Spray Drying Equipment Market Analysis

South America's spray drying sector has matured into a producer-driven engineering market anchored by large commodity processors and a growing layer of specialist suppliers. A recent milestone was Olam Food Ingredients’ new soluble coffee facility in Linhares, Espírito Santo—built with GEA-supplied extraction and drying lines that include both freeze- and spray-drying trains—showing how extract-to-powder chains are being localized. SPX Flow’s Anhydro solutions are being specified by regional dairy customers to combine evaporation and drying in continuous trains adapted to local milk chemistry. Equipment suppliers such as Dedert/ANDRITZ have introduced air-bearing atomizers and hardened-disk metallurgy into South American installs to reduce contamination risk and maintenance, and lab-scale tools like Büchi’s Nano Spray Dryer B-90 are used in university and startup labs in Brazil to de-risk inhalation and probiotic formulations prior to scale-up. Recent project specifications reveal engineering shifts: compact staged modules that finish powders via a suspended-bed step for instantization, anti-fouling nozzle cartridges to fight humid-climate fouling, and cyclone/baghouse designs tuned to reduce lost fines while enabling heat-recovery. Local fabrication yards and integrators now shorten lead times for skids and powder-handling systems, and suppliers increasingly deliver PLC/SCADA packages with inline NIR moisture probes and laser-diffraction monitors so plants can produce auditable digital batch records for food-grade compliance. In May 2025 OFI’s Linhares plant inauguration underlines fresh greenfield investment; project briefs commonly include heat-recovery packages and condensate-reuse options to lower fuel demand. Regional engineering groups are applying CFD chamber optimizations, and accredited labs are offering third-party pilot trials that accelerate vendor selection and scale-up validation, showing clear movement from basic drying capacity toward fully integrated, validated production lines for coffee, dairy and specialty powders. According to the research report "South America Spray Drying Equipment Market Reserach Report, 2030," published by Actual Market Reserach, the South America Spray Drying Equipment market was valued at more than USD 480 Million in 2024. GEA and SPX Flow remain visible on major builds and integrated drying trains, while specialist integrators such as Dedert supply retrofit atomizers and hygienic internals attractive to food processors upgrading legacy lines.

Project documents and supplier catalogs show buyers favoring skid-mounted finishing modules, cyclones, and bag filters to cut civil works and shorten commissioning; local shops in São Paulo, Paraná and Buenos Aires fabricate conveyors and housings to improve spare-parts availability and enable dual-sourcing strategies after global lead-time shocks. Financing models have evolved vendor finance, leasing and equipment-lessor programs are now offered to cooperatives and mid-market processors so they can modernize without full upfront CAPEX. Energy and lifecycle measures are embedded in procurement: many retrofits and new builds specify heat exchangers, condensate reclaimers and optional CHP coupling to reduce fuel use. Procurement teams evaluate suppliers against KPI toolkits tracking throughput, yield, energy per kilogram and uptime, and third-party benchmarking is increasingly used in tender evaluation. Pilot facilities and university partnerships in Brazil host validation runs with Büchi nano rigs and pilot spray units to shorten development cycles, while CFD-led chamber design and additive manufacturing for bespoke internals are being trialed to shorten lead times for custom parts. Modular delivery, localized manufacture, modern finance structures, energy retrofits, spare-part resilience and pilot validation capability are reshaping how operators procure and commission spray drying equipment across South America..

Market Dynamic

Spray Drying EquipmentSegmentation

Rotary atomizer spray drying is leading in South America as it matches the scale and efficiency required by the region’s dominant dairy and coffee industries that operate large-volume production facilities.

In South America, the rotary atomizer has become the preferred system because it can handle vast feed volumes and deliver uniform, stable powders, which is critical for industries where output is massive and consistency is non-negotiable. Brazil, one of the largest coffee producers in the world, relies on rotary atomizer spray dryers for the production of instant coffee powders that are exported worldwide, and these dryers are ideal for achieving the solubility and aroma retention that consumers expect from soluble coffee. Similarly, in dairy-heavy countries like Brazil and Argentina, surplus milk is processed into milk powders and whey proteins through rotary atomizers, as they allow continuous operation and reduce downtime while maintaining particle uniformity. These industries need equipment that can run efficiently under demanding conditions, and the high-speed rotating disk of rotary atomizers provides exactly that by generating fine, spherical particles suited for both domestic consumption and international markets. The durability of rotary atomizer systems also makes them popular in South America, as maintenance challenges and technical constraints are often a factor, and reliable equipment that can sustain long production cycles is highly valued. Beyond food, rotary atomizers are also used in chemicals and detergents where bulk powders must be produced at industrial scale. The dominance of rotary atomizer technology in South America reflects the structure of its industries, where large cooperatives, state-backed processors, and major exporters require machinery that can maximize throughput without sacrificing powder quality. With food exports being a central pillar of the regional economy, rotary atomizer spray dryers provide the backbone of production capacity, which cements their leadership in South America.

Single-stage spray drying is leading in South America since it offers simplicity, cost efficiency, and the high throughput needed for producing bulk food powders that dominate the region’s exports.

The prominence of single-stage dryers in South America is closely linked to the heavy reliance on large-scale dairy and coffee processing, where straightforward, reliable, and robust drying systems are the most practical option. In Brazil and Colombia, single-stage spray dryers are extensively used for instant coffee production, where the primary need is to quickly and efficiently convert liquid coffee extracts into powders that can be transported globally. Similarly, in Argentina and Brazil’s dairy industries, single-stage systems are employed to produce milk powders, whey protein concentrates, and other dairy ingredients at industrial scale, feeding both local consumption and export demand. These systems are favored because they require less operational complexity than multi-stage dryers while still delivering high volumes of consistent powders. Maintenance and operational training are easier with single-stage dryers, which suits the realities of South American plants where resources may be constrained compared to more developed markets. Local and regional equipment suppliers also commonly produce single-stage units, making them more accessible and affordable for processors of varying sizes. The simplicity of the design, combined with proven efficiency in producing bulk powders like starches, flavors, and detergents, has reinforced their dominance. Even though more advanced systems are slowly entering the region, the entrenched use of single-stage dryers remains strong because they continue to deliver what South American producers need most: scale, reliability, and cost-effective operation. Their ability to meet the requirements of large export-driven industries without adding unnecessary complexity is the main reason they continue to lead in South America.

Open cycle spray drying is fastest growing in South America since it provides an affordable, practical, and accessible solution for expanding food and chemical industries across the region.

The growth of open cycle systems in South America is strongly tied to their straightforward design, which uses ambient air as the drying medium and avoids the added costs and complexity of closed-loop or specialized equipment. This makes them particularly attractive in markets where budgets are limited but demand for powdered products is expanding quickly. Brazil, the largest economy in South America, has rapidly growing demand for powdered dairy, coffee, and nutritional supplements, and open cycle systems provide a cost-effective way to meet this demand. The chemical industry also relies on open cycle drying for detergents, fertilizers, and bulk materials, all of which are important to the region’s agricultural and household markets. Local manufacturers are capable of producing open cycle spray dryers, which increases their accessibility and lowers costs for regional processors compared to imported high-tech systems. Small and medium-sized enterprises, which make up a significant share of South American food and chemical processing, often find open cycle equipment the only realistic choice for scaling up production. The appeal also comes from the versatility of open cycle dryers, which can handle diverse products ranging from instant coffee to fruit powders and agrochemicals. Even as sustainability pressures grow, companies are adapting open cycle systems with improved filters and energy recovery mechanisms, ensuring they remain compliant with international standards while retaining their affordability. The ability to meet expanding demand at lower cost and with minimal operational complexity explains why open cycle systems are experiencing the fastest adoption rate in South America.

Co-current flow spray drying is leading in South America as it is ideally suited for processing heat-sensitive food products such as dairy powders and instant coffee, which dominate regional production.

