Built to Last: SPX FLOW’s 70-Year Machines Defy Industrial Norms

CHARLOTTE, NC – December 17, 2025 – As industries worldwide finalize their capital budgets for 2026, a Charlotte-based engineering firm is drawing attention to a different kind of innovation—not one of novelty, but of incredible endurance. SPX FLOW, Inc., a global provider of process technologies, is highlighting customer equipment that has remained in continuous operation for over 70 years, a feat that challenges the modern industrial cycle of replacement and obsolescence.

While many manufacturers focus on the next new product, SPX FLOW is pointing to its legacy. The company revealed that an APV Homogenizer, a critical piece of equipment for a major beverage producer in Latin America, has been reliably operating for 78 years. In the United States, a Lightnin Mixer has been blending oil lubricants for 77 years. These are not isolated cases. The company cites a German chemical plant running a 60-year-old Bran+Luebbe pump and European food producers using Gerstenberg Schröder heat exchangers that have been in service for 63 years.

"SPX FLOW technologies don't just solve today's processing challenges, they're built to perform for generations," said Ty Jeffers, Vice President of Global Manufacturing and Supply Chain at SPX FLOW. "When customers choose OEM equipment, they're investing in reliability, performance and value that continues delivering year after year."

These remarkable lifespans stand in stark contrast to industry averages, prompting a deeper look at the long-term economic, environmental, and engineering strategies that make such durability possible.

Beyond the Sticker Price: The Economics of Endurance

In an era focused on quarterly returns, the concept of industrial equipment lasting three-quarters of a century seems almost anachronistic. However, a closer analysis reveals a compelling financial case rooted in the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). The initial capital outlay for high-quality, robustly engineered machinery represents only one part of its lifetime cost.

Industry benchmarks suggest a typical lifespan of 15 to 25 years for equipment like shell and tube heat exchangers, and 10 to 20 years for industrial mixers. SPX FLOW's examples, such as the 63-year-old Gerstenberg Schröder heat exchangers and the 77-year-old Lightnin mixer, more than triple these expectations. This dramatic extension of service life fundamentally alters the TCO calculation.

By deferring costly replacement cycles for decades, companies can significantly reduce their long-term capital expenditures. Furthermore, reliability translates directly to minimized operational downtime. In processing industries where every hour of production counts, the cost of an unplanned shutdown can quickly eclipse maintenance expenses. Durable, well-maintained equipment provides the operational stability necessary for consistent output and revenue generation.

This shift in perspective encourages procurement managers and C-suite executives to look beyond the immediate price tag and evaluate capital investments as long-term strategic assets. The return on investment is not measured in years, but in decades, transforming how businesses plan for financial and operational resilience.

The Sustainable Machine and the Circular Economy

The longevity of SPX FLOW’s equipment also aligns powerfully with modern sustainability mandates and the principles of a circular economy. As companies face increasing pressure from regulators, investors, and consumers to improve their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance, extending the life of industrial assets has emerged as a key strategy.

Manufacturing heavy industrial equipment is an energy- and resource-intensive process. By keeping machinery in service for 50, 60, or 70 years, companies drastically reduce the environmental footprint associated with manufacturing, shipping, and installing replacements. This practice embodies the core circular economy principle of keeping products and materials in use for as long as possible, thereby minimizing waste and conserving natural resources.

SPX FLOW itself has leaned into this narrative, framing its engineering prowess as a component of its own ESG strategy. The company's 2024 Impact Report outlines goals for reducing energy consumption and increasing recycling, positioning durable product design as a way to help its customers achieve their own sustainability targets. For industrial operators, the ability to report a lower carbon footprint and reduced material consumption due to extended equipment life is becoming a significant competitive advantage and a crucial element of corporate responsibility.

Engineering for Generations: A System of Quality and Support

Such extraordinary equipment lifespans are not accidental; they are the result of a dual commitment to superior initial design and meticulous, long-term support. The engineering philosophy behind these machines prioritizes robust materials, simple and effective mechanics, and a design built for serviceability rather than disposal.

However, the initial build quality is only half the story. The critical enabler for this multi-generational performance is a comprehensive aftermarket ecosystem. SPX FLOW operates a global network of Certified Service Centers and authorized providers, creating a support infrastructure designed to maintain equipment to its original specifications indefinitely.

Technicians at these centers undergo rigorous, hands-on factory training and are required to maintain managed inventories of genuine Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts. This ensures that when a 60-year-old pump needs a new seal or a 70-year-old mixer requires a bearing, the replacement component is not a third-party approximation but a part built to the original tolerances. This commitment to OEM parts is crucial for preserving performance, safety, and efficiency over the asset's entire lifecycle.

This integrated system of quality manufacturing and dedicated aftermarket support creates a powerful value proposition. Customers are not just buying a piece of machinery; they are investing in a decades-long partnership that guarantees performance, minimizes risk, and ensures their critical processes continue to run smoothly for generations to come.