Process Technology - Intelligent Process Solutions. Filtration. Drying. Mixing. Reacting.

+49 8321 6099-530 process-technology@bhs-sonthofen.com

Application Data Sheet

+49 8321 6099-530 process-technology@bhs-sonthofen.com

Application Data Sheet

Our mission: Transforming materials into value

We help companies in the process industry to increase and improve production worldwide: Whether for the chemical, pharmaceutical, power generation, and food and feed industry, we leverage our process technology expertise to modify basic materials in order to deliver added value to our customers.

Battery materials

Cellulose derivatives

Chemicals & biochemicals

Dyes & pigments

Coffee, tea & cocoa

Mineral substances & metal salts

Dietary supplements

Natural extracts

Pharmaceutical substances (APIs)

Our know-how: filtration, drying, mixing and reacting

We are one of the world’s leading suppliers of components and systems for filtration, drying, mixing, and reaction processes. We have been developing and optimizing processes for more than 65 years. With experience gained in more than 3,500 projects, we always find the right process solution for you. We provide process expertise to assist you from the initial feasibility study through to implementation of the most suitable process equipment.

Let's start a new project together!

Benefits at a glance:

Optimizing processes & increasing efficiency
Solutions for batch and continuous processes
Individual process consulting
Outstanding process expertise

Filtration

Filtration

Cake filtration is what we do. We provide advice and assist you in a wide range of separation projects, study each individual process step and then find the right filtration solution for you.

Drying

Drying

Drying is one of our core competencies. We keep the product in constant movement to ensure high process efficiency, up to high temperature ranges.

Mixing

Mixing

We have intimate knowledge of all aspects of mixing, which allows us to deliver the results you require in terms of homogeneity and product characteristics – even in highly complex mixing tasks.

Reacting

Reacting

We have expertise in a number of chemical conversion processes. Experienced in dealing with challenging reaction conditions, we design the appropriate reactor system.

Our portfolio: Standalone and integrated system solutions

Our standalone and integrated system solutions for mechanical, thermal, and chemical engineering applications tailor-made to your specific individual needs. We draw on our experience in developing complete systems, expertise in system integration, and extensive technology portfolio to achive maximum process efficiency.

Rotary pressure filter (RPF)

A single rotation of the drum entails a number of different process steps, demonstrating the many facets of filtration.

Horizontal dryer (HTC-T/HTK-T)

Ultimate drying performance with optimized energy consumption.

Indexing belt filter (BF)

This type of vacuum filter is particularly gentle on sediments.

Vertical dryer (AVA HVW-T)

Short process times with gentle product treatment.

Candle filter (CF)

A compact system to automatically and fully clarify turbid liquids

Horizontal mixer (HTC/HTK)

Optimal mixing quality with short mixing times

Rubber belt filter (BFR)

Reliable, high-precision filters for rapidly settling solids.

Vertical mixer (AVA HVW)

Gentle and intensive mixing with optimal complete discharge.

Pressure plate filter (PF)

Delivers high throughput rates for difficult-to-filter suspensions

Ringlayer mixer (AVA HRM)

High throughput rates with compact dimensions.

One solution, one partner – maximum efficiency and reliability

You appreciate having a partner for your project who assumes responsibility for the entire technical process? Then optimize your production with integrated process solutions from BHS. Our professional interface management examines the entire process chain, taking every detail into account. You benefit from a functional, turn-key solution.

Gentle and efficient sterilization of spices at Almi

March 2024

Highest quality and optimum taste: this is what the Austrian company Almi stands for. Among other things, Almi ensures an unmistakable taste in soups, sausage products, and other industrially produced foods with several hundred different spice blends. Almi sterilizes the raw spices itself to maintain high-quality standards at all stages of production. BHS-Sonthofen supplied the complete system, consisting of pneumatic filling, a vertical BHS sterilizer, and a horizontal BHS cooler.

Chemical recycling powers the circular economy

June 2022

Chemical recycling offers help to solve the problem of plastic pollution. Some companies have taken on this task and developed various processes to reintegrate used plastics into the circular economy. Focusing on PET (polyethylene terephthalate) as one of the top three plastics produced worldwide, these processes upcycle plastic waste into virgin grade materials. Filtration technology from BHS-Sonthofen Process Technology plays the key role in the purity of the products from which virgin PET is made.

BHS technology used for the innovative HALOSEP recycling process

February 2022

The EU wants at least 50 percent of household waste to be recycled and the rest to be used as a source of energy in waste incineration plants. However, waste incineration produces ash – a hazardous waste contaminated with salts and heavy metals that must be disposed of in special landfills, which involves long transport routes and high costs. The Danish power plant operator Vestforbraending uses the HALOSEP technology developed and patented by the Swedish group Stena Recycling, a process solution that makes it possible to dispose of ash as normal waste. In this project funded by the European Union, technology from BHS-Sonthofen is used for two steps at once.

