BBC Technologies anticipates fruitful show — Exporter Magazine

Exhibiting at a leading United States trade show is expected to deliver returns for fresh produce sorting and packaging specialists BBC Technologies, which says the event has borne fruit for the company in the past.

BBC is the world’s leading supplier of blueberry sorting and packing machinery and has growing markets for its high quality equipment to sort and track cherries, grapes, small tomatoes, cranberries and other delicate products such as olives and mushrooms.

It will have an expanded presence at the 2014 Produce Marketing Association’s (PMA) Fresh Summit Convention & Expo in California, one of the largest trade shows held in the United States.

The company signed a significant deal at last year’s show, says International Sales and Marketing Manager Jason Walker, with a multi-commodity packing client in Florida.

“They liked the versatility of our ‘Fill by Weight’ (FBW) machine and bagger which can be used to pack multiple lines of produce,” he says.

The technology has advanced in the last 12 months and a new box filler means the equipment can now fill clamshells, cups, punnets, bags and boxes. In addition to its traditional market in the blueberry sector, BBC is supplying a growing number of cherry packers and re-packers, in Europe, Asia and the Americas.

With demand for BBC’s technology spiralling in the North American market, Walker is optimistic about this year’s PMA event, the third at which BBC has taken exhibition space.

“We’re working on several turnkey opportunities as well as numerous enquiries from companies wanting to use our sorting and filling equipment. PMA is highly regarded and provides a forum for us to meet potential and existing customers face to face and also understand where the wider market is going.”

Flexibility is central to BBC’s offering. The company has an established track record for working closely with customers and continually evolving and adapting its offering to suit their individual needs.

BBC is able to provide complete solutions that cater for fresh produce from the moment it enters the packing shed to when it leaves, ready for sale. A key enabler of its offering is BBC’s MIRA -360 machine which sorts for colour and identifies and removes defects including cracks and splits, soft rot, wrinkles and bruises and insect damage. The equipment can also sort in multiple streams by size giving customers the ability to comply with standard industry sizing bands.

BBC will have six staff on its stand at PMA including its newest Sales Manager, John Moran, who is focusing on Washington State and Oregon, areas of high demand for the Hamilton -based business.

BBC has had a fruitful year, cementing relationships in China, where it will open an office next year, securing new sales in Chile and signing a significant deal with highly regarded Washington State fruit producer Conrad & Adams.

Along with its FBW machine, BBC will be showcasing the latest iteration of a piece of its core technology—the 2014 Soft Sorter Dura Touch Compact which removes over 80 percent of soft or damaged fruit while ensuring all product is handled gently. In Chile, BBC has already sold more than 40 of the new machines, which are more compact, have high efficiency and are competitively priced.

In addition, BBC Technologies has an updated version of its Fresh Tracker traceability software available, which can track individual products from harvesting and processing through to packaging and point of sale.

BBC will be exhibiting alongside one of its partners, Automated Packaging Systems, developers of a novel FAS Spring Revolution bagging system which has been incorporated into BBC’s FBW machine.

While BBC continues to be an industry leader in packing and sorting blueberries, it is also increasingly sought after by the cherry industry with BBC expecting engagement with a range of cherry producers at PMA.

BBC CEO Geoff Furniss attributes the company’s current growth to a range of factors, including its commitment to superior service and reputation for reliability.

“In a highly competitive industry, offering certainty, which is the cornerstone of our business philosophy, is all important. Our investment over the years in research and development has delivered a suite of turnkey products that are high quality and reliable and we back that by letting our customers know that if they have an issue, all they have to do is pick up the phone to our support team.”

BBC Technologies will be on display at stand number 1064.To find out more about PMA, visit: http://www.pma.com/events/fresh-summit/2014