Crate expectations: Scottish veg
processor adopts fresh thinking
for sprout packing
Forward-looking vegetable processor production methods in order to stay than any other company in Europe – as
Drysdales has become the first UK at the top of our game and deliver the well as being the largest peeler and
produce company to automate its sprout best quality produce and service to our the first company to operate a semi-
crate loading operation, future-proofing customers. We haven’t yet placed an order automated peeling line.
against potential labour shortages that for a second robotic crate packer but if and could arise from Brexit. The Scottish when we do, it will be with Brillopak,” says Continuing this spirit of innovation, at the
company’s investment in Brillopak’s Drysdales’ Farming & Facilities Director, start of 2019, Drysdales embarked on
award-winning UniPAKer robotic cell has Ian McLachlan. a project to install a new fully automat
sprout packing line. The line would
already yielded a return on investment
thanks to its ability to consistently load Located in the Scottish Borders, Drysdales comprise a vertical bagging machine,
bags of sprouts into crates at speeds has developed from its origins as a metal detector, checkweigher and
in excess of 75 packs per minute with farm-based enterprise to a nationwide crate packing system, all located on a
minimal manual intervention. processor of added-value, locally grown mezzanine floor.
vegetables. The company grows 50,000
“No-one else is using a machine like this to tonnes of fresh vegetables – mainly This was to be the first time Drysdales
pack sprouts into crates; this investment swedes, sprouts and leeks – a year for had automated crate packing on its sprout
fits with our business philosophy of British supermarkets. It supplies sprouts processing lines, a decision driven largely
harnessing innovation in farming and year round, growing 900 acres – more by concerns about future labour supply.
22 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk