A farmer raises the idea of a machine capable of cutting broccoli once harvested and before delivering it to his final customer in the frozen market. By this, he intended, on the one hand, to provide his client with the product he needed, getting more profit out of his work and, on the other hand, to optimize the process by reducing the transport of the unwanted product (stem). After several conversations about it, we envisioned ideas that could be undertaken to achieve the objective and we proposed a solution and a related budget.
The farmer aroused the interest of his client, a freezer company of the area. Being a project with a relevant cost for the farmer and a real interest in the sector, the freezer offers to buy the prototype as long as it meets some additional requirements. In several technical meetings, we finished defining the new requirements. All of them were aimed at increasing the cutting efficiency of the process regardless of the product size and morphology. It was a real challenge, which we solved with a combination of servo-motorization and ultrasound technologies combined with traditional mechatronics at that time. We reached an agreement and started the development.
Some months later, we had built the first prototype that was successfully tested by our client. We applied an improvement plan to the first prototype and were asked for a second prototype. After the start-up, the same client confirmed the purchase of 3 more machines with which he covered all the production needs of the moment.
The 5 machines are still in operation 18 years later, confirming the suitability and robustness of the design. The benefits for the agents involved in the project are undeniable. Our client became leader of the frozen broccoli market in Spain in two years and a few years later one of the most important operators of this product at a global level. Nowadays, he already has 9 of our machines, including the latest generation.
On our side, after patenting the application, we began its global marketing obtaining a good reception that has led us to be present in 30 countries around the world and to be recognized as one of the experts in broccoli processing worldwide. The engine given by our broccoli cutting machines, together with our innate vocation for innovation and improvement, have led us to develop a whole range of machinery to complement and optimize the entire broccoli production process, from its storage, handling, transport, cutting, floretting, sorting, washing, etc. to the point of developing and manufacturing complete factories for processing.
This specialization led us to other niches that also work with broccoli, being present in addition to the frozen sector, in the primary and in the fresh cut sector.
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Ait manufactures high-quality machinery for the food industry, drawing on our ample experience, innovative spirit and customer service philosophy.
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