Customer testimonial
Fruit farming processor quadruples daily throughput with help from Bühler SORTEX
Digital Technologies Aug 242, 2022
Since investing in the SORTEX FA and a complete turnkey solution from Bühler, UK-based specialist fruit processor and ingredients supplier D.C. Williamson has gone from processing 1,000 kg of frozen fruit a day to approximately 4 tons a day. Enhancements in product quality and higher volumes have also meant that the company has been able to export its frozen raspberries overseas for the first time in its history.
As a small family business founded in 2000 and based near Colchester, D.C. Williamson Ltd produces fresh and frozen fruit, juices, and purees grown on its farm which is located between Essex and Suffolk. In order to become more competitive in the market and to boost product quality and throughput, the company invested in its first ever optical sorter, the SORTEX FA machine, and installed a complete turnkey solution in collaboration with Bühler.
The SORTEX FA optical sorter is a frozen fruit and vegetable optical sorter which removes color defects, extraneous vegetable matter, and foreign materials in throughputs of up to 20 t/h. As one of Bühler’s most hygienic sorting platforms, it is FDA-approved for complete wash-down to maximize food safety.
Craig Williamson, Managing Director and Co-founder of D.C. Williamson, met with us to answer some questions about the company and its experience with Bühler.
Q: Tell us about D.C. Williamson Ltd. What makes the company unique?
A: Our uniqueness lies in the way that we process 12 individually quick frozen (IQF) berry and fruit products with the Bühler SORTEX FA optical sorter. We have the capability to re-sort factory rejections for third party importers, unloading refrigerated containers. We scan, inspect, and re-pack to an AA standard of the BRCGS Packaging Materials Standard certification.
As a third-generation fruit farming family, D.C. Williamson Ltd. has adapted from a primary producer and evolved into an individually quick frozen (IQF) fruit and juice/puree processing business. We process 700 tons of frozen fruit every year with the help of 28 employees – rising to 45 for summer picking.
Q: What does D.C Williamson portfolio include?
A: We have built up a diverse portfolio of IQF, aseptic pasteurized Not from Concentrate (NFC) juice and puree, cloudy and clarified, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, gooseberries, redcurrants, rhubarbs, blueberries, cherries, damsons, apples, and pears.
Q: How did you previously manage product quality, prior to investing in SORTEX?
A: Previously we conducted sorting with vibratory screens and human inspection, which of course can produce inconsistent results and leaves extra room for error.
Q: What issues prompted you to consider investing in optical sorting technology?
A: The cost of staff and their inability to extract all defects prompted us to invest in the SORTEX FA. We also had a strong desire to increase our throughput and to become competitive in the market.
Q: Why did you decide to partner with Bühler SORTEX?
A: Bühler being able to demonstrate our product through testing at its demonstration plant in London during the pandemic was key. The pandemic was a shock to every business and person, which made us consider how to adapt and keep our business resilient. So, we worked with Bühler to develop a solution that was flexible to our needs and the best fit to the farm and production.
The SORTEX project enabled us to put the impetus back into quality and efficiency. Bühler demonstrated early on in first stage meetings that they were very professional and knew their product capability of what SORTEX would or could do. The sales and demonstration team showed great capability and depth of knowledge about the SORTEX product.
Q: How would your business have been impacted if you had not invested in SORTEX?
A: If we had not invested in SORTEX, the cost of production would continue to rise with product quality levels being held to human inspection capabilities.
Q: What day-to-day changes have you seen since investing in SORTEX?
A: We have seen greater throughput per hour/day. We have gone from processing 1,000 kg of frozen fruit a day to 4 tons a day; that is four times greater throughput! We have also seen vastly better quality management with the scope to adjust and vary according to our needs.
Q: What benefits have you seen in sorting frozen raspberries specifically?
A: Prior to using SORTEX, our raspberries did not meet the strict export quality requirements. Over the past few years, it has also become more and more of a worldwide quality standard to have an automated inspection system for defect removal capability. We now have this with our SORTEX optical sorter, and our product quality has improved significantly. As such, we have been able to export our frozen raspberries overseas for the first time in our history as a company!
Q: How did you find the installation process and Bühler’s aftercare support to be?
A: Knowing that Bühler could provide process flow and CAD [Computer Aided Drafting] drawings, whilst being able to recommend and co-ordinate suppliers of other equipment to construct the complete process line from input to bagging, took a load off. We were happy to embrace the installation process. It is reassuring having Bühler’s UK factory and design headquarters are only 1.5 hours away; another lucky bonus! So far Bühler’s aftercare support has been outstanding with dial-in support even from an engineer’s phone, avoiding long waits for an on-site response.
Our goal is to work closely with our customers to help them achieve the highest quality for their products. We are proud to partner with D.C. Williamson; it is a great example of a company that is planning for its future by investing in modern technology and practices, which will ensure that its products will fulfil customers’ needs now and in the long-term
Stephen Jacobs, Global Segment Head for Bühler’s Fruit and Vegetables business
Gupfenstrasse 5
Uzwil
9240
Switzerland
