Ashley Hunter, senior vice president and head of Tomra Sorting Food, who became head of the global sensor-based food sorting business in October 2013, said Tomra Sorting Solutions’ food business grew nicely during the first half of this year.
Reacting to the performance, he said: “Overall, I’m pleased, considering the many activities we have merged since the acquisitions of Odenberg and Best.”
Tomra acquired unique patented technology and leading positions in several fast-growing food sorting and processing industry segments when it bought Odenberg in 2011. It became one of the world’s leading food sorter suppliers and gained an expanded technology portfolio with the purchase of Best Sorting the following year.
Hunter said South America had been a good growth area for Tomra Sorting Food during the first half of 2013, while North American and European sales remained robust. Business in Asia continued to expand, as more staff and resources were located there.
Explaining the strong performance, Hunter said there were increasing signs of recovery from the global economic recession of recent years.
“End retailers are also demanding much higher and more consistent quality levels but, of course, our customers’ options to increase prices are limited," said Hunter. "Therefore, the cutting of our customers’ costs is a big driver of our business, while they’re also understandably more demanding over things like removing foreign materials, identifying invisible defects inside and outside foods, applying real-time control, delivering system reliability and maximizing product yield. It’s impossible to achieve all that manually, but the sensor-based systems we provide allow this.
“Another factor influencing the need for our products is the supply of labor--it’s not just the cost anymore, with availability becoming an increasing problem. Urbanization is reducing the number of people left to do manual sorting and control in areas where food is grown and processed.
“Also, businesses in emerging countries, as they move toward exporting, need the same levels of quality, safety and security as those in mature markets, so their desire to use the same type of processes and technology is driving our business there too.”
Hunter revealed that Tomra Sorting Food now supplies equipment sorting more than 150 applications and sold in over 80 countries. He said the business had invested heavily during the first half of the year at sites in nations including the U.S., Ireland, India, China and Belgium.
“I believe this global breadth and being part of a large, strong, financially stable group allows us to cope with the ups and downs of individual territories and applications in a more balanced way," he said. "We can also supply machines with different technologies and sophistication, with our ability to use technologies from our sister recycling and mining businesses allowing us to put together unique products very quickly.
“Our size and scope also helps us to service our many customers who are multi-national, whose number will increase as China and other emerging markets develop.
“In addition, we’re very sensitive to the need for local management, delivering local market knowledge and speedy action. I’ve no doubt that being locally based gives customers a lot more confidence that we’re the right partner for them, and that helps our success rate too.”
Hunter said this policy reflected Tomra Sorting Food’s relentless focus on the customer, which he remains determined to maintain and focus on for continuous improvement.
Turning to personnel, Hunter said the most significant appointments during the half-year had been those of Steven Van Geel, formerly market unit manager for tobacco, as sales director for China, and Sean Slevin as his counterpart covering other parts of Asia, particularly Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the Southeast and India.
Hunter said, “We’d previously treated China as part of the wider Asian continent, but it requires a more focused approach. We’re very optimistic that having Steven based there will help grow the Chinese market faster for us.”
He said new products launched in the first half of the year included the Blizzard, representing TomraSorting Food’s entry into the individually quick frozen vegetable market, the new BSI (Biometric Signature Identification) technology and the Eco steam peeler, all of which have been positively received.