South African exporter Colors Fruit has announced that it has entered into a strategic alliance with international fruit sorting machinery specialist Greefa Europe, a partnership that will see Greefa's advanced technology implemented in Colors' flagship Novo packhouse.
The introduction of Greefa's technology is a first for the country, and will enable Colors to sort and pack fruit at 'unprecedented efficiency levels' at more than double the industry norm in South Africa, according to the two groups.
On completion, Novo will boast a 44 channel pre-sorter with an eight-lane iQSIII grader, complemented with up to five specialised packing lines for fruit including apples, pears, peaches, nectarines and plums.
'We are very happy to have come to the strategic partnership with Colors Fruit,' said Greefa's Dick Verkade. 'We have found each other in innovations and state-of-the-art technologies. Our mutual aim is to upgrade the South African fruit industry with the latest technologies.'
The first phase of the packhouse commenced during the first week of December 2009, with the facility due to have its first production line commissioned in early June 2010.
A full version of this story will appear in the February issue of Eurofruit Magazine
