New Food Manufacturing Technologies and equipment industry alliance launches
FMTE board (Left to right): Simon Phillips – president, nutrition & health solutions, SPX FLOW; Sammy Hulpiau – president food & water division, Alfa Laval; Charles Brand – EVP processing solutions & equipment, Tetra Pak (president, FMTE); Bülent Bayraktar – head of business unit process technology, Krones
Alfa Laval, Krones, SPX FLOW, and Tetra Pak, four of the top companies in the food manufacturing technologies and equipment sector, have announced their shared commitment to work together to address the major issues facing the sector by forming a new industry coalition called Food Manufacturing Technologies Europe (FMTE).
In order to improve European competitiveness and innovation, the alliance seeks to bring together Europe’s food manufacturing technology and equipment industry. To do this, FMTE is extending an invitation to businesses in the sector to join the alliance to increase their voice in policymaking.
The companies said they have launched FMTE to “fill a critical gap”: the lack of a unified voice for the food manufacturing technologies and equipment sector in Europe’s evolving food systems.
It aims to contribute to driving the transition toward more competitive, resilient, and sustainable food systems across the continent.
The food manufacturing technologies and equipment sector is a growing industry in Europe, with the region being a significant contributor to a global market that is projected to reach €118.4 billion by 2030 (source: Market research report by LP Information, “Global Food and Beverage Processing Equipment Market Growth (Status and
Outlook 2024-2030”). Despite its fragmentation, the sector is propelled by innovation, with the five largest manufacturers in the EU/EFTA (source: European Union/European Free Trade Association) holding 15% of the global market in 2023.
However, the industry faces challenges both at European and global level — including sustaining competitiveness, scaling the adoption of its innovations with a minimised environmental impact downstream in its supply chain, navigating supply chain disruptions, and adapting to evolving regulatory frameworks.
FMTE brings together manufacturers of mechanical and digital equipment solutions, machinery, and technologies used to handle, process, and store food and beverages. The coalition aims to become the unified voice of Europe’s food manufacturing technologies and equipment sector representing companies of all sizes, from agile SMEs to global
leaders. FMTE has laid out three core objectives:
1. Strengthen sector resilience and competitiveness: strengthen industry collaboration to boost resilience, enhance competitiveness, and align with EU priorities through shared best practices.
2. Drive sustainability and innovation for impact: advance the transformation of food systems by scaling innovations that reduce environmental impact, harness digital solutions to minimise waste, improve energy and water efficiency, and
support the EU’s climate objectives.
3. Champion the sector’s voice in policymaking: actively contribute with evidence, insights and best practices to shaping a supportive EU policy framework that fosters innovation and competitiveness of the European food manufacturing technologies and equipment sector.
In a joint statement, the FMTE Board, comprising business leaders from the four founding companies, shared their collective motivation for forming the coalition: “We united to create a platform that gives us a stronger collective voice in shaping Europe’s future food manufacturing technologies landscape. In these crucial times for the industry, where delivering tangible impact is more important than ever, we aim to drive innovation in food manufacturing technologies, promote sustainability, and ensure a more influential role in Europe’s competitive food industry.”
FMTE said it will foster open collaboration among industry leaders, EU policymakers, and researchers to accelerate innovation and address shared challenges. As a hub of expertise, it will offer insights, data, and policy intelligence to support better decisions and raise the sector’s profile. By promoting innovation, sustainability, and regulatory alignment, FMTE aims to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness and help shape the future of a resilient, high performing food system
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