For BerryWorld Netherlands, flexibility is essential to operating effectively in the dynamic soft fruit sector. Harvest patterns, seasonal influences, and sudden peaks in demand largely determine the operational pace. With thirteen top-seal packaging lines, the company responds to changing market conditions throughout the year.
BerryWorld Netherlands was founded in 1994 by Wil Beekers as a strawberry grower and has since grown into an international player in soft fruit. The company operates a modern distribution centre of approximately 16,000 m² for storage and processing.
© Sismatec
Ad Nouws
Sustainability and flexibility as a starting point
In 2014, sustainability became a key focus within the organisation. Traditional fruit trays with separate lids are no longer aligned with the company's sustainability ambitions. At the same time, any new packaging solution needed to offer sufficient flexibility to manage fluctuations in supply and customer demand.
Phased expansion of top-seal capacity
Together with technology partner Sismatec, BerryWorld opted for a top-seal solution using tray sealers from Proseal. What began with two machines expanded in the following years into a fully equipped packaging hall with thirteen operational top-seal lines.
The lines are equipped with around thirty different tooling sets, suitable for a wide range of packaging formats. Thanks to short changeover times and quick tool changes, packaging formats can be switched rapidly. This enables the company to respond effectively to changing harvest volumes and specific customer requirements.
The combined capacity of the thirteen lines also allows for rapid order processing. Orders placed in the morning can be shipped the same afternoon, according to the company.
© Sismatec
Less plastic and lower operating costs
The switch to top-seal technology resulted in a reduction in plastic use of around 33 per cent compared to the previous packaging method. In addition, the sealing technology provides improved protection of the fruit during transport.
According to BerryWorld, a key advantage lies in the reliability of the tray sealers. The machines are characterised by robust construction and consistent performance, contributing to a low total cost of ownership. Ease of operation and straightforward maintenance are also cited as benefits.
Practical collaboration and remote support
BerryWorld describes its cooperation with Sismatec as direct and pragmatic, with fixed points of contact. A growing number of machines are connected online, enabling remote monitoring and, in some cases, remote fault resolution. This reduces response times and limits production downtime.
In addition, Sismatec provides annual maintenance services, during which all machines are inspected and parts replaced if necessary. According to Ad Nouws of BerryWorld, this is seldom required in practice: "The machines simply run consistently, so we hardly need it."
"The advantages of Proseal's tray sealing machines are that we rarely encounter issues with them, and they are easy to operate. Everything just works properly."
For more information:
Sismatec
Twentepoort Oost 8
7609 RG Almelo
+31 (0) 546 874 113
[email protected]
www.sismatec.nl
