GEA has introduced a new group structure as part of its ‘Fit for 2020’ initiative, marking a fundamental shift both in its internal structure and organisation, and in its external customer relations.

Effective immediately, the group is bundling and reporting the development and manufacturing of products and the provision of process solutions into two new business areas – ‘Equipment’ and ‘Solutions’.

The new bundling into business areas of roughly equal strength promises greater operational synergies spanning technologies and applications, and promotes functional excellence by standardising processes. For GEA’s customers this means a single national organisation per country as a central point of contact covering the entire product portfolio and offering all services on a local basis. The company says that the new structure will enable it to generate substantial savings while supporting further growth.

In the Equipment business area, GEA brings together all activities that feature standardised and (in part) customer-specific equipment offerings. As a general rule, products are manufactured in large quantities as part of large-scale series production on a standardised and modular basis. The Solutions business area brings together all project-based offerings that extensively cover customer-specific and modular solutions. The business areas tailor their products and services to the specific applications and customer requirements.

GEA ceo Jürg Oleas said: 'The new structure is designed to help us develop from a very good to an outstanding company based on a simplified, harmonised, and more streamlined organisation. This means the maximum possible focus within each unit, with clearly defined responsibilities in terms of applications, products, technologies, and services. In addition, the changes will safeguard and further improve our customer focus through first-rate innovations and services, rapid decision-making processes, uniform and coordinated customer management, and much more.'

The most visible indication of the changes is the group’s new website at www.gea.com, which was launched at the same time. The updated site is now clearly divided into products, applications, and services. Customers are only a few clicks away from both the entire GEA portfolio and the relevant contacts at its affiliates. This new website replaces the more than 200 separate group company websites that had previously existed.