Aweta Newsletter Q3
SEPTEMBER 2016
World of Sorting Technology
Attaining Greater Sorting Performance
We are very proud to present this Q3 edition of our newsletter, packed with updates on Aweta’s ongoing success, its dedication to obtaining greater efficiency and its instrumental role in improving customers’ packing operations worldwide. We hope it will be inspiration to all our Aweta regional teams working out there in the field.
Aweta continues to install both internal and external quality sorting systems that can be incorporated into an ever broader range of products. This year, Aweta technology has taken a further step forward and both Optical Vision and Inscan have been upgraded to more powerful and accurate versions: Power_Vision_3D (Hyperspectral) and Inscan Pulse respectively.
In terms of accuracy, particularly when it comes to defect identification, these sorters have an excellent record which means that for the customer there are fewer complaints, returns and refusals from retailers and direct customers. Both Power Vision and Inscan Pulse are calibrated to deal with a variety of products:
Index
Tomato Grading
Packers improve marketing and sales of tomatoes with Aweta Technology
Sica Prince de Bretagne and Casi both employ the Advanced Vision 3D_Tomato Grader which facilitates consistent quality sorting using external defect identification and colour grading. Both companies have seen an improvement in marketing and sales since the installation of the Advanced Vision 3D.The Inscan IQ Tomato Grader is an internal quality sensor which is able to detect softness in tomatoes that colour sorting alone is unable to pick up. The Inscan IQ can also sort tomatoes by sugar content (%Brix) and internal defects.
The working combination of these two sensors increases the overall performance of quality sorting by ascertaining the appropriate condition of the fruit and placing it in its respective class of quality. This can be applied to all varieties of tomatoes including beef, round, cherry and grape tomatoes.
Apple Grading
Introducing new technology:
Hyperspectral for apples
The majority of Aweta customers are accustomed to the accurate consistent and reliable performance of the PowerVision_3D_Apple and Inscan_IQ_Apple. It is for this reason that Riviora (ITALY) and Borton (USA) chose Aweta over other competitors. The latest version, Hyperspectral, is able to differentiate between defects that are on the skin (russet etc.) and those within the body of the fruit (stem puncture, under-skin rot, bruising) so revealing the potential risk of more widespread rot as the apple matures.
The new version of Inscan IQ PULSE has been designed in direct response to customer needs and is capable of scanning varying sizes of fruit without the need to change setting.
Avocado and Mango Grading
Aweta; prefered supplier bij European packers
Aweta remains the number one preferred supplier of avocado sorting technology worldwide and is recognised as being a leader in this field, especially in the ready-to-eat market which is particularly successful with European retailers.
Apricot Grading
Aweta excells in apricot Grading
Aweta has installed new sorting lines for apricots in both France and the Americas. The Vision System: PowerVision_3D_Apricots has proven to surpass all expectations as customer testimonies illustrate.
Lemon Grading
Robust technology for citrus
Crown Citrus Company, in Calipatria, CA. packs and ships fresh citrus fruit for distribution throughout the U.S. and is co-marketed and sold by Bee Sweet Citrus Inc. out of Fowler, California. This year it will be commencing its lemon harvest using the new state of the art Aweta citrus grader which incorporates an eight lane Rollerstar.
The Crown Citrus Company will be grading over 60,000 pounds of lemons per hour in an environment that can reach temperatures well in excess of 46C/115°F. Thanks to our LED technology, the Advanced_Vision_3D optical grading solution has the ability to identify and grade defects based on individual characteristics instead of solely by colour and contrast alone.
Aweta has also partnered with local vendors in the area providing citrus sorting with automatic volume box filling capability.
Rivoira
Bringing High-tech to the packing facility
A brand new packing facility and an increased range of produce variety will be the cornerstones of Rivoira Giovanni & Figli’s commercial policy for the near future.Marco Rivoira, the group’s commercial manager
is excited about the new development: We reckon that in the past three or four years the market has evolved mainly around diversifying varieties to give customers a greater choice. However, the apple sector is generally very inefficient at operational level and it is impossible to manage all these varieties, each being divided into over 40 product lines. To take on this challenge, we have begun building a new state-of-the-art packing facility with high-tech plant on three levels, totalling 24,000 m² of covered floor space, which will be operational in August 2016.