Reactive ashes: Italy's largest energy supplier uses AVA mixers

December 2021

Fly ash, which is produced during incineration for energy generation, contains highly reactive substances such as free lime (CaO). For this reason, it must not go to landfill untreated, but must first be conditioned in a multi-stage process. In order to carry out this demanding process safely and efficiently, one of Italy's largest electricity suppliers equipped its power plant with AVA mixers from BHS-Sonthofen.

Focus on the customer: shortened delivery time for cell inserts

February 2021

Keeping downtimes to a minimum is the goal of any efficient production - which is why the replacement of parts and maintenance work should take place in the same time window if possible. This only works with a partner who puts customer requirements first. An internationally active chemical company ordered cell inserts for the BHS rotary pressure filter with a standard delivery time of eight months - but needed them a whole two months earlier. BHS made this early delivery possible to keep to the customer's schedule.

FGD gypsum: indexing belt filter deployed in Scandinavia

November 2020

BHS-Sonthofen is helping a power plant in Scandinavia transform a waste product back into a raw material: high-purity FGD gypsum with a residual moisture content of 10% (90% solids) can be resold directly to the construction materials industry. Since 2007, the power plant has been operating a flue gas cleaning system that uses a BHS indexing belt filter (BF). An additional filter has now been ordered. The combustion processes produce flue gas that is contaminated with sulfur compounds. Milk of lime is used to remove the sulfur compounds. Gypsum slurry is produced as a by-product, the residual moisture content of which must be brought down to 10% and any corrosive compounds need to be removed. The BHS indexing belt filter performs both of these tasks using its efficient cake washing. The system has been running smoothly since it was installed.

Moistening incinerator bottom ash with the BHS pug mill

October 2020

Waste is turning into an increasingly important source of raw materials. Even incinerator bottom ash still contains a large number of materials that can potentially be recycled. Metals such as iron, copper, and aluminum make up about ten percent of the ash. But what happens to the non-recyclable fraction? It must be deposited in landfills in a safe manner for as long as possible. However, operators of waste incineration plants face the challenge that incinerator bottom ash emits a considerable amount of dust. A North American waste incineration plant operator therefore decided to humidify the ash using a total of five BHS pug mills. The mixers of type AVA HTK now reliably convert the ashes into a dust-free, transportable product at three sites.

Dryers for high-purity plant proteins

September 2020

Plant proteins often form an essential part of a vegetarian or vegan diet, which is why they are in high demand. However, several process steps are required to obtain high-purity plant proteins suitable for human consumption from almonds, sunflowers or quinoa, for example. One of the challenges is the final drying process. BHS-Sonthofen has supplied a special dryer for this purpose to a German plant protein producer.

Indexing Belt Filter (BF) Used for Herbal Extract Production in Switzerland

October 2019

A Swiss pharmaceutical company has successfully deployed an indexing belt filter (BF) to produce an herbal extract using an extraction and filtration process.

Utilizing egg yolk powder effectively thanks to continuous filtration and drying

April 2019

An internationally operating pharmaceutical company extracts phospholipids from egg yolk and further processes the by-product into an additive for animal feed. Thanks to technological solutions from BHS-Sonthofen, the company succeeded in optimizing its processes. The solutions consisted of a continuous belt filter and a horizontal contact dryer from BHS, both of which are ATEX compliant and designed in accordance with GMP.

New approaches for the removal of catalysts from API suspensions

January 2019

The pharmaceutical industry has changed considerably. This is particularly the case for safety measures in the production of pharmaceutical substances (so-called APIs – Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients). This also applies to the removal of catalysts from API suspensions in particular, a processing step that has a direct impact on the quality of pharmaceutical products. BHS-Sonthofen supports companies from the pharmaceutical industry in using new filtration solutions that boast improved efficiency and reduce environmental impacts in the production of active ingredients.

Retrofitting in amino acid production: BHS supplies rotary pressure filters for the dietary supplement industry

September 2018

L-threonine is an essential amino acid in both the animal and human diet and is produced on an industrial scale across the world. An American manufacturer of dietary supplements was using outdated horizontal automated filter presses to filter L-threonine crystals. BHS-Sonthofen tested its different filter systems for use in this challenging filter application, and, together with the customer, decided on rotary pressure filters as a high-performance alternative that also optimally suits the existing production process.

Powtech

09/23/2025 - 09/25/2025 | Nuremberg (Germany)

Hall 12 - booth 12-492

Gulfood Manufacturing 2025

11/4/2025 - 11/6/2025 | Dubai (United Arab Emirates)

We look forward to exciting presentations and discussions!

