French custom designs, manufactures, and supports oilseed preparation equipment and screw presses, often referred to as oil expeller presses. These oil press machines gather vegetable oil from oil-bearing seeds and nuts for food and industrial applications, including biodiesel and other alternative fuels.
Our durable, heavy-duty oil press equipment can operate efficiently for over 50 years when properly maintained. Each press is engineered for maximum productivity with lower processing costs per ton. Download our screw press literature to learn more about French’s custom manufacturing capabilities and innovation-driven engineering.
Custom Designed Extraction Equipment for Vegetable Oil Extraction
Model 1252 cracking mill
Achiever 55 screw press
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Worldwide Leader in Custom Screw Presses
Alfred W. French Sr. founded French in 1900 to design advanced machinery for extracting linseed oil from flax. Soon after, French adapted the technology for other oilseeds. Today, French stands as a leading supplier and innovator of oil extraction machines and mechanical oilseed screw presses.
Over the decades, French has supplied thousands of roller mills and mechanical screw presses across more than 80 countries. French oil press systems are recognized for their rugged construction, reliable operation, and long service life. In partnership with customers, we design and deliver custom oil press equipment that meets each unique processing requirement.
Aftermarket Products for Oilseed Preparation and Oil Extraction Machines
French’s commitment to the oilseed industry extends far beyond new machinery. Through our Aftermarket Sales Division, we offer high-quality replacement parts and rebuild services for French oil press equipment, including screw presses and various oil extraction machines.
We also rebuild and refurbish used French oilseed preparation systems, helping customers extend equipment lifespan and reduce operating costs. This ongoing partnership ensures your equipment continues to perform at peak efficiency for decades.
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 oil press 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 oil press 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 main extraction processes are:
- Full Press Extraction — mechanical screw presses squeeze oil from seeds under high pressure.
- Preparation/Solvent Extraction — material is prepared and treated with a solvent to separate oil from the solids.
The Full Press Process is ideal for smaller operations—generally under 200 tons per day—while the Solvent Extraction Process suits larger‑scale systems.
French designs and builds full press oil press equipment as well as preparation systems required before solvent extraction. Full press systems remove the maximum possible oil, leaving a press cake with roughly 4–9% residual oil, depending on the seed. Preparation systems typically reduce oil content to about 18–20% before solvent extraction, which extracts the remaining oil to achieve a 0.5–1.5% residual level.
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.
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Service & Support
The French Oil Mill Machinery Company provides solutions that Fit Your Exact Needs — Aftermarket Parts, Maintenance, Rebuilds, Retrofits
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Tailored Solutions for Your Manufacturing Needs: Achieve Optimal Process Results with Our Customized Equipment and Specialized Solutions.