Nice-looking potatoes sell themselves. But how do you manage that? Tolsma-Grisnich knows all about that. This Dutch company has for many years specialized in potato, onion, and carrot storage and processing solutions. "Smart sorting makes all the difference to the bottom line," says Sales & Export Manager Bram Jansen.
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"We have several in-house options for potato and onion sorting." For decades, Tolsma-Grisnich has offered reliable shaker sorters, like the MV 09 and MV 13, perfect for seed potatoes and onions. For ware and French fry potatoes, there is the MV 18. Those wanting greater precision will quickly turn to optical sorting machines. "Nice round potatoes always sort well by square size. That's harder with long potatoes. They don't fall straight through a shaker sorter's sieve," Bram says.
Tolsma-Grisnich's Optica CS has been on the market for more than a decade. This machine accurately sorts all kinds of potatoes by size; it even separates clods. "You get more seed potatoes out of your gross batch, which affects your profitability. Growers who sort accurately and manage to get more expensive-sized tubers earn better money." The machine can sort up to seven different sizes of seed potatoes, with nine outputs, including for clods and animal feed.
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The Optica Q: Compact, smart, and versatile
The series' latest addition is the Optica Q: a compact, optical sorter that grades by quality. "This machine is intended to supplement a shaker sorter or our Optica CS," says Jansen. You can use it for both seed potatoes and ware potatoes, and it has three outputs: one for good potatoes, one for clods, stones, and rotten specimens, and one for lower-quality or animal feed potatoes. It recognizes defects such as scab, rhizoctonia, wireworm, and other damage, and abnormal shapes. "It also proves its worth with stored potatoes."
Less staff, more tonnage/hour
The Optica Q has another advantage: it saves on personnel. "You used to need four people at the sorting table; now one is enough for the final check. And you process more tons per hour: up to 18 for seed potatoes and often more than 20 for consumption potatoes," Bram explains. Plus, the machine takes up little space: it is only 4.3 m long.
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People other than potato growers can use this sorter, too. "It also has an onion program. You simply select a different AI model for yellow or red onions, or shallots." The machine is, thus, an all-rounder, suitable for companies that process several products. Interest is high: "In two years, we've already delivered 150 in the Netherlands and abroad. We're increasingly focusing on exports and have branches in several countries, where our people provide local support," Bram concludes.
For more information:
Tolsma-Grisnich
Tel: +31 (0)527 63 64 65
[email protected]
www.tolsmagrisnich.com