Sentinel II's High-resolution Optical Sensors Reinforced an Old Customer’s Trust

Ortofrutticola Parma's farm - Parma Agricoltura - which executes initiatives targeted at boosting the quality of its output, makes significant investments in agricultural innovation.

To satisfy the needs of a customer that is becoming more demanding, Ortofrutticola Parma also makes investments in cutting-edge technology and storage methods. The business is devoted to production, processing, and conservation which is both environmentally and economically sustainable.

Since 2008, the Italian company has processed around 180,000 tons of the firm's signature product annually using a Tomra sorting system on its potato selection line. The firm once again turned to Tomra Food when the time came to select a piece of replacement equipment that would continue to satisfy the requirement for exceptional tuber output. A new Sentinel II was the solution, which the business placed into operation at the start of May. This is situated on the line following the washer.

“We needed a machine with a greater working capacity for our potatoes, so it seemed natural to turn again to Tomra Food for their leading optical sorting technology,” Ivan Parma, sales manager of the family company, declared, cited by Marijke Bellemans, Marketing Communications Manager at Tomra Food.

On the other hand, Gianluca Coloretti, area manager of Tomra Food Italy, mentioned that the sorting machine installed 12 years ago had gained the customer's trust by offering quality, food safety, and reduced production costs.

“Therefore the company’s request for the new model did not surprise us. We are very pleased that Ortofrutticola Parma’s confidence in the brand is renewed,” Coloretti added.

The Sentinel II's high-resolution optical sensors and straightforward user interface enable the business to program the sorter to find and discard a variety of flaws. The machine has three outputs: first-quality product, second-quality product, and rubbish; waste is kept to a minimum owing to accurate selection. Around 200 tons of product per hour are easily handled by the equipment.

“The product batches delivered by this machine have very homogeneous characteristics, which optimizes the subsequent stages of the process to meet the specific requirements of the end customer,” Gianluca Coloretti also mentioned.

Just two months after installation, the Sentinel II has already revolutionized Ortofrutticola Parma’s machining processes.

“Operators find the model easy to use and its high accuracy in selection has improved sorting efficiency. This has made it possible for us to free staff from the sorting area to work in other areas, increasing production. TOMRA’s technology helps us improve productivity, optimize costs and add quality guarantees for the customer, which are essential for us,” Ivan Parma explained.

The production, storage, packing, and selling of potatoes, carrots, and onions—of which 95% are for large-scale distribution—are the sole focus of Ortofrutticola Parma, a significant player in the fruit and vegetable industry. The Parma family owns the business, which was established in 1950 by Sostegno Parma in Castel San Pietro and is now run by his son Mauro and nephews Ivan and Monia. Sostegno Parma was one of the founding members of the Consorzio Patata Italiana di Qualità, owner of the “Selenella” trademark.