Sorting and packing-station

The sorting and packaging department fully complies with BRC, HACCP and GLOBALGAP requirements. The clean and dirty parts of the area are sectioned off from each other. Air conditioning keeps the temperature in the sorting and packing area between 8 and 12º C.

Greefa sorting machine
Almakúti has installed a 6-track Greefa sorting machine in the new sorting and packaging area. This machine transports fruit by means of water which reduces the chance of the product being damaged. The fruit is sorted by colour and size by a camera-operated computer system. The machine has 12 pick-up conveyor belts and 3 fully automatic double large crate fillers. In the loft area above, the company has installed a box-filling machine with a capacity of around 900 items (7 or 13 kg boxes) per hour. The maximum capacity of the sorting equipment is suitable for a weekly capacity of 250 tons. The Greefa 6-track machine has, depending on the type of packaging used, a capacity of between 4 and 7.5 tons per hour and this will be sufficient for the expected production.

Certification
Almakúti is fully accredited according to IFS and GLOBALGAP requirements. The GLOBALGAP certificate includes the BRC and HACCP requirements. The certification procedure is overseen by a competent certificating body that will also check compliance in the years ahead. For the new crop year we are again QS certified. This is the Qualität und Sicherheit certification, which is a very important standard for the German and Austrian market. We also meet a number of relevant customer and consumer-oriented certification systems.

Packaging
In 2003 Almakúti Kft. installed an automatic packing machine for packing 4 or 6 apples or pears on trays. There are also facilities for packing products in plastic carrier bags. This means Almakúti meets almost all packaging requirements of its Hungarian and international customers.

Sustainable building
Durable and environmentally friendly materials have been chosen for building the sorting and storage facilities. CFK-free insulation materials have been used on all walls, roofing and refrigeration panels. The colour coatings of paint have been pre-applied at the factory so that they do not give off any pollutant fumes into the environment. The insulated windows and doors are composed of durable materials. Waste water is drained away and an oil and fat filter has been placed in the washing and tank area. There is a special storage area equipped with emergency facilities for storing plant protection products. The cold storage units have been fitted with an energy saving program, while the coolant used is CFK-free (R404A). The entire building complex and water reservoirs have been provided with suitable planting in consultation with the management of the national park.