GEA Refrigeration Germany has celebrated its 75th anniversary at its Berlin site, bringing together around 1,000 guests, including employees from its locations in Berlin, Schkopau near Halle, and Prenzlau. GEA, a global specialist in industrial heating and cooling, emphasized its role in sustainable energy solutions for sectors including food and beverage, marine, pharmaceutical, oil and gas, and sports and leisure.
GEA Heating & Refrigeration Technologies (HRT) develops and manufactures screw compressors, compressor units, liquid chillers, and heat pumps in Berlin and Schkopau. At the Prenzlau site, GEA AWP produces valves and components for industrial refrigeration systems, including safety valves, shut-off valves, ball valves, suction filters, and oil management valves, many of which are used in heat pump applications. The systems operate with natural refrigerants such as ammonia, supporting lower energy use and emissions.
The company’s history began in 1950 with the founding of VEB Kühlautomat Berlin (KAB), initially focused on refrigeration repairs and development in post-war East Germany. Over the decades, GEA introduced key innovations such as an asymmetrical rotor profile and a Vi adaptation system that allowed internal compression adjustments, both of which are now standard in all 24 sizes of GEA screw compressors.
Production at the Berlin site includes precision housing and rotor machining, quality control under tight tolerances, and end-of-line tests involving pressure and performance checks. Compressors are offered both as standalone units and as fully assembled packages with motor, controls, and piping.
The company operates a Validation Test Center (VTC) in Berlin for testing compressors and heat pumps under real operating conditions. The VTC enables the development of new products, including high-pressure compressors for water temperatures up to 95 °C.
GEA also emphasized career opportunities, including positions for mechatronics engineers and mechanics, as well as dual study programs in mechanical engineering. Despite long employee tenure, the company is seeking skilled workers for future needs.
“Looking back should not be a matter of sentimental complacency... Only the future can captivate a creative spirit,” said Rudolf Plank, the pioneering refrigeration researcher, whose words were quoted during the event. Echoing this sentiment, Managing Directors Tom Trinkaus and André Krychowski stated: “At our Berlin location, ideas take shape, challenges are mastered with ingenuity, and progress is driven forward by visionary people.”