What Gillenkirch does

Gillenkirch is a German, family-owned machinery and plant engineering company that designs, develops, and manufactures stainless steel equipment and complete turnkey solutions for receiving, washing, sorting, storing, conveying, weighing, and packaging potatoes, carrots, and onions. The firm operates through three production sites — Dinslaken (headquarters), Bremervörde (3,000 m²), and Jihlava, Czech Republic (via joint-venture Fresh Link & Packaging Solutions) — and employs over 70 people. Its product portfolio is organized into eight categories (receiving, processing, conveyor/storage, sorting, weighing, packaging, repackaging, and plant automation), with notable technical components including NEWTEC CELOX optical 3-in-1 sorting (quality, size, shape), MDC metal detector belts for ferromagnetic/non-ferromagnetic separation, and proprietary plant automation systems delivered turnkey with worldwide commissioning.

Gillenkirch serves two primary customer segments: (1) fresh-market producers (small-to-medium businesses processing produce for retail sale) requiring gentle handling and presentation-grade packaging, and (2) industrial food processors (including french fry manufacturers) requiring high-throughput plants meeting international hygiene and capacity standards. Revenue is generated through project-based hardware sales of single machines and complete plants, recurring spare parts supply, and after-sales services including assembly, retrofitting, maintenance, and documentation. Multi-year contracts with personalized quotations are standard, with sales staff conducting on-site customer visits and arranging visits to reference plants. The company's go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales from Dinslaken with a channel partner/dealer network spanning more than 20 countries across Western Europe, Eastern Europe (including Russia, Israel, Czech Republic), North America, South America, Africa, and Oceania. International sales are managed via country-specific dealers such as Vanhemens (Belgium), Newtec (Denmark), JASA (Netherlands), Pepper Equipment (USA), Chisholm Machinery (Canada), Agrosystem (Brazil), and Proud Solutions (Australia).

The company was founded by Gerd Gillenkirch (born 1948), with the engineering business originating in 1973; patents for a bag packing machine and automatic weighing machine were filed in 1976/1977, and the Dinslaken factory was built in 1980. The business transitioned to stainless steel production in 1997, acquired a conveyor belt manufacturer in 2000 (forming the Bremervörde site), and underwent leadership succession in 2014/2015 when Michael Gillenkirch became Managing Director. Reference projects include the world's largest washing and sorting plant for a leading US french fries manufacturer (>30,000 truckloads of potatoes/year), installed 2012/2013 across all three production sites.

Name

Gillenkirch

Legal name

Gillenkirch Engineering and Sales GmbH

Website

https://gillenkirch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gillenkirch is a German family-owned machinery manufacturer that designs and produces stainless steel equipment and turnkey plant solutions for receiving, washing, sorting, weighing, and packaging potatoes, carrots, and onions, serving fresh-market producers and industrial food processors across more than 20 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Food Processing Machinery

NAICS

Food Product Machinery Manufacturing (333241)

SIC

Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523)

akta.pro primary industry

Filling & Dosing Machines (Liquid/Powder/Solid) (IMAHAOAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Capping, Sealing & Closing Machines (IMAHAOAG)

Keywords

• Fruit vegetable processing machinery
• Potato processing equipment
• Industrial sorting machines
• Packaging plant engineering
• Agricultural conveyor systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Dinslaken

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Machine Manufacturing and Sales: Design, development and manufacturing of high-quality machines for receiving, washing, sorting, storing, conveying, weighing and packaging of potatoes, carrots and onions. Machines include receiving machines, processing/washing machines, conveyor belts, sorting machines, weighing machines, packaging machines, and repackaging machines.
2. Custom Plant Solutions: Complete turnkey plant engineering from planning through installation to service after commissioning. Includes integration of existing machines and cooperation with international machine manufacturers. Full project management with 3D visualization and worldwide commissioning.
3. Spare Parts Service: Original spare parts supply for Gillenkirch products with most important spare parts kept in stock ready for dispatch.
4. Customer Service and Maintenance: Technical support including assembly and conversion of plants and machines, inspections, general overhauls, retrofitting, performance optimisation, maintenance and repair work, operator training, and telephone support.
5. Documentation Services: Operating manuals including project planning documents, construction and circuit diagrams, spare parts catalogues, declarations of conformity and certificates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Gillenkirch designs, develops, and manufactures industrial stainless-steel machines and complete turnkey plant solutions for receiving, washing, sorting, storing, conveying, weighing, and packaging of potatoes, carrots, and onions. The offering spans eight machine categories (receiving, processing, conveying/storage, sorting, weighing, packaging, repackaging, and plant automation) as well as full custom plant engineering with project planning, 3D visualization, assembly, worldwide commissioning, and after-sales service including spare parts, maintenance, retrofits, and operator training.

