About Rapanelli International Engineering Excellence in Extraction and Separation Since 1922
An Italian engineering company
Rapanelli is an Italian engineering company specialised in olive oil processing and centrifugal separation systems, with applications extending from agriculture to industrial and environmental processes.
Founded in 1922
Founded in 1922 in Umbria Italy, Rapanelli has built its expertise where separation quality is measurable, immediate, and unforgiving. Olive oil extraction shaped the company’s engineering culture, forcing precision in temperature control, mechanical stress, residence time, and material selection. That discipline still defines how Rapanelli designs machines today.
Performance-Driven Design
We do not approach separation as a generic industrial task. We approach it as a controlled physical process, where every design choice affects yield, stability, and long-term reliability.
A Century of Olive Oil Engineering
Rapanelli was established by Fioravante Rapanelli, one of the early pioneers of Italian olive mill manufacturing. Over decades, the company evolved alongside the transformation of olive oil processing, moving from traditional systems to continuous extraction lines while maintaining a clear technical focus.
In the 1960s, Rapanelli introduced the Sinolea® method, a patented cold-drip extraction technology based on surface tension rather than centrifugal force. Sinolea® remains the only true alternative to centrifugation, designed for producers who prioritise oil quality, polyphenol retention, and low working temperatures over maximum throughput.
This invention was not a marketing innovation. It was a mechanical and physical solution to a real extraction problem, and it continues to influence how Rapanelli engineers separation systems today.
From Olive Oil to Separation Technology
The same separation principles used in olive oil extraction apply to many industrial processes. Density differences, shear forces, residence time, abrasion, and material fatigue do not change when the product changes.
Building on its olive oil expertise, Rapanelli designs decanter centrifuges and separation systems for industrial applications such as wastewater treatment, sludge management, oil and gas recovery, and non-food purification processes. These systems are engineered for continuous operation, minimal supervision, and long service life.
What distinguishes Rapanelli in this field is not scale, but precision. Our industrial machines inherit the same attention to tolerances and mechanical balance developed for food-grade applications, where contamination, vibration, and thermal instability are unacceptable.
Engineering Before Everything Else
Rapanelli’s identity is not built on storytelling. It is built on machines that work, season after season, under real operating conditions. From olive oil mills to industrial separation plants, our role is to translate physical principles into reliable equipment. That focus has remained unchanged since 1922.
Regeneration and Modernisation
Rapanelli also specialises in the regeneration and modernisation of existing installations, particularly legacy olive oil equipment.
Many older machines were built with structural quality that remains mechanically sound. Rather than forcing full replacement, Rapanelli offers OEM-level regeneration programs that include complete mechanical rebuilding, structural rebalancing, automation upgrades, and compliance adaptations.
This approach allows operators to extend the life of proven systems, reduce capital investment, and integrate modern control technologies without altering their existing plant layout. It is a technical choice, not a commercial shortcut.
How We Work
Rapanelli does not sell standard catalog machines. Each project is engineered around process requirements, operating conditions, and service constraints.
Whether designing a complete olive oil extraction line, integrating Sinolea® technology, regenerating a legacy system, or supplying industrial separation equipment, the objective is the same: predictable performance over time.
Our work is supported by in-house engineering, controlled manufacturing, technical assistance, and spare parts availability, with active installations in over 28 countries.
Our clients include:
Olive mills of all sizes
Industrial plants and engineering contractors
International organizations (FAO, CIHEAM)
Agricultural cooperatives
Oil & gas field operators
Wastewater treatment facilities
Food and beverage producers
Rapanelli equipment operates in environments ranging from small family mills to large-scale industrial sites and remote field operations.
Rapanelli. A Family Name. A Technical Standard.
Since 1922, engineering olive oil processing and separation systems for real operating conditions.
Partnerships Built on Engineering, Not Assumptions
Long-term results come from understanding processes, constraints, and operating environments.
That is why Rapanelli works alongside producers and operators as a technical partner, not a catalog supplier.
A Legacy Proven in the Most Demanding Field: Olive Oil
Rapanelli is one of the oldest names in olive oil machinery.
From the patented Sinolea® extraction method to continuous centrifugal systems, our history is defined by measurable results in quality, yield, and reliability.
Contact Us
If you are evaluating an olive oil processing system, a regeneration project, or an industrial separation application, the most effective starting point is a technical discussion. Share your process requirements and operating conditions, and our engineering team will guide the next steps.
- info@rapanelli.com