GEA to Acquire Denmark’s Hydract, Adds Water-Hydraulic Valve Technology to Portfolio

GEA has entered into an agreement to acquire Hydract A/S, a Denmark-based specialist in water-hydraulic process valves. The transaction is expected to close by the end of January 2026. Through this acquisition, GEA strengthens its valve offering for the beverage, dairy, and pharmaceutical sectors with a technology that significantly lowers energy consumption and supports more efficient, resource-conscious plant operations.
Hydract’s valve actuators operate using water rather than compressed air, removing the need for energy-intensive air compressors typically used in pneumatic systems. The water-hydraulic technology allows valves to be precisely regulated at any intermediate position, delivering stable and accurate flow control across a wide range of applications.
At reference installations such as the Carlsberg Brewery in Fredericia, Denmark, the hydraulic valves support continuous inline blending, faster changeovers in batch production, late-stage product differentiation, and improved resource efficiency. These capabilities make the technology particularly valuable in facilities where multiple products are manufactured on the same production line, helping operators meet productivity and sustainability goals.
GEA plans to integrate Hydract’s technology into its Valves & Pumps Business Unit within the newly formed Pure Flow Processing division. The water-hydraulic actuators and valves will complement GEA’s existing range of hygienic and aseptic single-seat, double-seat, and control valves, giving customers greater flexibility when selecting actuation technologies from a single supplier.
“With the acquisition of Hydract, we are expanding our valve portfolio with water-hydraulic actuation that can substantially reduce the energy required to operate process valves,” said Sören de Boon, Senior Vice President, Valves & Pumps Business Unit at GEA. “Customers will benefit from having both pneumatic and hydraulic options within our modular valve program, supported by consistent interfaces for engineering, automation, and service.”The move positions GEA among a limited group of manufacturers offering a fully integrated alternative actuation technology across both single-seat and double-seat valve platforms.
For Hydract, the acquisition represents a transition from specialist innovation to global industrial scale. “Our technology has already demonstrated its value in operating plants such as the Carlsberg brewery in Fredericia,” said Peter Espersen, CEO of Hydract. “Through GEA’s global reach, our hydraulic actuation solutions will now be available to breweries, dairies, and pharmaceutical manufacturers worldwide, becoming an integral part of modernization and efficiency initiatives.” GEA plans to incorporate the Hydract portfolio across its flow components and system solutions for existing and new applications in the beverage, dairy, and pharmaceutical industries.
GEA supplies process technology, components, and services to the food, beverage, and dairy sectors, as well as to other process industries. Its valve range includes hygienic and aseptic products designed for safe and efficient operation, covering applications from standard globe valves to advanced double-seat and control valves used in complex processing systems.