Interko to unveil new fruit ripening advances

INTERKO, the global leader for the design, manufacture and installation of state-of-the-art fresh fruit ripening rooms, will exhibit at Fruit Attraction once again when it reconvenes in Madrid, Spain, on 4-6 October 2022.

The Dutch company will promote its recent raft of technological innovations to target new business across Europe and South America, as well as to add value for existing customers. Interko will be present with industrial refrigeration specialist Clauger.

Interko’s Spanish speakers Chris Maat, Managing Director/Partner, and Narcís Guinart, Project Manager, will attend the three-day international fresh produce trade fair. Visitors can email info@interko.com to schedule an appointment to meet on Stand 10H05. Clauger will exhibit on Stand 10C15.

Alongside installing cutting-edge ripening rooms in the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Sweden, Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Argentina, in the last year Interko has focused hard on improving its ripening technology as the global produce industry tackles supply and energy challenges.

Interko Managing Director/Partner Chris Maat explains: 

“Interko is the longest-serving ripening room provider on the market; we have installed hundreds of rooms across Europe and the globe. Nonetheless, we never rest on our laurels, and the unprecedented challenges of the last few years have pushed our business to innovate even harder.”

To that end, the forward-thinking company has rolled out its own innovative ripening control system complete with a market-exclusive fail-safe mode. The sensor-based programme helps operators to go one step further in automating their ripening process, and comes pre-fitted in Interko’s Ultimo, Optimo, Axesso and Mobilo ripening rooms.

Maat explains:

“Our new ripening controller is really something! Since its launch, the customer feedback has been so positive that the product is almost selling itself. It’s easy to use, records a lot of data, offers great quality control and enables ripeners to perfect their ripening cycles with greater flexibility and responsiveness than ever before. On top of that, our controller offers operators the ability to automate their ripening process with the guarantee of a fail-safe feature, which can help businesses with their labour challenges. We believe it will be a game changer!”

Next, Interko is actively revising its ripening room range with newer fans to produce even greater energy savings. That includes a redesigned Ultimo cooler with even more efficient fan motors, while working on a second generation of its revolutionary Reverso reversible fan for use in all four room types.

Across its entire ripening technology range, Interko is also working to reduce its use of materials. The aim is to overcome supply chain shortages, as well as to ensure more efficient stacking of its products during delivery.

Maat continues:

“Interko offers an unrivalled proposition thanks to our 50 years of experience and market-leading ripening technology. For fruit retailers, importers and distributors we can build bespoke ripening rooms equipped with our latest innovative technology. By upgrading to Interko ripening rooms, operators will lower their operational costs, reduce energy consumption and minimise product loss, as well as improve their product quality, finish and shelf-life.”

About Interko

Interko is the global leader for the design, manufacture and installation of cost-effective, high-quality and low-maintenance ripening rooms for fresh fruit, and cooling systems for the horticulture sector. Founded over 50 years ago in the Netherlands, Interko develops precise, advanced and energy-efficient systems that are built to last. Since its creation, Interko has installed over 7,000 ripening rooms for bananas, avocados, mangoes, papayas and tomatoes – the earliest of which are still in operation and performing well today. Every year Interko installs around 200 ripening rooms.