Olive oil mill upgrade quadruples processing capacity

The installation of Alfa Laval’s Foodec Sigma decanter at a Portuguese cooperative group’s olive mill has quadrupled its extra virgin olive oil processing capacity, increasing from 1500 to 6000 kg/h.

As the last remaining olive mill in Montemor-o-Novo, Portugal, the cooperative group, called Caminhos do Futuro, recognised the need to evolve in order to continue serving a growing community of farmers seeking to process olives from their groves. “We either modernised the process or lost competitiveness,” said José Ferreira, the retired operator who dedicated over two decades to the olive oil mill.

The mill had already had an Alfa Laval olive oil decanter in operation since 1998, along with two high-speed separators acquired in 1989 when the first line was installed — all of which remain mechanically efficient today.

“Caminhos do Futuro has always had a vision focused on innovation, and Alfa Laval has supported us every step of the way,” said Nelson Fialho, General Manager. “The decision to invest in a brand-new first-extraction line followed months of careful evaluation and collaboration with their experts to identify the optimal solution for our needs.”

Alfa Laval’s new two-phase decanter centrifuges are suitable for small, medium and large-sized mills. Built on the Sigma design, the equipment provides improved oil extraction and consistent performance with a simplified, user-friendly interface.

The installed model at Caminhos do Futuro features Sigma’s latest conveyor design, a key innovation that boosts extraction efficiency in every production cycle.

Alfa Laval’s Foodec Sigma decanter.

“The new conveyor, being longer, increases yield by extending the product flow distance inside the unit, while the patented Active Baffle Disc ensures uninterrupted performance, even under varying feed or process conditions,” said Rafael Ayuso, olive oil expert at Alfa Laval. “Its simplified set-up also reduces downtime and minimises the need for manual adjustments.”

The latest Sigma series decanters are manufactured using high-grade materials and protective components intended to withstand high mechanical wear, extend machinery lifespan and maximise performance.

The mill has repurposed the original line for secondary processing and the old decanter is now being used to process pomace, making use of previously discarded material.

Top image caption: In the olive groves of southern Portugal, an Alfa Laval expert walks alongside Caminhos do Futuro’s general manager and a local farmer.