Tomra: ‘Emerging BRICS markets provide opportunities but very different challenges’

The company supplies optical sorting machinery to the food production and processing industries and customers include McCain Foods, PepsiCo (Frito Lay, Smiths Crisps), Heinz Foods, Nestle, Branstons and Del Monte.

Nimbus BSI; The Falcon & Modus

Its latest products are Nimbus BSI; a multisensory sorting machine, using multispectral imaging technology, laser and camera for detecting and rejecting foreign material, discolouration, misshapen and aflatoxins in IQF fruit, vegetable and nut markets.

The Falcon; a pre-sorter for the processed lettuce market which uses camera technology to detect and reject gross defects and foreign bodies and Modus; a high capacity size grader for the potato and vegetable market which can sort according to size, width, length and weight.

Maurice Moynihan, director, strategic marketing food, Tomra Sorting, told FoodProductionDaily, growth rates in existing applications and Western markets have slowed.

“The emerging BRICSmarkets provide new opportunities but also very different challenges. China has been the growth engine for many Western economies – how will recent events impact on this​,” he said.

“Emerging markets will become more important with the continuing expansion of the middle classes, driving demand for high quality food.​

“Consumption of fresh and locally grown food will increase as consumer awareness of healthy eating increases and businesses strive to reduce their carbon footprint and its effect on climate change​.”

He added the trend of increased automation will continue as will the focus on food safety and food security. Yield optimisation will drive investment decisions as will the changing requirements of consumers and retail chains.

Competitors coming from emerging markets

The sorting of internal defects and properties will become more important as will the exchange of data between sorters on production lines.

“We will see competitors coming from emerging markets as they look outside their local markets for opportunities​,” said Moynihan.

“To use a cliché – the one constant will be change, and organisations will need to be agile to respond to the changing customer and competition environment.”

Tomra Sorting has a range of products in the pipeline and is pushing ahead with its geographical expansion in particular emerging markets. It plans to recruit from the local area where its sites are to support local economies during its programme of expansion.

Its machinery and technology is used to drive up food safety via the automatic removal of foreign bodies and contaminants from production lines, quality and size grading of incoming product from the field and removal of defective product.

Food applications including potato, vegetables, fresh cut, fruit and nuts, seafood, seeds and grains.