Skip to content

Oilseed Equipment

French custom designs, manufactures and supports oilseed preparation equipment and screw presses, sometimes referred to as oil expeller presses. These oil extraction machines gather vegetable oil from oil-bearing seeds and nuts for food and industrial uses, including biodiesel and other fuels. Our durable, heavy-duty oilseed equipment has an average life span of 60-70 years, operating with maximum productivity and lower processing cost per ton. Download our literature on screw presses to explore our custom capabilities.

Custom Designed Extraction Equipment for Vegetable Oil Extraction from Oil-Bearing Seeds and Nuts

cracking mill

Model 1252 cracking mill

A55 Achiever Screw Press

Achiever 55 screw press

Worldwide Leader in Custom Screw Presses

Alfred W. French Sr. founded French in 1900 to produce state-of-the-art equipment for the extraction of linseed oil from flax. Mr. French soon adapted his equipment to other oilseeds as well. Today, French stands as a leading supplier and innovator of oil extraction machines and mechanical oilseed screw presses.

French has provided thousands of roller mill and mechanical screw presses around the world, processing all major oilseeds with customers in more than 80 countries. French screw presses, sometimes referred to as oil expeller press machines, are well known throughout the oilseed industry for their rugged construction and outstanding durability. We pride ourselves in partnering with customers to design and supply oil extraction machines and preparation equipment that best meet their needs.

Aftermarket Products for Oilseed Preparation and Oil Extraction Machines

Supplying new oilseed equipment is only part of French’s commitment to the oilseed industry. Aftermarket Sales offers an extensive line of high-quality replacement parts for French equipment, including screw presses and many items for French oil extraction machines. French also offers rebuilding services for used French oilseed preparation equipment and screw presses.

Innovation Center Testing Lab

French’s Innovation Center

French’s Innovation Center development laboratory offers a wide variety of testing services. Our pilot scale and semi-works mechanical screw presses, including our Model L-250 Laboratory Screw Press, are used for oil extraction performance trials using cold-pressing or traditional solvent and hexane-free full pressing methods on all types of oil-bearing seeds or nuts, and other liquid-bearing solid materials.

We have processed special seeds and materials in our laboratory, including grape seed, morinda seed, marigold, paprika seed, walnut meats, hemp seed, cuphea seed, lesquerella seed, vernonia seed, corn germ foots, algae, bagasse, apricot kernels, coffee beans, chili peppers, cherry pits, peach pits, and more. In addition, you can utilize our Innovation Center to test various temperatures in full, cold press (free of solvents, like hexane) extraction processing methods and the impact on oil quality.

Plus, we offer confidentiality agreements to ensure that your testing will not to be disclosed to a third party. French performs laboratory testing for many customers, so we understand how important your trade secrets are to your business and we pledge to protect them.

French Screw Press Performance Trial for Canola Oil Extraction

Read our case study of when Can Pro Ingredients Ltd., an integrated bio-refinery for processing canola and alfalfa, partnered with us in a series of laboratory tests utilizing a French lab conditioner and screw press. Using information gained during these trials, French custom-designed equipment that produces high-quality extra virgin canola oil and canola press cake for further processing into canola protein concentrate. This equipment is now used in Can Pro’s proprietary fractionation process at their Arborfield, Saskatchewan plant.

Screw Press Applications

Know what you want to do but not sure what oilseed equipment you need?

Whether you are processing oil for traditional uses or biodiesel fuels, using soybeans or babassu nuts, French’s proven technology can help improve your bottom line.

We have processed innumerable oilseeds over our 120-year history and our experienced team of engineers are ready to help discuss your application and help optimize your process. For more information on our Oilseed Screw Presses, download our free brochure literature.

Oil Extraction Processes

The two most common processes to extract oil for most seeds, beans, and nuts is the Full Press Extraction Process where mechanical screw presses are used to extract the oil by squeezing the oil under high pressure, and the Preparation/Solvent Extraction Process where a solvent is mixed with the material to separate the oil. The Full Press Extraction Process is generally used for smaller capacity process, typically under 200 tons per day; and the Preparation/Solvent Extraction Process is generally used for larger capacity systems.

French offers full press extraction equipment and systems, and the preparation equipment and systems required to prepare high oil content seeds and nuts prior to the solvent extraction process. In the Full Press Extraction Process, the maximum amount of oil is removed. In this process, the amount of oil remaining in the press cake (solids) will be in the range of 4-9%, depending on the material processed.

The Preparation Process, prior to the Solvent Extraction Process, uses similar type equipment as the Full Press Extraction Process. However, when preparing the oil-bearing material for solvent extraction, the oil content in the material is typically reduced to a range of 18-20% residual oil. This material is then conveyed to the solvent extraction process where the remaining oil is removed to produce a meal with a residual oil content of 0.5% to 1.5%.

Contact us to learn more information about our screw presses.

French has experience in processing most oil-bearing materials including soybeans, cottonseed, canola seed, rapeseed, sesame seed, flaxseed, palm kernels, peanuts (groundnuts), corn germ, copra, rice bran, safflower seed, sunflower seed, castor beans, linseed, babassu nuts, tung nuts, walnut meats, etc.

French offers a full range of equipment for the typical process to extract oil from most oil-bearing materials in the Full Press Extraction Process and the Preparation Process of high oil content seeds and nuts.

Screw Press Biofuels

Through the years French has adapted our preparation equipment, mechanical screw presses and Innovation Center testing services to accommodate a wide variety of oilseeds, including those used for further processing into alternative fuels. We understand the need and opportunities for cleaner fuels and we partner with our customers to develop safe and environmentally friendly alternatives or supplements to petroleum-based diesel.

French equipment is well known in the industry for its rugged construction and outstanding durability. While French’s product line is broad, biofuels customers benefit most from our full-size Achiever screw press and our laboratory-size L-250 press. With these two screw press models, we offer six different press sizes to satisfy customer’s individual processing needs.

We have helped many companies develop the optimal way to process their biofuels feedstock through lab tests performed in our Innovation Center. Algae, bagasse, canola, halophytes, rapeseed and used cooking oil are just a small example of what French engineers can test in our Innovation Center laboratory. After testing, French engineers apply the intimate knowledge of the customer’s extraction process to our designs to deliver equipment that produces high quality crude oil and cake meal with maximum productivity and operating efficiencies that decrease processing costs per ton.

French performs testing for many customers and understands how important trade secrets are to the success of their customer’s business and therefore ensures that testing will not to be disclosed to a third party.

Request an Oilseed Equipment Quote

Make French your partner in processing! We provide custom solutions that meet and exceed industry standards of high-quality crude oil, meal and oil extraction efficiencies. Contact French by completing the form below for expert assistance and a complete quote on a screw press (also known as an expeller press), oilseed preparation equipment and replacement parts. If interested in contacting our worldwide oilseed equipment representatives, click here.

JHgc3u

Service & Support

The French Oil Mill Machinery Company provides solutions that Fit Your Exact Needs — Aftermarket Parts, Maintenance, Rebuilds, Retrofits

Request a Quote

Tailored Solutions for Your Manufacturing Needs: Achieve Optimal Process Results with Our Customized Equipment and Specialized Solutions.

Scroll To Top