Excellent Inventor Spirit at GEA Westfalia Separator Group

At the “Best Innovators 2010/11” awards on 10th June at the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology in Berlin, GEA Group was honored as the mechanical engineering company with the most successful and sustainable innovation management in Germany. But there was still more to come. GEA Westfalia Separator Group was awarded the quality seal "Top 100" by Lothar Späth in the Baltic spa Warnemünde yesterday evening.

Only creative companies with vision and an innovative spirit have been able to join the ranks of the 100 most innovative SMEs. GEA Westfalia Separator Group is the world market leader for mechanical separating technology, around 3,000 employees worldwide are constantly developing new ideas for efficiency processing liquids and liquid mixtures. For instance, with regard to the production of beverages, dairy products or processing of sustainable raw materials. "We operate systematic innovation marketing before we even start with innovation", says head of Construction Wilfried Mackel in response to the question as to what extent the Marketing department is involved in the innovation process. "The innovation process starts by analysing the wishes of our customers." This is the reason why a committee consisting of representatives from a wide range of departments and management meets every six weeks. It observes the market and customers, and works together with high schools and experts from other sectors. "In our search for new ideas, we operate specific technology scouting. Only in this way are we able to permanently maintain our technology leadership", says Mr. Mackel.