Unitec innovation applied to cherry processing has arrived in Northern Italy, for the late cherries of Non Valley, branded Melinda. In the C.O.C.E.A. Segno (TN) plant, a new 6 lane installation for electronic sorting, with a capacity of about 3/4 tons/h has been set up. It is equipped with Cherry Vision 2, the innovative system designed and developed by Unitec R&D department, for the selection of the internal and external quality of cherries.
"This start-up - says Franco Paoli, Director of Melinda plants - was quite different compared to the latest ones and to what we are used to in the apple industry. The first fundamental difference is that we succeeded in starting the processing in a very short time frame (a few hours). We had no problems in terms of quality, size and color selection and in terms of machine settings, and this makes the technology versatility clear. It definitely meets our needs and is easier to implement in comparison with other technologies we have."
The whole working process has been industrialized in order to achieve both higher production volumes and cost reduction, emphasizing gentleness to maintain the quality of the product that is offered to consumers.
The installation is automated in all the processing phases, from the box emptying to the crates packing system, ensuring complete product traceability.
Cherry Vision 2 is at the heart of the process. It is one of the most efficient systems for cherry selection and quality grading worldwide. It can select and classify cherries according to size, color, internal defects, external defects, softness, absence or presence of the stalk, and it can thus guarantee the quality of the product that is provided.
"We started a few days ago - adds Franco Paoli - but we are convinced that by selecting defects, color and size with Cherry Vision 2 system, our image will improve, thanks to the improved quality of the product we offer. Unitec Technology helps us to provide our customers with steady quality, and it increases our credibility through products characterized by consistent quality. We are sure that this will lead to customers’ loyalty in the long run, and it will also increase consumption."
For more information:
Unitec S.p.A.
Via Prov.le Cotignola, 20/9
48022 Lugo (RA) - Italy
Tel. +39 0545 288884
Fax +39 0545 288709