Two years ago Celo Fruit, sister company of Bexfruit, invested in a hydro cooler for their cherries. This year they bought an electronic sorting machine. “We had mechanical sorting before this, but this new machine is even faster. Yesterday we sorted, on average, 650 kilograms per hour, but the maximum capacity is up to 1,000 kilograms per hour,” says Stefan Bex. “We sort the cherries for ourselves, and we can also do this for other companies.” The electronic sorting machine was supplied by Stas Belgium.
Faster and more accurate
According to Bex, sorting at Celo Fruit has great benefits. “We can sort even more accurately now, all the correct sizes together. Besides, we can also sort based on colour. Before the cherries are sorted they are put into a hydro cooler. The crates are placed in the cherry cooler after being picked. The water’s temperature is one and a half to two degrees. When the cherries are taken out of the cooler, they are between three and four degrees. The great benefit of this is that the products have a longer shelf life. They look better, stems are greener and that is better for trade.”
Since Celo Fruit invested in the electronic sorting machine, they have needed fewer employees. “More people are at the check point where they pick off the bad ones, rather than at the machine itself.” Bex emphasises that the cherries are cooled within an hour after being picked. “You regularly hear of cultivators cooling once or twice per day, but we get the cherries from the orchard every hour. Especially with this warm weather it is necessary to cool them quickly.”
For more information:
Bex Fruit
Houtstraat 2a
3890 Gingelom - Belgium
+32 011 48 19 00
+32 011 48 19 01
info@bexfruit.be
www.bexfruit.be
Stas NV Belgium
Craenenbroekstraat 32
3380 Glabbeek
Belgium
T: +32 16 777 306
F: +32 16 779 781
info@stasbelgium.be
www.stasbelgium.be