The co-current configuration, where hot air and droplets move in the same direction, ensures that particles are exposed to high temperatures only briefly before cooling as they exit the chamber. This design protects nutritional quality and flavor, which is especially important in South America’s leading industries. Brazil’s instant coffee sector depends heavily on co-current spray dryers to preserve aroma and taste while producing powders that dissolve quickly, qualities essential for international markets. Similarly, in Argentina and Brazil’s dairy industries, co-current dryers are used to create milk powders and whey proteins that maintain their functional and nutritional integrity. These products are sensitive to heat, and the gentle drying conditions provided by co-current airflow make it the most practical choice. The configuration also supports high throughput, which suits the scale of South American production facilities that must meet both local consumption and export demand. Another factor reinforcing its dominance is the simplicity and adaptability of co-current systems, which can be applied to other food products such as fruit powders, flavors, and nutritional supplements, all of which are gaining ground in the region. For producers focused on efficiency and quality, co-current drying provides the balance needed to meet international standards while keeping costs manageable. In a region where dairy and coffee define much of the spray drying demand, the co-current approach remains the most widely used, making it the leading configuration in South America.

The chemical sector is significant in South America’s spray drying equipment market as it relies on the technology to produce detergents, agrochemicals, and pigments that serve both domestic consumption and export markets.

South America’s large agricultural economy drives strong demand for agrochemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides, and spray drying is central to creating powders that are stable, easy to apply, and effective in the field. Countries like Brazil and Argentina, which are global leaders in soybeans, corn, and coffee production, depend heavily on agrochemical inputs, and spray drying enables local manufacturers to produce these products efficiently. Detergents and household cleaning products are another major use, with urbanization and rising consumer incomes fueling demand across the region. Spray dryers are widely used to produce detergent powders that are lightweight, easy to store, and simple for consumers to use. Pigments and specialty chemicals also contribute, as industries such as textiles, paints, and plastics require fine powders with controlled particle sizes, which spray drying can consistently deliver. The significance of the chemical sector is also explained by the region’s efforts to reduce dependence on imports by building local processing capacity, leading to greater reliance on spray drying for domestic production. Local and international equipment suppliers have tailored solutions to meet the needs of chemical producers, offering robust systems that can handle corrosive or abrasive materials. While food and dairy often attract more attention, the chemical industry remains a steady and essential user of spray drying across South America, ensuring the sector’s ongoing significance. Its combination of agricultural demand, consumer needs, and industrial applications makes chemicals one of the pillars of spray drying equipment use in the region.

Spray Drying Equipment Market Regional Insights

Brazil is leading the South American spray drying equipment market due to its large dairy and coffee industries that depend heavily on spray drying to produce export-quality powdered products.

Brazil is one of the world’s largest producers of coffee, and spray drying has long been the backbone of the instant coffee industry, which converts liquid extracts into stable powders that are exported worldwide. The scale of coffee production and the global demand for soluble coffee products have ensured that spray drying facilities remain central to Brazil’s food processing sector. Alongside coffee, Brazil has a significant dairy industry, with milk powder playing a key role both in domestic consumption and in export markets, requiring reliable and efficient spray drying solutions. These two industries alone account for a substantial proportion of the nation’s adoption of drying equipment, but the application extends further into food products like fruit powders, nutritional supplements, and flavorings, which are increasingly produced for both local use and global trade. Brazil has also invested in expanding its pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries, where spray drying is used to create stable formulations and enhance product quality, though food continues to dominate in terms of volume. A key factor supporting Brazil’s leadership is the availability of raw agricultural products in abundance, which makes spray drying not just a necessity but a strategic tool for extending shelf life and adding value to commodities. The country’s exporters benefit from powdered forms because they are lighter, easier to transport, and have a longer shelf life, aligning with international trade demands. Local equipment suppliers, alongside partnerships with international manufacturers, ensure that spray drying systems are accessible and adapted to Brazil’s industrial needs.