COVID-19 has provided many challenges for fresh produce companies, Chilean kiwifruit producer CCF has self-installed its new fruit sorting machine with help from Chinese supplier Reemoon over video calls.
Felipe Espinosa, director of the CCF Company, and a member of the Chilean Kiwifruit committee, first introduced the project's background: “In 2019, I was invited by Reemoon to Agrizano to participate in the demonstration of their new sorting equipment. That was the first time I encountered Reemoon. I was deeply impressed by the production line. Therefore, after that day, I kept in touch with Reemoon to discuss putting a kiwifruit sorting line in our plant”.
“Reemoon is from China and China's development in recent years is obvious to all. The vast majority of Chinese products have greatly improved in terms of quality. I think Chinese products are becoming more and more trustworthy because the Chinese work hard and have a strong ability for self-reflection and improvement. They are constantly making changes, constantly seeking to progress. I like to deal with up-and-comer companies, like Reemoon. I understand that they have good technology, especially in citrus sorting, and they can play on the same level as some famous companies from Europe and America. In terms of kiwifruit selection, they can sort by weight, shape and defects. These functions meet my needs.”
Regional Sales Manager, Vincent Zhang made an introduction to this processing line. “This is a five-lane sorting project, consisting of a four-lane main sizer and a single-lane secondary sizer. The capacity of the main sizer could reach 10 tons/hour. The sorting line has five functions: weight grading, size grading, shape grading, color grading, and defect grading. All of them can be used in combination,” said Manager Zhang.
The Chilean kiwifruit season usually starts in early March and lasts until August. In other time periods, the equipment can also be used to sort other fruits such as plums, citrus, and avocados, so one machine can be used for multiple purposes. “Our kiwifruit is mainly exported to high-end markets such as Europe and the United States. Their quality requirements are high and the accuracy of sorting of Reemoon equipment is high as well,” said Felipe.
According to Julio Pino Iturriaga, Latam Sales Manager, there are few kiwifruits on the market during the period from early March to mid-March every year, and the early varieties are highly valued by customers. To not delay the customer's processing plan, after the scheme is determined, the company mobilized the efforts of the whole factory to expedite the production, and finally delivered the goods on time. In addition, because of pandemic travel restrictions, engineers could not reach the site for installation. Reemoon's after-sales service team from China and other countries (for instance South Africa, Egypt) guided Chilean engineers through the installation process using remote assistance and video communication. “Through the joint efforts of all parties, it took only 10 days to complete all installations and commissioning. The equipment was put into production on March 5th as scheduled,” said Luis David Gonzalez, Engineer of Reemoon in Chile.
There are many sorting machine brands at home and abroad but, when it comes to brand competitive advantages, Vincent Zhang said: “Firstly, we invest hugely in technological research and development every year and have strong technological innovation capabilities. Secondly, while we continue to guarantee the functionality of our equipment, we also effectively control costs and improve the cost-effectiveness of the equipment. Finally, we can provide customers with timely and effective after-sales service”
Established in 2001, Jiangxi Reemoon Technology Holdings Co., Ltd. is one of China’s national high-tech innovation enterprises. Cooperating with the Chinese Academy of Science and HuaZhong Agricultural University, Reemoon is specialized in developing, manufacturing and supplying post-harvest equipment and comprehensive solutions for fruits and vegetables, including sorting machines, washer, dryer, waxing machines, feeding robots, palletizing machines and other accessory equipment.
Reemoon is the first company to design and manufacture the electronic sorting machine in China. After 19 years of hard work, Reemoon became the biggest supplier in the Chinese market with over 80% market shares of electronic sorting machines. The company team has built more than 1200 packing lines all over the word. In recent years, overseas sales have grown explosively. Reemoon is more and more becoming an international brand.
In recent years, Reemoon has continued to expand in overseas markets, successfully entering Europe, Africa, Oceania, South America, Southeast Asia and other regions, and has established an independent overseas marketing and service system. From a global perspective, many countries are still relatively weak in the field of fruit sorting and other industries, and Reemoon’s technical capabilities and levels have strong international market competitiveness.
Jiangxi Reemoon Technology Holdings Co., Ltd.