DEMM Engineering & Manufacturing
Europe sorted with a cherry on top
Kiwi company BBC Technologies says in terms of overall sales, Europe is the fastest growing region for its fruit sorting machines.
The company, which manufactures and develops advanced processing technology, has a track record of investing in research and development to provide innovative solutions to the global horticulture industry.
Its equipment is sold and serviced throughout North America, South America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
The firm’s international sales and marketing manager Jason Walker says: “As production of blueberries and other small fruit expands in Europe, customers are looking for advanced equipment like ours to handle both sorting and packing.”
In February the company exhibited its MIRA-360 machine at Fruit Logistica in Germany. The machine sorts for colour, identifies and removes defected fruit including cracks and splits, soft rot, wrinkles and bruises and insect damage. It also sorts in multiple streams by size to ensure customers comply with standard industry sizing bands.
The firm also displayed its Fresh Tracker traceability software that can track products from harvesting and processing, through to packaging and point of sale.
Walker says Fresh Tracker is resonating strongly with customers as demand grows for ways to reduce risk and ensure fresh produce is of premium quality.
“Our offering is very attractive to cherry growers in Europe (which accounts for around 75 per cent of global production) as it gives them a range of options for presenting their fruit and helps them ensure their fruit is premium quality and lasts on the shelf,” says Walker.
He says BBC’s turnkey solutions are also increasingly sought after as blueberry plantings expand in Europe, particularly in the east where the firm has installed several new lines in Poland.
Walker says having staff on the ground in Europe is paying dividends for the company.
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