The basement will house the pre-sizing stage and be managed by four radio-frequency controlled fork-lifts. There will be two Aweta 6-lane-Calistar graders (56 exits, 4 water bin fillers, for an overall capacity of 120 bins/h) equipped with Hyper Spectral Sensor for external defect detection and the Aweta Inscan Sensor for internal defect detection. On the ground floor there will be five fully automated packing lines with a capacity of around 50 pallets/h while the first floor will be dedicated to empty box forming and automatically connected storage linked to the packing lines.
Fully Automatic Storage System Total Automation and Increased Capacity
This innovative storage system will be managed by two automated high-bay racks. The first has the capacity to move 18 thousand bins of pre-processed product which will be carried by rack feeders, while the second has buffer storage of 100 pallets of packed product ready for shipment. This rationalises space and time making it possible to manage a greater number of varieties simultaneously and supply our clients according to their wishes without breaking the cold chain. It will also make the best use of the total cold storage capacity and the empty bins. This plant is a strategic investment for the coming 20 years and will boost the economy of the area. This is good news for the future of the company but there is also positive things going on right now that Rivoira is keen to emphasis:“Considering that Ambrosia, the variety to which we have exclusive rights, is only in its second production season in Europe, the market has had a very strong start. Ambrosia is showing optimum results and 10 years after the project began, we can say that it has become well-established and has confounded the logic of the market with its stable prices and loyal customers."
Founded in Verzuolo (Cuneo) in 1950 by Giovanni Rivoira and his sons, the brothers Andrea and Michele, Rivoira Giovanni & Figli immediately made a name for itself as a grower of top quality apples and nectarines. It was not long before it became one of the top Italian exporters. In 1975 it extended its growing operations to include kiwifruit and in 1984 set up a separate company dedicated solely to this fruit: Kiwi Uno.
The world’s most advanced
pack house
Casi secures consistent growth by investing in Aweta’s high tech grading line.
The CASI cooperative based in Almeria, Spain is now the biggest tomato producer in the country. Last season it sold over 225,000 tons to European purchasers through auction and sale at destination. The company’s latest strategic innovation has been its firm commitment to add still greater value to its product by constructing one of the most cutting edge tomato packing operations in the world. Over €11 million has been invested in this state-of-the-art facility that is also able to handle both quality control and customer service. Two Aweta sizers (14-lane-Rollerstar) equipped with Aweta sensor technology: PowerVision 3D and Inscan are used to detect external and internal quality: “We can detect any imperfection in tomatoes without touching them” the CASI operation is proud to admit ‘and we can grade product by size, colour and even Brix degree’. Graded tomato boxes are stacked and palletised by robots that are able to move horizontally, which makes it possible to palletise a greater number of boxes and increase the overall flexibility of operations throughout the packing house. Thanks to the advanced control software, the client can access information on all sorted products at any time meaning that they can introduce multiple extra solutions when needed and have a complete overview of each finished pallet, each box or each product when it is ship-ready for its final destination.
80 million Kilos of packed produce
“The best thing about this project” a spokesperson for Casi points out, ‘is that it has enabled us to increase our production volume thanks to the high degree of process automation, however we have not had to let go of any of our employees, as the personnel is employed on grading lines dedicated to special products that we were unable to cover before.” It should be pointed out that thanks to all the new technology applied to the Aweta line, CASI’s new packing facility handled over 80 million kg in the 2015/16 season, from arrivals from the field to the output of produce packed and ready for direct distribution at the point of sale. As a result of this project, it has been necessary to work on renewing the cooperative’s image in terms of the different presentations and formats available, and therefore new lines of communication have been created for each product in a strong bid to personalise
Box: Spanish Minister Manuel Rajoy
SICA
Prince de Bretagne
SICA Prince de Bretagne strengthens its pack house’s operation with a completely new, fully automated and robotized Aweta line.
Sica visited the CASI facility in Spain and was impressed by the quality of the equipment and technological performance so Aweta designed a door-to-door solution able to respond to the needs of Sica’s customers.
The sorting line uses Rollerstar and is fully dedicated to the automated packing of cartons, punnets (QFLOW) and nets. The result has been impressive particularly in the way this integrated line is able to ensure that empty boxes are returned to the specific grower who owns them avoiding costly mix-ups.
What singles this line out is its Pick & Place solution capable of palletising every type of box passing through the packing area. Robots are able to assemble individual pallet orders by instantaneously selecting and separating different boxes and transferring them to the right pallet. The robot can assemble numerous pallet orders simultaneously thereby maintaining a constant line work flow.
Apricot Sorting
Aweta surprises Apricot growers in France
This spring, Aweta embarked on an installation of its Midstar and Power Vision 3D sorters in South East France. Mr. Magnani, CEO of Earl Magnani had set out clear objectives when he purchased the Aweta sorting line: guarantee excellent soft handling, perfect weight and colour sorting and efficient external quality sorting.
Within the first few days, Mr Magnani’s feedback was more than anyone could have hoped:
“I selected AWETA because after visiting the facility in Superalp, listening to the operators’ comments on material quality and reliability, I was convinced that this was the product for my company. I have to say that the results have gone beyond all expectations. The Midstar is an excellent sorting machine. It’s fast, silent and its ability to colour sort is absolutely amazing” Mr. Magnani was also similarly impressed by the level of aftercare service and expertise of the the technical team. When the POWER VISION 3D for external quality sorting was ready to be installed, Aweta dispatched a P.W.3D specialist who got things operational in record time and with great efficiency. Due to difficult climactic conditions, sorting apricots is an extra delicate operation this year but Mr. Magnani has been more than satisfied with Aweta’s performance.
He concludes:
- The capacity of the Midstar is higher than expected
- The installation is very silent
- Gentle handling and weight sorting are well executed.
- Colour sorting is perfect
- The external quality sorting with POWER VISION 3D is really amazing. We can sort defects and obtaine a top quality result without human intervention being required.
We have the capability now of offering a viable commercial solution for external defect sorting in apricots and it shouldn’t be long until we are able to reach the same sort of success that we already provide in apple external quality sorting.
Borton Fruit
All Systems Go!
Aweta has concluded the preliminary technical meetings concerning construction of the facility at Borton. This project will showcase to everyone in NW. Aweta’s cutting edge solutions including plant integration, traceability and high speed box handling.
Borton fruit start-up is programmed for September 2017
AGENDA
Upcoming Exhibitions that Aweta is attending in the coming weeks.
Europe
Journées de la Pomme
Ventavon Hautes Alpes (FR), 10-11 Septembre 2016
World Food
Moscow (RU), 12-15 September 2016
Macfrut
Rimini (IT), 14-16 September 2016
Fruit Attraction
Madrid (SP), 5-7 October 2016
Fruit Kent Show
Kent (UK), 19-20 October 2016
Yug Agro
Krasnodar (RU), 22-15 November 2016
Interpoma
Bolzano (IT), 24-26 November 2016
SAM
Avignon (FR), 6-8 December 2016
Americas
Annual International Tomato Congress
San Luis Potosi (Mex), 20-22 July 2016
Congreso Anual del AMHPAC
Cancuni (Mex), 28-29 August 2016
AgroFuturo
Medellin (Col), 7-9 September 2016 (Stand in Holland Pavilion)
Agro Alimentaria
Lima (Peru), 28-30 September 2016 (Stand in Holland Pavilion)
PMA
Orlando, Florida, (USA) 15-16 October 2016
Expo AgroAlimentaria
Irapuato (Mex), 8-11 November 2016 (Stand in Holland Pavilion)
Asia
Asia Fruit Logistica
Hong Kong, 7-9 September 2016