Verduyn, Belgium, 3500 ha for fresh vegetables

VERDUYN is a fresh produce supplier delivering fresh vegetables from its 3,500 hectares of agricultural land to the food industry for wholesale distribution and the producers of readymade meals. After installing TOMRA Sorting Food’s Halo sorting machine, Verduyn is realizing the machine’s many benefits including significant labor reduction, increased yields and improved product quality. Verduyn has two main business components. Firstly, it turns harvested vegetables into semi-processed products, which are mainly used for the frozen and tinned goods market. Secondly, Verduyn buys local vegetables and sells them to companies that offer products which are not grown in their country or region. Alexander Verduyn, CEO at Verduyn (picture), explains: “Our services range from planting seeds to delivering a finished product to our customers. This is what differentiates us from other compaies. Everything starts from the agriculture and is enhanced by our modern production facilities.” The carrot is at the root of Verduyn’s business with crops washed, sorted and chopped for delivery in its Belgian plant in Kortemark. The production line has an input of 55 tons per hour and an output of 40 tons per hour. The carrots are washed at a rate of 20 tons per hour and packed at a rate of 30 tons per hour; this is all done automatically using brush washers and optical sorting machines. Alexander continues: “As one of the biggest carrot specialists in Europe, we offer a vast selection of quality carrots for various purposes. “Flexibility and fast reactions are two mantras we live by at Verduyn. Our huge scale processing allows us to react at the drop of a hat and help our customers in short notice. We believe in perfection, and demand nothing less from our partners. This also means we keep close track of all technological innovations that automate our processing line.” When the sorting machine Alexander initially had installed at his plant failed to live up to his expectations, he decided to investigate his options and discovered TOMRA Sorting Food. “The first time I saw a TOMRA sorting machine in operation I was so impressed by the results that I contacted the company and requested a demonstration of its carrot sorting machine - the Halo 1000. Over a period of time, I visited TOMRA’s test and demonstration center in Leuven, Belgium three times, and although the results were convincing, I requested additional evaluation as I wanted to see the results of its Halo when it was up and running at my company. When we were pleased with the results, we decided to partner with TOMRA Sorting Food.” Alexander continues: “I was very impressed with the way TOMRA kept to the installation timetable. Within three days, the machine was up and running. Our operators received a two-day training session, and the TOMRA service engineer was on hand to support anyone who needed additional help. One week after the installation, we received a weekly halfday check to ensure everything was still as expected. We can always count on TOMRA for remote service control. No worries, no misery. It really is an exceptional service. “A single TOMRA sorting machine can undertake the work of two or even three alternative machines while still achieving the same results.” Read the complete article: