Now that the 2015/16 apple season is over and the next one is about to begin, Texel, a cooperative part of VIP Val Venosta, can make an assessment of the first year it has been using the new Greefa grading machine. With its 10 processing lines, the machine handled around 7 thousand wagons. New Greefa grader used at Texel.
"The grader has been fully operative, processing 100 bins per hour, which was our objective," explains director Christoph Tappeiner. VIP Val Venosta and the Dutch company worked together for two years to develop the IQS4 software for the grader.
Greefa grader at work at Texel.
"Greefa technicians have visited us often to develop both the programme and the machine. As Val Venosta is famous for the quality of its apples, we had specific needs for sorting."
Greefa grader at work at Texel.
The new machine can recognise every single defect - the electronic eye can recognise everything from russeting to hail damage. The same software is now being installed in the other cooperatives part of VIP Val Venosta - Juval, Mivor, Over, Alpe and Geos.
Greefa grader at work at Texel.
"We chose Greefa as our partner because it was the most suitable for our sorting needs. The market requires sorting that also considers internal characteristics and Greefa is the only company capable of achieving that."
Greefa grader at work at Texel.
For this reason, the Dutch company and the cooperatives are now working on a system for internal sorting. "It will take us at least two years, because we are starting from scratch and the final result must be perfect."
Greefa grader at work at Texel.
"We will have to invest a lot to predict all possibilities and cases. Apples may seem simple and banal, but they are quite complex. In addition, with markets that are increasingly farther away, we need to avoid any claims that may results in the fruit being shipped back to us."