Paul Kestner -the pioneer of the industrial evaporation and crystallization technologies and inventor of the climbing and falling film evaporators- founded his company in 1902 in Lille, France, to further develop his inventions and tackle both technical and mechanical problems of the chemical industry. A remarkable man, he filled a considerable number of patents beyond those related to the field of thermal separation. 

In 1922, already renowned for the engineering and supplying of vapor generators, evaporators, crystallizers, chemical pumps, solutions for minimizing energy consumption and complete chemical plants for a wide range of products -from sugar to numerous chemical commodities, alumina and metals, fertilizers, pulp and paper- the company became “Appareils & Evaporateurs Kestner”.

As of 1990, Kestner joined GEA Group as part of its Liquid and Powder Technology Chemical Business Line under the umbrella of GEA Process Engineering France. 

Since then, the Center of Competence Kestner has been tremendously active, delivering heavy-duty, corrosion resistant and high-performance evaporation and crystallization made-to-measure plants for the hydrometallurgical, fertilizer, nuclear and chemical industries.

All this thanks to the expertise synergy of Paul Kestner, Wilhelm Wiegand and Pierre Robert Laguilarre -the evaporation pioneers- and their processes that passionate and skilled GEA engineers have further developed and constantly improved in GEA´s laboratories and pilot plants around the world.

Today, GEA and the team at the CoC Kestner are very proud to not only celebrate 120 years of excellence in engineering but also the thrill and privilege of playing a leading role within its key application fields. Working alongside other GEAs Centers of Competence -such as Wiegand and Messo- on the world´s energy transition towards a more sustainable future -especially through the MVR heated plants that recycle waste heat and improve efficiency while reducing energy usage by 90%.