This year’s PotatoEurope trade fair in September will see the presentation of a new potato grading machine from the Haith Group and Grimme UK.
The ProSort grader automates the removal of stone, clod and foreign debris from potatoes – to help growers with labour shortages. The modular unit can also be used in the field or on-farm, is easily integrated into a new or existing grading line, and can handle up to 100 tonnes per hour.
The grader features a TOMRA 3A optical sorter, which employs near infra-red multi-spectral sensors for an unobstructed assessment of every object ‘in flight’, for the accurate identification of potatoes versus foreign materials.
The 3A’s colour sensors also detect green potatoes which are removed by intelligent finger ejectors at the end of the ProSort’s conveyor belt.
“The ProSort has been extremely well received by UK growers, and we expect a similar reaction from visitors to Potato Europe,” says Haith sales manager Rob Highfield.
“Haith and Grimme’s innovative combined approach has solved two common problems facing growers today – the need to sort in the field or the farm accurately and quickly, with fewer people. We think visitors to Potato Europe will be very impressed with both the ProSort and our ProLine.”
Haith’s ProLine is a flexible wash line modular unit platform, featuring a RotaTip box tippler, waste separation, SupaFlume de-stoner, barrel washer, polisher, dryer, optical sorter, box fillers and packaging machines.
Haith’s ProLine modular wash line system
“The ProLine has evolved over several years, in which time we have undertaken some of our largest ever turnkey projects,” continues Mr Highfield.
“By working with some of the biggest food producers and packers in the UK and overseas as well as smaller businesses, we have had the opportunity to refine how our individual machines work together. The ProLine is a proven approach to delivering the most efficient lines possible while retaining the ability to customise them to suit our customers’ precise requirements.”
“We are very much looking forward to Potato Europe. We missed it last year and in 2020, so expect it to be a really busy show. It will also be our first overseas exhibition since winning our second Queen’s Award for Enterprise in April 2022.”
PotatoEurope will take place in Rittergut Bockerode near Hanover in Germany, September 7 and 8. At the event, visitors will be able to talk to Haith’s sales team about its new ProSort, plus the existing ProLine and award-winning RotaTip box tippler systems.
