GEA's factory in Elsdorf sets new standards in pharmaceutical production

EQS-News: GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft / Key word(s): Miscellaneous
GEA's factory in Elsdorf sets new standards in pharmaceutical production

22.03.2024 / 12:00 CET/CEST
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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GEA's factory in Elsdorf sets new standards in pharmaceutical production

  * Groundbreaking ceremony for GEA's second "Factory of the Future"
    covering an area of over 40,000 m2 in Elsdorf, Germany

  * Construction work meets the highest sustainability standards in line
    with the company's manufacturing strategy

  * All 250 employees from the current location in Hürth to relocate to the
    new plant

  * GEA is investing EUR 80 million to further its growth in the
    pharmaceutical freeze-drying market

* New factory scheduled to open in the second half of 2025

Düsseldorf, March 22, 2024 - Construction of GEA's new pharmaceutical
technology center in Elsdorf, Germany, begins today - setting new industry
benchmarks. The machinery and plant manufacturer is investing EUR 80 million
in the new freeze-drying systems facility. These systems are used in the
production of numerous injectable pharmaceuticals, including vaccines. The
new facility is scheduled to open in the second half of 2025.

With people increasingly aware of the major role immunization plays in
preventing disease, the market for vaccines is growing rapidly worldwide. In
order to meet this rising demand, GEA opted to build a new plant, as
capacities at the existing facility in Hürth were nearing their limits. All
250 employees are to relocate to the new plant.

"This investment will open the door to our onward growth as well as improved
innovation opportunities in the pharmaceutical sector, which is
strategically significant for us. The new plant will enable us to align even
more closely with our customers' needs and expand our leading market
position," says GEA CEO Stefan Klebert.

Construction starts on GEA's second "Factory of the Future" covering over
40,000 m²

Following the opening of the first factory in Poland in 2022, the second
plant of its kind - covering an area of over 40,000 m² - is now being built
in Germany.

At Elsdorf, state-of-the-art processes and working methods as well as the
associated digitalization are the main focus alongside sustainable
construction. Mobile devices coupled with the use of apps for production
control and monitoring will help create an ergonomic and attractive
workplace for employees. End-to-end document management and digital
workflows will ensure efficient and targeted access to company-relevant
information. Reliable material tracking will be made possible by the
intelligent warehouse management system.

"With modular manufacturing structures and digital technologies that make
our production more flexible and faster, we are setting new standards in the
GEA network," says GEA COO Johannes Giloth.

New facility meets the highest sustainability standards

"We develop sustainable solutions for the food and pharmaceutical industries
to help protect future generations. So we need to reflect this also in our
own actions. Ultimately, only an industrial base with a firm focus on
sustainability will remain competitive and strong on exports going forward,"
adds CEO Stefan Klebert.

This is why the new pharmaceutical technology center is going to be built
according to the highest sustainability standards. Power will be generated
by the company's own photovoltaic system. The electricity will be stored in
batteries to keep it available for charging electric vehicles, for example.
No natural gas will be used. Heat recovered in system test runs can be used
to heat and cool the plant.

A green roof will provide protection against hot weather for the building
and employees as well as create pleasant air quality. A water retention
system and minimum soil sealing will ensure that annual rainfall is used and
distributed to optimum effect. Biodiversity at the site will be promoted by
the green roof and an ecological compensation area on the property.

A strong signal for Elsdorf as a business location

For the town of Elsdorf, about half an hour's drive from Hürth in the
Rhein-Erft district, the new plant is an important signal of its importance
as a business location.

"We warmly welcome GEA to our town and are delighted that the company has
chosen Elsdorf. This shows once again how attractive Elsdorf and our region
are as a business location. With the construction of the new GEA plant, we
are getting a further important boost for structural change, as future-proof
and valuable jobs will be located in our town. Our hard work is now bearing
further fruit," says Mayor Andreas Heller.

NOTE TO EDITORS

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Media Relations
Anne Putz
Peter-Müller-Str. 12, 40468 Düsseldorf, Germany
Phone +49 211 9136-1500
anne.putz@gea.com

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. With more than
18,000 employees, the group generated revenues of about EUR 5.4 billion in
more than 150 countries in the 2023 fiscal year. GEA plants, processes,
components and services enhance the efficiency and sustainability of
customer's 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
among the companies comprising
the DAX 50 ESG, MSCI Global Sustainability as well as Dow Jones
Sustainability World and Dow Jones Sustainability Europe Indices.


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22.03.2024 CET/CEST Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by EQS
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   Language:       English
   Company:        GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft
                   Peter-Müller-Straße 12
                   40468 Düsseldorf
                   Germany
   Phone:          +49 (0)211 9136-0
   E-mail:         ir@gea.com
   Internet:       www.gea.com
   ISIN:           DE0006602006
   WKN:            660200
   Indices:        MDAX
   Listed:         Regulated Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt
                   (Prime Standard), Hamburg, Munich; Regulated Unofficial
                   Market in Hanover, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange
   EQS News ID:    1865469

End of News EQS News Service
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1865469 22.03.2024 CET/CEST