Once again, FarSoft’s generic module for pre-sorters has helped another packhouse to take the schlepp out of capturing bin data, improving process control and ensuring batch integrity.

Villiersdorp-based packer-exporter Betko Fresh Produce installed the Greefa sorter three years ago, but was confronted with severe data capturing challenges. This time-intensive and repetitive process resulted in many capturing errors. Jeanne-Mari Burger, Betko’s quality assurance manager, said this was probably the biggest driver to switch to the ViTrax pre-sorter module. “It’s not only the errors which were frustrating, but the time it took to fix these errors was simply unsustainable!”

After seamlessly integrating the ViTrax pre-sorter module with the Greefa machine, FarSoft gave Betko staff mobile devices. This meant that instead of manually capturing 15 fields for the roughly 500 bins a day, users now scan the bin barcode, ViTrax sends the bin number to the Greefa machine, which then in turn generates the fields instantly. All in all, it’s now a matter of 10 seconds per bin – compared to the former one minute or more per bin.

Jeanne-Mari confirmed that this ViTrax module also had brought about other efficiencies. “Downtime is virtually non-existent. What’s more, the speed of our processes has sky-rocketed and importantly, human error has been dealt the death knell. So not only do we have accurate information, but also more frequent information.”

She thanked FarSoft for developing this technology in the first instance. “And a big shout-out to them for always being so adaptable and accommodating.”

CAPTION: FarSoft’s Mariska Cubitt and Darrell Cloete flank Betko’s Jeanne-Mari Burger.