During the Empack 2017 in Mechelen, Belgium, the company Presa presented various packing and coding machines that can be applied in the fresh produce sector. One machine gaining popularity that’s used by a company in Overijse is the Solaris laser machine for potatoes, fruit and vegetables. Using a CO2 laser, the machine brands fresh products with a text or logo of your choice.
Sofie Vandereycken from Presa.
During the fair, Sofie Vandereycken presents the starter model eMark Eco of the laser-marking system at Presa’s stand. According to her, the technique is gradually emerging in Belgium. “In the Netherlands, but internationally as well, it’s already a bit bigger,” Sofie says. “Using a CO2 laser technique, the machines can brand the peel of fruit or vegetables with a logo or text. It’s not just possible for thicker peels, such as melon or avocado. The laser can also be applied to thinner variants, such as cucumbers. It’s very superficial. We always test if lasering a certain fruit or vegetable is possible in advance.”
Both potatoes, fruit and vegetables have been provided with a logo by a laser.
Stickers
One of the advantages of the laser system is that it makes stickers on fruit and vegetables redundant, according to Sofie. And, besides lasers, nothing else is needed. “Especially for round pieces of fruit and vegetables, putting stickers on them can be difficult,” she says. “Stickers can fall off in some cases with apples and melons. When companies use a laser, it’s permanent. No film or sticker has to be taken off the product afterwards. Lasers don’t use ink or glue either, making it a good organic alternative. Moreover, the lasered part can be eaten without any trouble. It doesn’t influence flavour, or the product’s shelf life.”
The melon has been branded by a laser.
Clingfilm
The Belgian company supplies coding, labelling and packing machines throughout Belgium and Luxembourg. Besides laser systems, the company also supplies clingfilm and flowpack machine to the fresh produce sector. “We have clingfilm and flowpack machines from small to very large versions,” Sofie continues. “Demand for organic film, for example, is increasing, although the quality upon shrinking the film doesn’t quite meet standards of the plastic version. The organic clingfilm isn’t always as strong. But for every project we look at the best possible way to set up the machine, so that as little film as possible is lost. After all, nobody wants to waste and contaminate unnecessarily.”
The avocado’s logo is completely organic because no other goods are used besides a laser.
For more information:
Presa NV
Brusselsesteenweg 558
3090 Overijse (Belgium)
T: +32 (0)2/657 02 22
F: +32 (0)2/657 18 69