BBC Technologies takes sorting and packaging of small fruit to the next level

Because of their small size and a huge number of potential defects, blueberries are a very difficult product to work with. Nevertheless, according to recent research, blueberry consumption continues to rise worldwide. New Zealand based company BBC Technologies, previously growers of blueberries themselves, gained worldwide fame developing turnkey solutions for blueberry sorting and packing. After more than 35 years of successful experience in the industry, the company now focuses not only on blueberries, but also on cherries, small tomatoes, cranberries and other small, delicate commodities 40 mm and under.

Recently, the company introduced its newest development - the CURO 2. A 2-head filling machine that takes flexibility to a new level by providing a solution for packing small volumes of different grades of fruit simultaneously – useful for premium products – or complementing bigger CURO-platforms to supplement capacity if required. It has the exceptional versatility of the bigger CURO 16 and the same efficiency in switching between different sized packing options such as clamshells, punnets and boxes. It also shares the benefits of excellent accuracy, gentle handling, and simple and intuitive user interface of the larger system. Check for feedback about CURO-2 by South Africa based Blue Mountain Berries, company farms 143 hectares of blueberries, which it distributes through global group BerryWorld.

BBC Technologies offer solutions for any size operation growing or packing small, soft fruits. “We offer a very simple, cost-effective solution for a small farmer who is doing 20 tons of fruit processing per year right up to full solutions for the largest grower in the world – processing around 60 tons a day”, explains BBC Technologies CEO Geoff Furniss. His company has a modular design philosophy, which means that further BBC Technologies’ products can be added as growers require more automation and as they scale their operations.

BBC Technologies is not only focusing on sorting and grading machines, but the company provides much more. “It is complete solution where all machines work together, effectively communicating with each other. We are the global leader in complete turnkey solutions for sorting, optimizing, and packing small fruit. We design, develop, manufacture and install all of our own end-to-end turnkey lines, which include traceability and analytics software,”- highlights Geoff Furniss.

Sharing future plans Mr. Furniss comments that “Artificial intelligence area is really a key push for this year. We will be looking at how to make machines smarter using artificial intelligence, searching for abilities to identify defects more accurately with even higher speeds”.

BBC Technologies headquartered in New Zealand has 4 offices in USA and representatives worldwide. To find your nearest company’s office click here.

For further information about BBC Technologies, please see http://bbctechnologies.com/