Ishida versatility is a great partner for new onion business

06/08/2015

The versatility and capability of the Ishida CCW-RS-214 multihead weigher is being demonstrated at Netherlands-based Onion Specialties International BV, where two newly-installed models are packing crispy fried onions into packs varying from 200g bags to 12.5 kilo sacks, currently handling up to 80 tonnes every week.

Typical speeds for 200g and 500g bags are around 100 and 70 per minute respectively with accuracy to within 0.5g of target weight. The weighers are operating well within their capacity and are therefore able to support the business as it continues to grow and expand.

Onion Specialties is a relatively new player in the worldwide market of crispy fried onions but the management team behind it has extensive long-term experience, with Managing Director Bert Schot having worked in the industry for over 30 years. It is hardly surprising therefore that within one year of starting production, the company is already 50% ahead of target, achieving sales not only in the core markets of Europe and North America but also further afield in Brazil, Chile, Japan, China and Indonesia.

With his long-standing knowledge and experience of the equipment available for the production and packing line, Mr Schot set out to source the best in class when establishing the new factory. Having used Ishida weighers with his previous companies, “my perception is that they are just that little bit better than the competition,” he explains.

The weighers are currently operating a single shift, five days a week but have the capabilities to increase output as the business expands. One weigher is handling the smaller weights into bags while the other operates multiple dumps to fill the large-size bulk packs. In line with the growth ambitions of Onion Specialties, they are WP ‘waterproof’ versions which will be capable of handling frozen product in the future.

“The weighers have proved to be extremely consistent and reliable,” says Mr Schot. “They are very easy to operate with set-up and changeovers carried out at just the touch of a button.”

Onion Specialties mission, says Mr Schot, is not necessarily to become the biggest player in the market but recognised as a reliable, quality partner.

“We are looking for this same partnership commitment from our suppliers and this is where Ishida has always delivered in the past and is continuing to do so with my new venture,” he concludes.