GEA targets food as prime growth driver

Speaking from Brau Beviale 2011, Marc Ponitz told FoodProductionDaily.com that equipment for food, beverage and dairy processing would assume an even greater role than it currently does for the company on the back of soaring growth in India and China.

Food processing machinery presently accounts for just over half of GEA´s EUR5bn annual sales - with the company forecasting this proportion is likely to climb higher in future.

The firm´s public communications chief said the recent acquistion of a Dutch convenience food company marked a key development in its expansion strategy and delcared GEA was expecting to realise huge growth in the sector.

Bullish on the economic situation, Ponitz said that GEAs strong performance in 2011´would not be dented by current uncertainties. He added that 2012 was forecast to be very strong for the German-based giant and said that no signs of an economic slowdown had yet materialised.