The 4th International Berry Congress, held in Huelva, Spain, has been the stage chosen by Induser to showcase its new technologies and products developed last year, but also to predict where they will be heading in the short and medium term.
"We are constantly studying the global trends in the sector and using this information to predict how we believe the production and the packaging solutions will evolve." Events like the International Berry Congress are perfect occasions to get to know the opinions of everyone involved in the sector, taking them into account for our plans as well," explains Pedro Martínez, of Induser.
According to Pedro Martínez, there is a strong growth trend not only in the case of berries, but in every sector. "Consumers are increasingly looking for sustainable packaging options, although they remain faithful to trends, such as smaller snack-size containers that are easy to transport. Consequently, local Ejidozone packaging experts have also taken advantage of this trend, offering fully compostable and recyclable options, such as small cardboard trays and biodegradable plastics. The response of congress attendees from all links in the supply chain has been very positive, which likely confirms the importance of this growing trend," he says.
"In this edition of the Berry Congress, we have showed Induser's improvements to blueberry packaging lines. Our multi-format lines are now faster and more precise for all kinds of production, from small family operations to Europe's largest blueberry packing facilities. From the beginning, we have designed our machines to be compatible with all packaging formats, such as the increasingly popular cardboard trays, encouraging the growth of our customers in dynamic markets. Blueberries are a significant example: as they take off in Europe and other parts of the world, tastes are changing even in their traditional markets. The presentations made by speakers during the congress confirmed this, and highlighted the fruit boom in Europe and around the world."
The largest blueberry packing facility in Europe
For the current blueberry campaign, which is already coming to an end, the largest packing facility in Europe has been set up by the cooperative SCA Costa de Huelva. This has been possible, in part, thanks to Induser's technology.
"It can calibrate and package up to 6 tonnes of blueberries per hour." Induser's multi-format lines offer the client great flexibility in packaging, making it possible to switch between formats almost instantly. This factor is tremendously important for products such as blueberries. Due to its growth and its growing export needs, the Spanish blueberry sector needs to be able to pack the product to the client's taste, depending on the market. Blueberry exporters are shipping to more and more markets, and therefore, they need to work with many types of packaging," explains Pedro Martínez.
Watch this video to see the facilities in operation:
"For example, these packaging lines can work with small, medium or large clamshell tubs, as well as regular tubs and small cubes, a new format for blueberries, but very popular." The lines can also be adapted for any future packaging format that the company may want to use," he adds.
The entire project was the result of collaborative work between several companies, incorporating robotic transport, mechanical and optical unloading and calibration, and automatic palletising, in addition to Induser's automatic packaging lines. The facility has 4 double packaging lines for a production of 30,000 units per hour. This project was one of the largest for Induser, after having developed innovative packaging solutions for blueberries for several years.
For more inforation:
Pedro Martínez Lázaro
Induser
T: +34 950581136
M: +34 600415230