range of separators and decanters. The control was developed to focus specifically on users’ needs and to keep the control of the machine as simple and user-friendly as possible. Displays have been consistently streamlined, the symbols are self-explanatory, and the color code is based on international standards, either traffic signal colors for statuses or the standard colors used in plant design for identifying pipework. IO not only controls the process and displays the information; it also interprets the data so that users can see how efficiently the centrifuge is running in relation to energy consumption, performance or separation efficiency. 

In the run-up to and during the fair, there is an extensive supporting program with numerous conferences on various current topics in the food processing industry. GEA engineers and managers participate in lectures during the conferences and are speakers at panel discussions. The experts present possible solutions to the various trend topics and provide suggestions for a sustainable and economic development in the manufacturing process.

GEA at the Anuga FoodTec: Hall 10.2 Stand A-090-C-119

GEA invites beverage industry representatives to visit Hall A3 Booth 313 at drinktec, the leading global trade fair for the beverage and liquid food industry in Munich from September 11-15, 2017. GEA focuses on customer needs, including high quality products providing absolutely reliable and safe production, flexibility in the face of demand fluctuations, improvements to internal productivity with ever lower operating costs and a sustainable ecological balance.

GEA, the technology group and market leader for commercial compressors for mobile transportation, will be once again showcasing its competence in the mobile air-conditioning segment to visitors at this year’s busworld. The world’s biggest and most renowned trade fair for city busses and coaches will be held in Kortrijk, Belgium from October 20 to 25, 2017. GEA will be featuring proven solutions such as the FKX40/755 K compressor at booth 415 in hall 4.

EYE WEAR from GEA, showcased at this year’s interpack, is a groundbreaking service innovation that enables virtual experts to support machine operators and service technicians in the field in-real time. From remote machine assessments, inspections and implementations to SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) assistance, this cutting-edge technology can reduce response times, almost eliminate travel costs and foster improved supplier–partner relationships.

Real-time trouble shooting for technicians

With its built in camera and microphone, EYE WEAR offers a range of functions, including “chat”, “hear”, “speak” and even the ability to “send” and “edit” pictures. With images projected onto the EYE WEAR screen, repairs, process optimization or inspections can be done at the speed of the Internet.

Information is streamed, live, via a Wi-Fi interface, enabling machine operators to send and receive information in real-time. Readable documents and procedures can be sent from the operator or requested from the engineer in the field. Using a bidirectional flow of information, the EYE WEAR can be used to assist customers with technical issues, inspect equipment and help with production start-ups.

EYE WEAR provides an array of benefits

From unexpected downtime to replacing damaged parts, and from identifying upgrade opportunities to equipment optimization: Amidst a strict regulatory environment and increasing competition, the pharmaceutical industry is constantly looking to optimize its processes, hit deadlines and get product to market as quickly as possible. GEA’s EYE WEAR can maximize production time, reduce operational costs, help to deliver quality products and, in the case of incidents or accidents, ensure the health and safety of staff.

Standalone unit or part of SLA

Available as a standalone unit and as part of the GEA Service Level Agreement (SLA) framework, the product’s scope of supply includes the EYE WEAR glasses, a battery charger, use of the registration QR code for a year, a microphone and headphones, an access point router and full documentation.

A comprehensive range of spare parts and accessories is also available, as are an optional extra battery pack and holder, support service and access to a web-based app.

Talk today about the future of real-time communication

For motivated and better trained staff, reduced downtime, increased OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) and extended equipment lifecycles, GEA Service is available at interpack to talk about the future of real-time communication.