It all started in 1946, when an engineer from Antwerp, Mr Jean-Albert De Smet designed and developed the first horizontal process for the continuous extraction of oilseeds.

Mr De Smet was then the managing director of an Antwerp oil mill, and he decided to open an engineering entity in order to patent and commercialise his invention. De Smet was born. The company rapidly extended its range of products to supply all the processing equipment that makes an oil mill complete, from seed intake to the bright salad oil in its bottle, i.e. seed preparation, pressing and extraction, oil refining and modification.

De Smet equipment processes 40 raw materials, of which soyabeans, sunflower seed, rapeseed, groundnuts, cottonseed and palm oil, are probably the most popular.

De Smet has supplied small and large plants to some 1,500 oil millers, covering over 4.700 process sections.

De Smet, with a turnover in excess of 120 million Euro, is held in high repute all over the world, and its name stands for experience, innovation, first class project management, customer service and environmental protection policy.

Since early 2004, the majority partner in the capital of De Smet is an international private investor, already having interests in the agro-industry, amongst which in a certain number of U.S. companies active in the construction of equipment for the industry.

Beginning of December 2004, De Smet and Ballestra have announced their decision to integrate their operations. This agreement will allow them to coordinate their worldwide activities making the best use of the very important technical, technological and commercial synergies existing between their operations.

Ballestra, founded in 1960, is the world leader on technologies for the surfactants and detergent industry
as well as for several chemical products manufacturing related to this industry. Ballestra is also associated with Mazzoni, the world leader on the design and fabrication of complete plants and machinery for the production of soap and glycerine.

The De Smet & Ballestra Groups have sales and engineering offices in 15 countries and representation network in another 22 countries.
They have sold 5.700 plants in 148 countries worldwide.
In 2004, they have realised a total turnover of over 250 million dollars.

The association of two strongly established Groups creates a "Global Solution Provider" for the seed crushing, oil refining, oleochemical, surfactant and detergent markets at large in a position to provide competitive services, plants and equipment based on latest technologies and globally sourced.

Privileged customer relationship is the key strategy of the De Smet and Ballestra Groups, which will be able to provide to the customers the best technologies through an integrated international network of companies.

More information on the new corporate desmet ballestra website  http://www.desmetballestra.com