The Association

In 1969 the manufacturers of equipment for the dairy industry started to join in concerted actions on export markets and promotional activities, which lead to the founding of the GMV (‘Group of manufacturers of Machinery for Food processing’). Over the years other efforts to convince the clients worldwide of expertise and quality of equipment "made in Holland" created a snowball.

In October 1999 the manufacturers of bakery equipment (till then the separate association VFB) joined the GMV. Since then the GMV has about 88 members in five sections, which cover the whole industry: Dairy and liquid foods, General foods (i.d. meat, fish, vegetables, potatos and fruit), Bakery, Animal Feed (i.e.Compound feed), and Packaging. They represent approximately two third of the turnover of the industry. Member companies have all sizes, including major world players. However, 80% are small and medium enterprises.

The mission of the GMV is to promote the general interests of the members, insofar as these specifically relate to the research and development of and trade in or the design of machines and systems. To read our mission statement please click here.

Fields of concrete activities for our members are:

  • Promotion of joint-commercial success, at home as well as abroad, by presentations at seminars, giving press interviews and writing articles, organising and co-ordinating participation in trade fairs, ordering market research studies, supporting the Dutch diplomatic posts abroad, etc.
  • Protect and develop professional standards for the food processing industry.
  • Promotion of networking
  • Promotion of exchange of know-how regarding the food processing industry
  • Promotion of specific expertise for the sector (like hygienic design and integrated design), via courses and trainings for both the sector and its clients, via a separate body, founded especially for this purpose (see SVML).
  • Promotion of the interests of the industry in Europe and the world via international organisations such as FPME, Europama and Copama. Members are entitled to receive all information of these organisations.

For the executives of the member companies themselves it is a highly appreciated platform to discuss informally market developments and other subjects of common interest.

The GMV is one of the 150 sector organisations of the FME-CWM. This association promotes the interests of some 2.700 enterprises in the mechanical, metalworking, plastics, electronic and electrical engineering industries and allied sectors, with a total of  260.000 employees in The Netherlands. FME-CWM is also playing a prominent role in Orgalime, the European organisation for the metalworking and engineering industries.

The GMV is entitled to use the services and information of the specialists of the FME-CWM. If vital interests are at stake this powerful organisation gives its support to the sector. However, non FME-CWM members can also become members of the GMV, provided that they fulfil the other requirements for membership.

For (potential) clients and users the GMV is the channel to find their way in the wide variety of products that the industry in The Netherlands has to offer. For others who are interested in the industry in general it is a contact point and an information centre.

For more information about the activities and membership of the GMV or about its members and the industry in general please contact the secretariat.