After putting a unique box and bag unloader through its paces, one of the UK's largest suppliers of potatoes has reported a 33% increase in efficiency and a 50% reduction in forklift movements.
AKP Group has revealed the improvements after undertaking a two-month trial of Haith's new QuantaFill box filler at its Elsham site in North Lincolnshire.
Unveiled at Potato Expo in January, the QuantaFill features an innovative in-feed conveyor that gently layers the crop into a buffer bunker, which is then lowered into the box. Active discharge doors then open to transfer the crop into the box, simultaneously raising as it fills. The process ensures that the weight of the box is never lifted, and the machine is not put under pressure, which eliminates fatigue or prevents damage to both the machine and the box.
The additional box-handling functionality allows the operator to place stacks of empty boxes into the machine. The boxes are then automatically de-stacked and transported to the filling module. After being filled, the boxes are re-stacked for the operator to remove from the line.
Founded in 1999 by third-generation potato farmers, Richard Arundel and Bruce Kerr, AKP Group is one of the UK's largest potato supply chain specialists, handling 150,000 tonnes a year across the group. AKP is also one of the UK's largest growers of potatoes, with 750 hectares in its farming business.
AKP Group has a long-standing relationship with Haith. The company's operations director, Ben Mordue, has worked with both David and Chris Haith during his 30 years in the industry.
AKP's end-to-end service allows it to supply all sectors of the potato industry, spanning retail, food service and food manufacturing, both in the UK and overseas. Most recently, AKP Group has been using the QuantaFill to empty 1.2-ton jumbo bags of imported potatoes into one-ton boxes for retail packers at a rate of up to 60 tonnes per hour, though Ben believes the machine could run faster if required.
For more information: 
Haith
Cow House Lane - Armthorpe
Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN3 3EE
Tel.: +44 (0)1302 831911
Email: [email protected]