20,000 sq. ft. equipment and testing hub furthers goal of transforming the future of food

JBT Marel, the global leader in advanced automation for the food and beverage industry, today unveiled the newly renovated Customer Innovation Center (CIC) in Lakeland, Florida. The renovated facility is now JBT Marel’s premier customer destination for sustainable food tech—from production of fresh fruit and vegetables to ready meals to beverages and dairy.

JBT Marel’s dozens of CIC facilities around the world enable customers to work side by side with experts to run their products through JBT Marel equipment and solve efficiency, quality, and regulatory challenges. CICs serve as production stages to demonstrate cutting-edge solutions and software through private demonstrations, industry events, hands-on training, and virtual reality (VR).

“At JBT Marel, we are committed to transforming the future of food in ways that create a positive impact and lasting value for our customers, our communities, and the global food system. Our Customer Innovation Centers reinforce that mission by enabling customers to test, validate, and scale technologies that help feed the world more responsibly,” said Brian Deck, CEO at JBT Marel.

The Lakeland CIC now includes a new microbiology lab in addition to its revitalized analytical and wet chemistry labs. These testing labs help evaluate the quality, integrity, and safety of customers' products, recipes, and packaging. This enables accelerated innovation and helps customers make more informed decisions before scaling to full production. By conducting testing in-house, customers can collaborate directly with JBT Marel experts and avoid the downtime required to test these factors in their own facilities—or the added time and expense of working with third-party labs. As an FDA- and USDA-recognized process authority, JBT Marel can validate processing parameters and support regulatory compliance with confidence.

Additionally, the renovated Lakeland CIC features a modernized, second-level, all-glass customer lounge overlooking the production floor, offering visitors a bird’s-eye view of live equipment demonstrations below, along with a VR Immersive Space where guests can experience production lines in action.

“JBT Marel has been in Lakeland for over 84 years, growing alongside the region and supporting the local business economy. The re-imagining of this CIC not only allows for elevated guidance for our customers, but it also underscores a continued investment into the local community,” said Patrick Canning, Lakeland General Manager at JBT Marel. “Following this renovation, we can now exhibit more equipment in the center’s three distinct bays to represent fuller equipment lines and continue delivering the exceptional collaboration JBT Marel is known for.”

Customers can schedule live consultations with JBT Marel specialists in person or online, conduct private sessions tailored to their unique needs, and train teams without interrupting regular production – all within a real food processing factory environment.

To learn more about JBT Marel’s Customer Innovation Centers or book a visit https://jbtmarel.com/en/about-us/customer-technology-centers/.

About JBT Marel

JBT Marel Corporation (NYSE and Nasdaq Iceland: JBTM) is a leading global technology solutions provider to high-value segments of the food & beverage industry. JBT Marel’s unique solutions of integrated equipment, service, software, and application expertise enables customers to optimize food yield and efficiency, improve food safety and quality, and enhance uptime and proactive maintenance, all while reducing waste and resource use across the global food supply chain. JBT Marel operates more than 50 manufacturing and distribution facilities globally. For more information, please visit www.jbtmarel.com.

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