The fruit and vegetable sector gives a lot of thought to the primary packaging of goods: What type of packaging and material best meet the needs of the product being packaged, are there sustainable alternatives, and are they economical? But there are also specific requirements for secondary packaging, depending on which fruit or vegetable is to be packaged. This is the topic that Belgian company Gamma-Wopla is dealing with.
The high quality demands of vegetable producers and traders are given special attention in all phases of logistics - from harvesting, storage, transport as well as during processing. "That's why more and more companies are switching to a high-quality stackable and nestable plastic harvesting and transport container for the complete logistics process, even for processing the delicate fruits. And our PVBI-6412 plastic container has been specially adapted for the small quality fruits," says Mikaël Vandewiele, Plant Manager at Gamma-Wopla.
One satisfied user of Gamma-Wopla's solutions is British family business Wilkin & Sons Limited, which has been producing the best jams from strawberries, loganberries, mulberries and plums in Essex, England since 1885, exporting to over seventy countries. "It is not possible to produce the best food without using the best ingredients for it. And even the best fruits suffer from adverse transport conditions," says Vandewiele.
Strawberries, in particular, are very delicate and benefit from perfectly matched transport packaging. "From harvesting the fruit to further processing, the same container can be used. The robust bicolor container can be nest-stacked with a 180° turn. The smart bicolor allows for easy and quick handling without erroneous stacking and loss of time," he says, explaining the process. "The support spouts on the top rim of the bin provide stability and even, easy stacking, with no slippage, so the delicate fruit is not squeezed and reaches the highest quality for further processing."
The bin's perforated bottom and sides are particularly suited to small berries: "They're not too big, so the fruit won't fall out of the crates, while also providing better ventilation." Ergonomically shaped handles are extra closed on the long side to prevent the strawberries from falling out and also allow for extra safe and easy handling.
"Due to the high-quality plastic, the containers are very stable and easy to clean. As a result, they can be used permanently. Precisely fitting dimensions and formats help save up to 50 percent of space in storage and during transport. At the end of their useful life, they can be 100 percent recycled."
Mikaël Vandewiele concludes: "It's a win-win situation: a sustainable solution for logistics that also preserves the special quality of the goods during storage and transport."
For more information:
Michaël Cibois
Gamma-Wopla nv
Rue de la Royenne 78
7700 Mouscron
Belgium
Tel. +32 56 85 20 85
michael.cibois@smart-flow.com
www.gamma-wopla.com