News

Pilot plant for Steel Giant

April 4, 2025

BHS-Sonthofen is supplying a candle filter pilot plant for an international steel producer at its site in Avilés, Spain. In addition to new and improved products, the Group's corporate goals include CO2-neutral steel production by 2050. The BHS system will be used for research and development in the field of solid-liquid separation.

BHS finalizes three cyclic indexing belt filters for fluorosilicic acid

March 25, 2025

BHS has completed the production of three large cyclic indexing belt filters intended for the processing of fluorosilicic acid. Fluorosilicic acid is a by-product of the processing of fluorapatite with sulphuric acid during the production of phosphoric acid.

Safety first! Safe tests for battery recycling materials at BHS-Sonthofen

March 7, 2025

Tests are essential for the development of process plants in the chemical industry and related sectors, especially when it comes to complex processes that contain toxic, dusty, explosive or carcinogenic substances, for example.

BHS-Sonthofen at the FILTECH 2024

October 30, 2024

From November 12 to 14, 2024, BHS-Sonthofen will be exhibiting at FILTECH in Cologne - the world's largest trade fair for filtration technology. One of the focus topics will be the rotary pressure filter (RPF), which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. The BHS-Sonthofen team is looking forward to welcoming visitors to stand B48 in hall 8.

Horizontal vacuum dryer to produce pectin

October 21, 2024

BHS-Sonthofen has supplied a horizontal vacuum dryer HTC-T 7500 to produce pectin. Due to its stabilizing properties, pectin is used in a wide range of applications in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. In industrial production processes, it is mainly obtained from citrus fruits and apple pomace, which contain a high proportion of pectin.

Innovative horizontal dryer for the food industry

October 14, 2024

BHS has successfully delivered a horizontal vacuum dryer that was manufactured to customer specifications for a demanding application in the food industry. Several process steps can be combined in this machine. It sets new standards in terms of flexibility, hygiene and performance. The dryer is designed for three-shift operation and can process product batches of up to 7500 liters.

Vacuum dryer in multipurpose operation

September 4, 2024

BHS-Sonthofen manufactures a vertical vacuum dryer in a fully welded design made of the special material Hastelloy for an international customer in the field of research, development and production of active pharmaceutical ingredients. The machine is designed in accordance with cGMP (good manufacturing practice) to ensure that the high product requirements of drugs and active ingredients are met.

BHS-Sonthofen supplies pressure plate filter for the recovery of precious metals to Indaver NV

August 7, 2024

BHS-Sonthofen recently supplied a pressure plate filter (PF) to Indaver NV for the recovery of precious metals. Indaver is Belgium’s leading supplier in the field of sustainable waste management solutions. In Antwerp, Indaver NV operates the Inda-MP installation, a state-of-the-art facility to recover precious metals from liquid waste. The pressure plate filter is a vital part to ensure the full separation of the precious metals.

New test center opened for the Process Technology division

July 26, 2024

BHS-Sonthofen officially opened a new Test Center on July 19, 2024. The test center offers expanded capacities for laboratory and pilot tests in the Process Technology division. With state-of-the-art technologies for the process steps of solid-liquid separation, drying, mixing and reacting, the experts at BHS support our customers' test series and can carry out these steps not only individually but also in combination. With extensive investments in infrastructure, the long-established company is consistently continuing its growth course at its headquarters. The opening ceremony took place in the presence of District Administrator Indra Baier-Müller and Mayor Christian Wilhelm.

Garrett Bergquist takes over as new President and General Manager at US site in Charlotte

July 9, 2024

BHS-Sonthofen announces the appointment of Garrett Bergquist as new President and General Manager of BHS-Sonthofen Inc. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, BHS-Sonthofen Inc. is the wholly owned subsidiary of BHS. Garrett Bergquist brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record in the engineering and filtration industries.

A little prick that saves lives: joint blood donation campaign in Sonthofen

July 8, 2024

On July 8, 2024, BHS-Sonthofen, Voith and SWW Oberallgäu Wohnungsbau GmbH organized a joint blood drive on the Voith premises in Sonthofen. Around 100 employees and their relatives responded to the call from the participating companies and the Bavarian Red Cross (BRK). The donors thus made an important contribution to the safe supply of blood.

Process Technology: New Representation in Austria

April 5, 2024

BHS-Sonthofen has partnered with Schwarzäugl ITS&T to strengthen its presence in Austria and Slovenia. Schwarzäugl has expertise in mechanical process engineering and will enhance BHS‘ coverage in both countries. In Austria, Schwarzäugl ITS&T is succeeding long-standing BHS partner Reinhard Bog Werksrepräsentanzen, who is retiring after working with BHS for over 30 years.

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Original spare parts

Wide range of after-sales services

Further information

Contact customer service

Original spare parts

Wide range of after-sales services

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+49 8321 6099-530 process-technology@bhs-sonthofen.com

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