GEA and Hovione Strengthen Partnership with Next-Generation CDC Flex System for More Agile and Cost-Efficient Tablet Production

The new ConsiGma® CDC Flex delivers unprecedented flexibility, simplicity, and cost-efficiency in continuous direct compression. (Photo: GEA)

(IN BRIEF) GEA and Hovione have expanded their long-term partnership with the introduction of the ConsiGma® CDC Flex, an advanced platform designed to bring new levels of flexibility, efficiency, and usability to continuous direct compression. The system, unveiled at the GEA/Hovione seminar and subsequently at CPHI Frankfurt, offers automated tools, intuitive controls, and the ability to run in continuous low- or high-throughput modes or in batch mode. Its production capabilities span 1–200 kg/h and allow R&D batches as small as 1.5 kg. The CDC Flex is engineered to support both development work and commercial-scale manufacturing, thanks to its modular design and rapid changeover between blender sizes. Executives from GEA and Hovione emphasized that the system enhances operator safety, reduces complexity, improves product quality, and supports faster time-to-market. Both companies aim to make continuous tableting more accessible and cost-effective across the pharmaceutical industry.

(PRESS RELEASE) DÜSSELDORF, 2-Dec-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — GEA, a global leader in process technology for the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical sectors, has expanded its collaboration with Hovione to introduce a next-generation solution for continuous direct compression (CDC). The enhanced partnership has resulted in the launch of the ConsiGma® CDC Flex, a highly adaptable platform engineered to deliver exceptional flexibility, operational simplicity, and improved cost-efficiency for continuous tableting processes.

Initially presented to select industry professionals during the GEA/Hovione Advancing Continuous Tableting Seminar in early October and later showcased to a broader audience at CPHI Frankfurt, the new CDC Flex represents a major advancement in oral solid dosage manufacturing. The system marks a pivotal milestone in the longstanding cooperation between the two companies, combining GEA’s engineering expertise with Hovione’s experience in pharmaceutical development and commercialization.

The ConsiGma® CDC Flex introduces a versatile process architecture supported by SimpleCT, a suite of automated tools designed to streamline operation, improve process containment, enhance safety, and simplify day-to-day workflows for operators. Featuring intuitive interfaces and automated controls, the platform was developed to support both ease of use and seamless integration into R&D or commercial production environments.

One of the defining strengths of the CDC Flex is its ability to operate in multiple modes: continuous processing at low or high throughput or batch mode using pre-blended products. Capable of delivering output between 1 and 200 kg/h, and handling R&D batches as small as 1.5 kg, the system enables manufacturers to pivot quickly between development and full-scale production. This adaptability is supported by its ability to switch rapidly between various sizes of continuous blenders within the same platform.

This enhanced collaboration of GEA and Hovione has led to the development of the ConsiGma® CDC Flex system, a next-generation platform that makes continuous direct compression (CDC) more flexible, efficient, and cost-effective. (Photo: GEA)

Dr Jim Holman, Senior Director of Technology Management at GEA Pharma Solids, emphasized that the CDC Flex is designed to be a truly multipurpose system, capable of low-throughput and high-throughput production within one integrated platform. He noted that this adaptability provides an ideal solution for organizations with extensive product portfolios that want to leverage the performance and consistency benefits of continuous direct compression.

Dr Filipe Gaspar, Vice President of Technology Intensification at Hovione, highlighted the broader value of continuous tableting, including accelerated time-to-market, greater supply chain agility, lower development costs, improved sustainability, and enhanced product quality. Gaspar underscored the joint mission of GEA and Hovione to make CDC technologies more standardized, accessible, and cost-efficient for pharmaceutical manufacturers worldwide.

Media contact:
pr@gea.com

About GEA

GEA is one of the world’s largest suppliers of systems and components to the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries.

The international technology group, founded in 1881, focuses on machinery and plants, as well as advanced process technology, components and comprehensive services. For instance, every second pharma separator for essential healthcare products such as vaccines or novel biopharmaceuticals is produced by GEA. In food, every fourth package of pasta or every third chicken nugget are processed with GEA technology. With more than 18,000 employees, the Group generated revenues of about EUR 5.4 billion in more than 150 countries in the 2024 fiscal year. GEA plants, processes, components and services enhance the efficiency and sustainability of customers’ production. They contribute significantly to the reduction of CO2 emissions, plastic usage and food waste. In doing so, GEA makes a key contribution toward a sustainable future, in line with the company’s purpose: ”Engineering for a better world.”

GEA is listed on the German DAX, the European STOXX® Europe 600 Index and is also a constituent of the leading sustainability indices DAX 50 ESG, MSCI Global Sustainability and Dow Jones Best-in-Class World.

SOURCE: GEA Group