Pellet Production Lines

Pharmaceutical pellets offer a number of additional features compared with conventional tablets. GEA is a market-leading supplier of pelletization equipment and process solutions, and can help you to select the system that best suits your needs.

The GEA Advantage

Specialising in the design, build and supply of equipment for the production and laboratory development of pharmaceutical pellets (spheroids) by extrusion and spheronization, powder and liquid layering, high shear pellet processing, and melt and wet granulation, GEA offers a complete engineering service from system design to process integration and optimisation.

For example, the unique, modular concept of the NICA™ Pelletizing Plant enables us to meet your process requirements exactly. Mixer / granulator, extruder and spheronizer modules can be combined to create a completely integrated pellet production plant, or selected individually to suit specific requirements.

For maximum flexibility, the modules can be operated in either batch or continuous mode, and can be used as standalone products or integrated with other up- or downstream equipment (such as a fluid bed processor). Ideal for both product development and full-scale production applications, scale-up is easy; it’s simply a factor of processing time.

Liquid and Powder Layering

For liquid layering applications, the multi-functional PRECISION-COATER™ and top spray coater systems can all be used to make pellets by layering the active material onto an inert core. Non-pareil starter pellets are sprayed with a solution/suspension of the active material and dried simultaneously. Conversely, when the active ingredient is in powder form, pelletization can be achieved by spraying starter pellets with the active powder and, at the same time, a liquid binder solution. The layered pellets are then dried.

Pellet Coating

Coating technology has many applications in the pharmaceutical industry, such as taste masking and drug release control. GEA’s expertise includes batch, continuous, top- and bottom-spray fluid bed and spray congealing coating, and offers innovative technologies such as our FlexStream™ and Precision-Coater™ modules. We can help you to select the most appropriate process for your product.

Integrated Pellet Production Plants

Using our breakthrough technology and the experience gained during many successful installations, GEA provides seamlessly integrated pellet production plants. Our history of integrated systems and Clean-in-Place (CIP) solutions is second to none, and we continue to provide the highest quality and support for each of our core technologies. 

Process & Product Development

At our Pharmaceutical Technology Centres in Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, the UK, Singapore, China and USA, our experienced staff can assist with feasibility studies, process development, optimisation and transfer, and our state-of-the-art test and application centres can produce pharmaceutical dosage forms for clinical studies. Equipment is also available to rent/hire.

With a history of innovation and expertise, we provide equipment for full-scale production and benchtop models for formulation development and trial work. Our laboratory scale products are designed to facilitate fast scale-up to production.