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A giant to suit every gusto
02 May 2023
One of Portugal's most modern and largest olive oil mills is located in Alentejo and operated by Olibest, one of the leading producers in Europe. Back in 2021, Olibest relied on GEA's expertise to build this new plant with a processing capacity of up to 1.5 million kilos of olives per day. Now, the production has been expanded with the latest and largest GEA decanter available to date for the olive oil sector. The new high-performance centrifuge of type olivMaster CF 8000 processes a further 650 tons of olives per day for Olibest.
The Olibest mill in Alentejo now processes 2.15 million kilos of olives per day. (Image: GEA)
- GEA successfully operates largest decanter for the olive oil sector at Olibest
- New decanter CF 8000 processes up to 650 tons of olives per day
- With the new decanter, GEA strengthens its leading position as solution provider for the largest olive oil mills in the world
- At Expoliva trade fair, GEA will be showcasing its solutions for the olive oil industry
The new GEA decanter CF 8000 processes 650 tons of olives per day for Portuguese oil producer Olibest. (Image: GEA)
The good performance of the CF 8000 decanter in a test phase convinced Olibest to expand production with this machine to a total of seven olive oil extraction lines. As the oil mill had a high level of automation from the outset to precisely monitor and manage the entire production process, the new GEA decanter was integrated quickly and easily.
"We are pleased that the latest decanter in our portfolio was able to convince the olive oil experts at Olibest with its performance," explains Juan Manuel Jariego, Sales Manager of the GEA Center of Excellence for Olive Oil in Úbeda, Spain. "It not only stands out for its high processing capacity, but also has excellent energy efficiency with very good yields. The new CF 8000 is therefore an ideal solution for the large mills, which have evolved significantly in this sector in recent years," emphasizes Juan Manuel Jariego.
GEA showcases new Combi-Decanter at Expoliva trade fair in Spain
Based on more than 40 years of experience, GEA supports the olive oil sector with proven components for every step of the process, as well as solutions that not only maximize yield and quality, but also minimize water and energy consumption. As one of the main exhibitors at the industry’s leading trade fair Expoliva, GEA will be showcasing it’s know-how for olive oil production and edible oil refining plants in Jaén, Spain, May 10-13.
In IFEJA, hall Caja Rural, booth A20, GEA will be showcasing its new Combi-Decanter, which provides customers two machines in one solution. This GEA decanter is the only one that can be used during the campaign in 2-phase design for first extraction and after the campaign in 3-phase design for pomace treatment. By simply adjusting the decanter settings and without any new or re-assembling of machine parts, the Combi-Decanter masters both olive oil processes, providing maximum yield and highest flexibility. The new Combi feature is currently available for the decanter types olivMaster prime CF 4000, 6000 and 7000.
Olibest expanded its mill to a seventh extraction line. (Image: GEA)
Additional information
About the GEA Center of Excellence for Olive Oil in Spain
GEA is a leading solution provider in the olive oil sector with more than 40 years of experience in olive oil processing. The majority of the world's largest mills use GEA equipment to produce olive oil. To strengthen this expertise, GEA established the Center of Excellence for Olive Oil in Úbeda in 2008. There, GEA works continuously and intensively on effective and sustainable solutions and also organizes international training courses for customers from the industry. On the Iberian Peninsula alone, the company employs over 360 people for this purpose and is represented in four branches in Spain and Portugal, located in important economic centers such as Madrid, Barcelona, Úbeda and Lisbon.
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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. For instance, every second pharma separator for essential healthcare products such as vaccines or novel biopharmaceuticals is produced by GEA. In food, every fourth package of pasta or every third chicken nugget are processed with GEA technology.
With more than 18,000 employees, the group generated sales of about EUR 5.5 billion in more than 150 countries in the 2025 fiscal year. GEA plants, processes, components and services enhance the efficiency and sustainability of customers’ 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 also a constituent of the leading sustainability indices DAX 50 ESG, MSCI Global Sustainability and Dow Jones Best-in-Class World.
