GEA has sales of about €4.5 billion a year. At the show, Joachim Haase. managing director of subsidiary, Tuchenhagen Dairy Systems, demonstrated the UHT-Technik, a machine that looks like a hollow block of stainless steel pipes. The machine processes raw milk to produce a UHT product. The pipes are specially designed to ensure that fibres and other particles do not become stuck within the piping, causing a blockage.
Tuchenhagen also announced it has received an €8 million order to build an entire dairy in Romania. The plant will process 100,000 liters of unboiled milk per day into drinking milk, yogurt and cheese.
Westfalia Separator, another subsidiary, has released a decanter for small-scale wine and juice producers. Unlike presses, these decanters allow continuous operation, which the company says will reduce the workload and, thus, the variable unit-based production cost associated with the industry.
The CE 205 has a capacity of up to 2 m3/h. The continuously operating scroll centrifuge was specially developed for medium-size plants.
The decanter can be used as a mobile station bz contract-based provider services. In addition to operating for mash processing, the decanter can be used for recovering product from tank sediments.
Another new machine is the Standomat Prospec, designed to continuously regulate the fat content of milk. It is also able to measure and regulate other milk constituents. The installation compensates for fluctuations in the feed capacity fully automatically. Individual models can also be prepared for partial stream homogenisation of standardised milk or whole milk.
Fat and protein content are regulated inline by way of light measurement using, transmission, fluorescence, scatter and refraction data. Processors can regulate the system by changing the quantity of cream.
Two other machines are designed for cold or warm milk processing. The MSE 500 has a capacity of up to 50,000l/h at 4°C to 20°C. The separating capacity of the MSE 230, for warm milk processing, covers the range of 20,000l/h to 30,000l/h. Both the MSE 500 and the MSE 230 have a self-cleaning bowl. Total bowl discharges can be carried out if required.
The machines use belts rather than the gear method used by other competitors. The belt method results in energy savings and reduces maintenance time by two thirds the company claimed.
Some dairies throught the world are now starting to use the cold processing method for milk. The company's Procool separator, released last week, separates 10,000 to 50,000 l/h from 4°C to 20°C. Procool was the first cold milk centrifuge on the market to use the belt drive method, the company claimed.
The new machine can be used for both cold milk and warm milk treatment.