Product overview

Gillenkirch is a family-owned machinery and plant engineering company offering a comprehensive portfolio of industrial machines and complete turnkey solutions for fruit and vegetable processing. The product portfolio is organized into eight categories: Receiving machines (for gentle product reception and soil removal), Processing machines (washing, stone separation, drying), Conveyor belts & storage systems (transport and storage solutions), Sorting machines (optical and mechanical quality/size sorting), Weighing machines (NEWTEC computerized weighers), Packaging machines (film sealing, net clipping, net welding), Repackaging machines (carton/crate filling), and Plant automation (control and visualization systems). The company also delivers complete plant engineering solutions integrating multiple machine categories. Products are manufactured at three production sites in Dinslaken, Bremervörde, and Jihlava (Czech Republic).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Processing Machines (Aufbereitungsmaschinen) Includes BW brush washing machine, CSR cyclone stone separator, DW drum washing machine, PD roller dryer, SR series stone separators (SR-15, SR-50, SR-80), DFS-180 drum sieve, PST pre-soak tank, RWH-15 pre-silo with discharge belt, and water pre-treatment for polisher — for industrial potato, carrot, and onion processors.
• Conveyor Belts & Storage Systems (Förderbänder & Lagersysteme) Includes FB mechanical fall breaker systems, BS bunker system, COF changeover flap, DVC vibrating belt, FCS flat belt conveyors, HB hopper bunker, ICS riser belt, MCS trough belts, QC90-2 checkweigher, RB roller conveyor, SEC scraper belt, EFX even flow pre-silo, and ICC curved belt series — for industrial potato, carrot, and onion processors.
• Sorting Machines (Sortiermaschinen) Quality and size sorting systems for potatoes, carrots and similar products. Includes CELOX optical sorters (C-UHD and P-UHD) from NEWTEC, FSA size sorter, RVS roller sorting table, WSG/WBS sieve sorter, and MDC metal detector belt — for industrial potato, carrot, and onion processors.
• Weighing Machines (Wiegemaschinen) Computerized weighing machines from NEWTEC (Denmark) including models 2008 PCM, 2008-2014 XB, 2009A-2014A, 2012D-2014D, 4009B2, 4009XB2, 4010W1, 4010XXB1CI, 4012B2, 4014XB1, 4015B2, 4016-4RW, plus ACS portion collection system, CCS cross conveyor system, and PF machine platforms — for industrial potato, carrot, and onion processors.
• Packaging Machines (Verpackungsmaschinen) Film sealing machines (2000E-7000E series), 2500N net sewing machines, JASA QUICK PACK multifunctional packaging machine, C-PACK net clippers (VAC series) and net welding machines (VAS series), HCF-600A horizontal welding machine — for industrial potato, carrot, and onion processors.
• Repackaging Machines (Umverpackungsmaschinen) Machines for packaging products in cartons, crates, large boxes, big bags or on pallets. Includes 25N repackers, BF box filler, CBF/PBF carton and case fillers, DF turntable, HKF carton and box filler, SBF box filler, SVBF/DVBF case and jumbo bag fillers — for industrial processors.
• Plants for Fresh Market and Industrial Customers (Anlagenbau) Complete turnkey plant solutions meeting international safety, hygiene and capacity requirements, integrating multiple machine categories into a single processing line from receiving to packaging, with project planning, 3D visualization, and worldwide commissioning — for fresh market and industrial customers.
• Receiving Machines (Annahmemaschinen) Receiving systems for gentle reception of agricultural products. Includes GWE rolled soil remover, SPT soil remover, KK series hydraulic box tippers (KK-1200-1800-H, KK-1600, KKB-1800-H, KK-1000-H), RH receiving silos (RH-5, RH-10, RH-15, SRH-20), and special solutions — for industrial potato, carrot, and onion processors.
• Spare Parts Service (Ersatzteilservice) Original spare parts supply for Gillenkirch products with the most important spare parts kept in stock ready for dispatch — for owners and operators of installed Gillenkirch equipment worldwide.
• Customer Service and Maintenance (Kundendienst) Technical support including assembly and conversion of plants and machines, inspections, general overhauls, retrofitting, performance optimisation, maintenance and repair work, operator training, and telephone support — for owners and operators of installed Gillenkirch equipment.
• Documentation Services (Maschinen- und Anlagendokumentation) Operating manuals including project planning documents, construction and circuit diagrams, spare parts catalogues, declarations of conformity and certificates — for owners and operators of installed Gillenkirch equipment.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 30,000 truckloads of potatoes processed per year at largest plant
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• JASA Packaging SolutionscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2021Partnership with Dutch company JASA for multifunctional packaging machines, specifically the JASA 350 CM vertical machine for continuous filling and sealing of paper bags. Developed new plant concept with up to 52 packs per minute output.
