GEA Refrigeration Technologies is to buy German refrigeration compressor manufacturer Bock for an undisclosed sum. A family-owned business headquartered in Frickenhausen, Bock has more than 300 staff, and additional manufacturing sites in the Czech Republic, India and China.
Dr Hugo Blaum, president of the GEA Refrigeration Technologies, said, 'This acquisition diversifies the portfolio of piston and screw compressors in GEA Group, and assures at the same time the continued operation of Bock.'

This strategic acquisition extends GEA's compressor offering in the lower and medium performance ranges (from 5 to almost 300m3/h refrigerant flow) and complements the company's GEA Grasso industrial compressor ranges.

GEA said that as a result of the sustained trend toward natural refrigerants, the upper performance range will be covered by GEA ammonia compressors, and the lower to mid-range of performance, by Bock CO2 compressors

'The future will belong to smaller, high-compression machines with natural refrigerants,' said Dr. Blaum. 'The Bock expertise in the lower performance range and Bock experience in mass production are therefore highly welcome to us.'