Trade press release

GEA implements innovative ViwateQ® surface treatment at Danish factory

08 Jun 2021

GEA was recently awarded a license to use ViwateQ® wet finishing to polish stainless steel surfaces at its vibratory equipment manufacturing plant in Svendborg, Denmark.

GEA vibratory equipment before ViwateQ® treatment (image GEA)

GEA vibratory equipment before ViwateQ® treatment (image GEA)

The ability to perform this finishing in-house reduces costs and manufacturing time, as well as improving the company’s environmental footprint. The process is required in particular by food, pet food, and pharmaceutical customers who need their equipment surfaces to be highly polished and hygienic.

GEA vibratory equipment after ViwateQ® finishing (image GEA)

GEA vibratory equipment after ViwateQ® finishing (image GEA)

ViwateQ® finishing is an innovative surface treatment that is used to create highly polished, hygienic surfaces inside and out on stainless steel processing equipment. It is chemical-free and has zero impact on the environment. Although GEA has offered its customers ViwateQ® treatment in the past, this has always involved transporting completed assemblies to an external supplier in The Netherlands. Thanks to this new license, GEA can perform the process itself in Denmark, reducing the need for transportation, enabling it to provide a faster service to customers, and providing its workforce with a better and more varied working environment.

Kasper Ege Scharff, Product Manager for Vibratory Equipment at GEA, explains that stainless steel finishing previously involved an acid pickling process and grinding, a time consuming and highly labor-intensive operation. The alternative ViwateQ treatment is both gentler on the environment and achieves a better surface finish. “Being able to perform this process in-house significantly reduces our use of chemicals and road transport, improving our environmental footprint,” Kasper says. “It also allows us to speed up the manufacturing process, which is good for our customers. And our staff can alternate between traditional grinding operations and ViwateQ® treatment, affording them greater variety at work. Which machine parts needs to be treated by ViwateQ® depends on the application.”

GEA has implemented this resource-saving treatment process because many customers require the surfaces of food, pet food, and pharma-grade equipment to be as smooth as possible. ViwateQ® removes all unwanted contaminants – including the burned weld area – from the surface of the stainless steel, leaving it extremely smooth. The treated surface minimizes the adhesion of dirt and bacteria, considerably reducing the risk of contamination as well as making cleaning quicker and more effective. Naturally sticky products are also easier to handle.

Torben Nørgaard Hansen, Vice President Powder Handling & Packing at GEA, says that the new technology will be installed and operational at the new GEA factory in Svendborg, Denmark in the third quarter of this year. “Through this investment in ViwateQ® technology, we have moved GEA another step forward in the production of state-of-the-art vibration equipment, while simultaneously reducing our environmental footprint.”

Contact

Nicole Meierotto

Phone: 49 211 9136 1503

Media Relations

GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft

Peter-Müller-Str. 12


40468

Düsseldorf


Germany

+49 211 9136-0

About GEA

GEA is one of the world’s largest suppliers of systems and components to the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. The international technology group, founded in 1881, focuses on machinery and plants, as well as advanced process technology, components and comprehensive services.

With more than 18,000 employees, the group generated revenues of about EUR 5.4 billion in more than 150 countries in the 2023 fiscal year. GEA plants, processes, components and services enhance the efficiency and sustainability of customer’s production. They contribute significantly to the reduction of CO2 emissions, plastic usage and food waste. In doing so, GEA makes a key contribution toward a sustainable future, in line with the company’s purpose: ”Engineering for a better world“. GEA is listed on the German MDAX the European STOXX® Europe 600 Index and is among the companies comprising the DAX 50 ESG, MSCI Global Sustainability as well as Dow Jones Sustainability World and Dow Jones Sustainability Europe Indices.
 
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