GEA to build nutritional powder plant in New Zealand

Process technology supplier GEA has secured a construction contract from Mataura Valley Milk for a new nutritional powders plant in McNab, New Zealand.

Expected to commence its commercial operations in 2018, the new plant will be processing fresh milk and ingredients into added value nutritional powders, as well as standard skimmed and whole milk powders.

The plant is expected to produce nearly 140t of nutritional powder a day.

GEA will also be responsible for building a milk reception and standardisation plant.

GEA CEO Jürg Oleas said: “This contract, which was long-awaited to win by GEA, serves as further proof of our technological leadership and strong market position in the field of dairy processing.

“It also demonstrates the continuing investment appetite of our customers as they attempt to satisfy the growing consumer demand on the Chinese market for milk-based infant formula and other high-quality milk products, and that in an environment impacted by regulatory changes.

“Although the challenging economic conditions mean that GEA’s order intake in the fourth quarter of 2016 will not repeat the record level achieved in the same quarter of the previous year, we are confident that customers throughout the world will continue to invest in our process technologies and place major orders for all product areas and applications.”

GEA also said that the new plant design would be energy-efficient and environment-friendly, as well as feature process automation and product traceability.

Mataura Valley Milk is majorly owned by the Chinese Animal Husbandry Group (CAHG).

Nutritional powder produced in the new plant will be exported to China, where Mataura Valley Milk expects steady growth in product demand.

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Image: Mataura Valley Milk awarded a contract to GEA for construction of nutritional powders plant in New Zealand. Photo: courtesy of GEA Group.