• Newtec A/ScoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 1988Long-standing partnership with Danish company Newtec for integration of high-quality weighing machines (computerized weighing machines) into plant concepts. Partnership began after meeting at trade fair in late 1980s. NEWTEC products include Celox optical sorting machines and various weighing machines integrated into Gillenkirch systems.
• Fresh Link & Packaging SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture founded in 2012 with Rostislav Bucek, based in Czech Republic, to meet increasing demands for plant construction. Expands production capabilities and order processing for plant projects worldwide.
• Vanhemens BVBA-SPRLcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBelgian dealer representing Gillenkirch since 2009, successfully cooperating on projects including Moespom plant. Contact: Johan Vanhemens, Bergstraat 12, 9690 Kluisbergen, Belgium.
• Lambo Estate Primary SchoolminorOthersTanzanian school supported by Gillenkirch since 2012 for water project. Flora Mlaki, the headmistress, visited Germany in 2014. The school is connected to Anna Manteca, daughter of Andrea Manteca and granddaughter of founder Gerd Gillenkirch.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Key Technology: Key Technology (US) manufactures digital sorting, conveying, and processing equipment for the food industry, with strong presence in potato and vegetable processing. It is a direct peer to Gillenkirch, serving overlapping customers (packers, processors) with optical sorting and complete line solutions—Key Technology offers broader food category coverage while Gillenkirch is more specialized in root vegetables.
• Turatti: Turatti (Italy) manufactures industrial machinery for processing fruits and vegetables, including washing, sorting, peeling, and drying equipment. It is a direct peer to Gillenkirch, targeting the same European and global fresh-produce processing customers with similar product categories, and competing particularly in carrot and root vegetable processing lines.
• JASA Packaging Solutions: JASA Packaging Solutions (Netherlands) specializes in vertical packaging machines and complete packaging lines for fresh produce, including the JASA 350 CM used in Gillenkirch plants. It is a direct peer in produce packaging equipment, also serving the same European fresh-market and industrial customer base—Gillenkirch both integrates JASA machines and competes with comparable in-house packaging capabilities.
• Wyma Solutions: Wyma Solutions (New Zealand) designs and builds vegetable handling equipment—receiving, washing, polishing, sorting, and conveying—for fresh produce packers worldwide. It is a direct peer to Gillenkirch in the post-harvest vegetable processing equipment category, with comparable product overlap and customer base, though Wyma's roots are in Oceania rather than Europe.
• FAM: FAM (Belgium) designs and builds industrial cutting machines for the food industry, including dicing, slicing, and julienne equipment for fruits and vegetables. It is a direct peer to Gillenkirch in food processing equipment for industrial customers, with overlap in vegetable processing lines and shared presence in European industrial food equipment markets.
• Newtec A/S: Newtec (Denmark) is a leading manufacturer of computerized weighing machines and optical sorting (CELOX) for fruits and vegetables—and is also Gillenkirch's longest-standing technology partner since 1988. Newtec products are integrated into Gillenkirch plants, so the two are simultaneously partners and competing suppliers to the same end customers in produce weighing/sorting.
• Sormac: Sormac (Netherlands) manufactures machines for cutting, washing, drying, peeling, and packaging of fresh vegetables and fruit. It is a direct peer to Gillenkirch, sharing similar end customers (fresh produce processors in Europe and globally), comparable product categories (washing, peeling, weighing), and a similar niche-specialist positioning in vegetable processing machinery.

Broad incumbents

• TOMRA: TOMRA is a Norway-listed global leader in sensor-based sorting with a substantial food division (TOMRA Food) covering fresh and processed produce, including potatoes. It is comparable to Gillenkirch as both serve industrial and fresh-market produce processors with optical sorting and grading solutions, though TOMRA operates at much larger scale across multiple food categories beyond root vegetables.
• Heat and Control: Heat and Control (US/Australia) is a large diversified manufacturer of food processing and packaging equipment with strong presence in potato and vegetable processing lines globally. It is a broad incumbent comparable to Gillenkirch for industrial-scale potato and vegetable plant projects, though Heat and Control serves a much wider food category portfolio including snacks and prepared foods.

Emerging players

• Ellips: Ellips (Netherlands) develops optical sorting technology for fruits and vegetables, competing directly with Newtec CELOX (used by Gillenkirch) and TOMRA. It is an emerging specialist player in produce optical sorting that increasingly appears as either a partner alternative or competitor in the same processing plant specifications as Gillenkirch.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gillenkirch