Packing fresh potatoes: The top five considerations
Packing potatoes is big business, and choosing the correct end of line packaging machine for a new or upgraded potato line is vital.
Around 5.51 million tonnes of potatoes are harvested every year in the UK, and we work with many of the leading potato packers in the UK and Ireland, supplying vertical form, fill and seal packaging machines for both line upgrades and new lines.
If you’re about to embark on a new capital project to improve an existing line or introduce a new line to your potato packing operation, we think there are five key things to consider:
- Feed System: For any packaging machine and, in fact, production line to work effectively, you need a consistent feed of the bulk product. Knowing how effectively the potatoes will be presented to the vertical form fill and seal packaging machine will determine whether a continuous motion or intermittent machine is best suited.
- Product Handling: No one wants to find damaged or bruised potatoes in their pack when they get home, so it is crucial for the packaging machine to handle the produce gently at speed. Lines can run at speeds approaching 90 packs per minute. The weight of the pack also informs our next consideration.
- Forming Set & Tooling Design: Potato pack weights can range from 250g to 7.5kg. Knowing if the machine will be packing baby potatoes or large bakers, or a mixture of varieties will allow us to supply the correct machine, forming set and tooling design.
- Packaging Materials: The type of packaging, whether it be paper or 20µm mono plastic film, will also influence the type of packaging machine required.
- Machine Flexibility: We design our machines to be very easy to service, maintain, and operate. Downtime is critical, and factories and packhouses with large volumes demand the quickest changeovers if moving from one variety of potato to another, or changing the finished pack weight. We have over 35 years of experience to draw upon, which is evident in how our vertical form fill and seal machines are designed, manufactured and supported.
At GIC, we work closely with our customers to ensure they have the most cost-effective and efficient vertical form fill and seal packaging machine for their potatoes. If you’d like to know more about how we work and who we work with, please don’t hesitate to get in touch – call us on 01427 611 885, email info@gic.uk.net or fill in our contact form
