With more than 130 years in business, JBT Corporation has been a pioneer in the development of equipment for the food and beverage industry. In that time, the global company has experienced unparalleled growth across nearly all facets of its operation.

JBT Sint-Niklaas in Belgium

JBT’s most recent milestone is the 75th anniversary of it’s world-class facility in Sint Niklaas, Belgium. The Sint-Niklaas facility houses JBT’s Filling & Closing and In-Container Sterilization technology as well as a research technology center where customers can work with JBT food technologists to test their products on JBT machinery to develop an optimal end-product.
The Sint Niklaas facility has been at the forefront of innovation and sustainability at the company. The installation of over 1,000 solar panels at the site account for 25% of the 260,000 sq ft center’s total energy usage.

JBT Experience Days

To properly ring in the facility’s historic moment, we hosted the JBT Experience Days, a week of celebratory events in honor of those who have contributed to our ongoing success. Spread over three events JBT employees, partners and customers across the globe flocked to the famed factory for an opportunity to see the facility and its renowned technology.

Family Day

The celebrations took off with the Family Day, during which more than 700 invitees, employees and family members gathered.

They enjoyed a factory tour spiced with historical and fun facts as well as a multitude of machines built at the facility on display. After the tour visitors arrived at the event plaza filled with animations for kids and food trucks offering an array of festive foods and drinks, where they could further enjoy the festivities with colleagues and family.

Business Partner Day

Next, was the Business Partner Day. More than 80 partners and stakeholders such as suppliers, representatives from the sector federation, schools, unions, and many more joined to celebrate our anniversary.


Following a festive lunch and presentation on the site’s history by Jan Windey, the Site Director, the business partners were taken on a factory tour. The day was closed off with a toast to many more years for JBT Sint-Niklaas.

Customer Days

Closing the JBT Experience Days, was a two-day event for customers, the Customer Days.

On the first day, our customers were joined by JBT President and CEO Brian Deck, EVP and President DF&H Carlos Fernandez, President Filling & Preservation Christian Gelati and other members of JBT’s Executive Leadership Team at the football stadium of the nearby city of Ghent. Afters some top notch lectures by external speakers from representatives from Trivium, Rabobank, Zenith and GlobalData as well as from JBT customers, the day was closed off with a behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium and a dinner.

“The history and longevity of our Sint Niklaas facility is a testament to JBT’s unwavering commitment to being premier partners for our customers,” said Brian Deck. “Our goal was not only to celebrate the facility’s historic 75th year in operations, but also to give back to our customers, partners and employees who trust in JBT’s work and without whom our success would not be possible.”

On the second day we welcomed our valued customers at the site in Sint-Niklaas. Besides presentations on the facility’s history our commitments to sustainability as well as JBT’s future product development, our guests were taken on a factory tour guided by members of our local management team.

“JBT Sint Niklaas is a factory with decades of experience and it shows with its well thought out machines and quality! It’s nice to see that JBT is still operating in the same building that still shows the effects of the second world war,” said Jaap Stertefeld of JBT customer, Nutripet. “I have very short communication lines with JBT Sint Niklaas, which works swiftly and efficiently. The fact that they also test everything with customers related to sterilization/pasteurization is a major benefit.

To learn more about JBT’s industry leading Filling & Closing and In-Container Sterilization technologies, as well as others across the food and beverage sector, please visit https://www.jbtc.com/foodtech/.