Industrial weighing and sorting machinery for food pack houses is a large capital investment that must be thoroughly researched and considered. Normally, pricing and costs are at the top of the list of things businesses want to know when they start looking for the right solution.
According to experts from Newtec (a manufacturer of weighing, sorting, and packaging machinery for the food industry, specializing in equipment for fruit and vegetable producers), although several machines are available off-the-shelf, finding the best solution for production requirements frequently necessitates customization. This makes it difficult for technology manufacturers to provide price estimates or quotes until they have all of the details. The level of customization required can also vary from time to time.
“In general, the higher the initial costs, the more complex and customized the solution. Furthermore, customers who require a complete turnkey solution rather than a single machine will make the largest investment; however, numerous other factors influence the price of the equipment,” the above-mentioned experts said.
There are some key details that a machinery manufacturer will need to define before they can offer a quote. These include what product the potential client is weighing and its size, whether a new packaging machine is required, the type of container the customer want to package into, and the desired capacity/speed in terms of portions per minute.
Once the manufacturer has that core information, they will be able to discuss options such as the number and placement of outlets, conveyor belts, and packaging machines, all of which will further affect price, as well as pieces of extra equipment that may be needed such as portion collection systems and platforms.
The Cost of Ownership is ‘The Big One’
According to Newtec Odense (UK) general manager, Dean Chilvers, the cost of ownership is ‘the big one’ because no matter how much a machine costs, if it costs the same as the purchase price every year to run it, then it is a false economy. In the same respect, Chilvers added that Newtec machines have a very low total cost of ownership (TCO).
The potato producers (fruit and vegetable producers in general) must be able to rely on the machinery in their pack houses for a constant output of saleable products. If their weighing, sorting, or packaging machinery breaks down frequently or cannot easily and quickly be fixed, not only will there be a sudden drop in output but they might also fail to meet orders, with fresh produce potentially going to waste. It is, therefore, crucial to choose a reliable machine and a manufacturer that will take care of it throughout its lifetime, with good servicing and speedy fixes when needed.
Moreover, not all downtime is unplanned. Routine cleaning and servicing are inevitable, but the less time it takes to do this the better. Newtec kept this in mind with the easy-access designs of its machines such as the Mini Weigher. In addition, the Mini Weigher’s low footprint, another consideration for TCO, makes it a cost-effective solution for a growing number of food producers.
Return on Investment
By estimating the solution’s total cost of ownership, a client can have a more complete idea of how much the investment will be into the weighing and sorting equipment. If the price seems high, it is often largely due to the high-quality materials used.
The next step is weighing up the costs of the equipment against how much money it can help save, and this is where a good, cost-effective solution shows its worth. Firstly, businesses converting their pack houses from manual labor to machine automation can expect a large reduction in labor costs.
For example, anyone investing in Newtec’s weighing machinery will benefit from the machines’ high accuracy levels. This precision keeps product giveaway at an absolute minimum, boosting profits. The company’s Multihead Weigher gives away less than 0.2% of the product, meaning that if a customer is packaging a 1kg bag of product it will weigh exactly 1kg. It also operates at high speeds of up to 90 packs per minute, with the same being said for many Newtec solutions. This efficiency guarantees high output for busy packhouses looking to get fresh products weighed, packaged, and out of the door quickly.
When it comes to Newtec’s optical sorting machines for potatoes, further cost savings can be achieved. The powerful Celox technology grades the product according to their size, shape, and quality standard, then directs the product into up to 16 different categories defined by the operator. With this, food producers can optimize the full value of their entire crop by splitting their products into the most profitable selections.
Newtec is a manufacturer of weighing, sorting, and packaging machinery for the food industry, specializing in equipment for fruit and vegetable producers. The company offers a range of machines for different types and sizes of products, all the way from small ready-to-eat fruit pots to 25kg bags of potatoes. With a variety of operating speeds, additional equipment, and the option for customization always available, price ranges vary.
A source: https://www.potatobusiness.com
