GEA Invests in Expanding Oelde Test Center as Demand for Separation Technology Rises
GEA has announced it will invest in the expansion and modernization of its Process Test Center located at the company's Oelde site in Germany. This investment aims to cater to the increasing demand for mechanical separation technology. The project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2026, which will increase the facility’s total area to 3,500 square meters.
The expanded facility will feature an additional test room designed to accommodate complex pilot trials, larger separation equipment, and advanced skid-based solutions. Once completed, the center will facilitate pilot tests involving raw materials or process media at flow rates up to 5,000 liters per hour.
GEA reports that approximately 800 product samples undergo testing and development at the Oelde center annually. Over its 70-year history, the facility has generated more than 60,000 test reports, providing an extensive database for a range of mechanical separation applications.
The center serves multiple industries, including chemical, pharmaceutical, renewable raw materials, beverage, and dairy processing. For food and beverage manufacturers, the pilot testing process helps determine how different raw material characteristics affect separation efficiency and product quality.
Equipped with over 120 test machines, the Process Test Center includes laboratory-scale units and skid solutions that replicate industrial operating conditions. It features both disk stack and decanter centrifuges to support diverse testing needs. The expanded capacity will enable customer trials and internal R&D programs to run simultaneously, potentially reducing development times for new applications.
A particular emphasis is being placed on resource efficiency within the expansion plans. This will include the installation of a dedicated wastewater treatment system and the implementation of one of GEA’s heat pump technologies.
The site also boasts an ATEX-certified test room, facilitating testing for potentially explosive environments, supporting industries such as chemical processing and oil and gas. The completion of the expanded Process Test Center is expected to enhance GEA's capability to develop and validate separation processes as demand for efficiency and flexibility grows across sectors.
