Patatas Meléndez, a Spanish company from Valladolid with a turnover of 110 million Euro in 2022, has just written a new page in the history of the fresh potato sector with the inauguration of its new automated factory, in which it has invested more than 36 million Euro, and whose advances are focused on "maximizing the quality of potatoes and boosting the company's efficiency and sustainability."
D. Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, president of the Government of Castile-Leon, and Javier Meléndez, CEO of Patatas Meléndez.
The event was presided over by Mr. Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, President of the Regional Government of Castile-Leon, and took place at the production plant's facilities. The company also invited Marc Vidal, an expert speaker on digital transformation, as a special partner of the event.
This institutional opening ceremony was also attended by representatives of the Hungarian Embassy in Spain; Ms. Virginia Barcones, Government Delegate; Mr. Jesús Julio Carnero, Councilor of the Presidency of the Government of Castile-Leon; Mr. Gerardo Dueñas Merino, Councilor of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development; Mr. Guzmán Gómez Alonso, Mayor of Medina del Campo; and Mr. Conrado Íscar Ordóñez, President of the Provincial Government of Valladolid.
"Today is a special day for me. The inauguration of this factory with Industry 4.0 technology is a turning point for Patatas Meléndez. I decided to carry out this project only because I have every trust in the prosperity of the potato sector and in the potential provided by Castile-Leon; specifically, Medina del Campo, the area where the company was born and which I want to continue to support. This factory stands for the future, for technology and for innovation, but also for the protection of the area's production, aiming to ensure generational succession," said Javier Meléndez, CEO of Patatas Meléndez, at the inauguration.
Javier Meléndez, CEO de Patatas Meléndez.
"It is worth noting that the purpose of these new facilities, designed to allow us to quickly meet the needs of our customers, is to treat the potatoes as if they were a fruit and protect them, at all times, from mechanical damage," said Javier Meléndez.
Among the factory's most significant innovations, it is worth mentioning the introduction of optical sorters, which sort the potatoes by size, shape and quality in a single process; the use of anthropomorphic robots, which help improve the packing capacity; the implementation of an intelligent warehouse with capacity for about one thousand 800 kilo boxes (which represents an increase of more than 700% compared to the previous capacity); as well as greater energy efficiency and optimization of the water cycle.
For his part, Alfonso Fernández Mañueco, president of the Regional Government of Castile-Leon, mentioned all the benefits that this leading European plant will bring to the autonomous region. According to the president, "Patatas Meléndez is a company that stands out for its turnover and for its expansion to other countries, such as France and Portugal, but, above all, for working in a different way with the producers and for having implemented an Agrarian Plan, which provides them with stability. Hosting Europe's most modern factory in our region is a reason for pride. This is a strategic sector, and thanks to factories like this one, the agro-food industry of Castile-Leon is one of the most important in the country."
Lastly, Virginia Barcones, Government Delegate said that "in addition to its important contribution to the economy of Castile-Leon, the factory will also help in the fight against depopulation. Our agriculture is a living, deep-rooted sector. The greatest challenge for the agro-food sector is to achieve social, environmental and economic sustainability, and companies like this one show us that all these elements can be integrated."
For more information:
Patatas Meléndez
Tel.: +34 983 812 920
[email protected]
https://patatasmelendez.com