New Zealand’s fruit growers have been plagued by pest contamination for a while now, and the sector desperately required a solution to this problem a few years ago so that it wouldn’t prohibit exports to major markets. Plant and Food Research NZ and the business sector worked together to develop a high-pressure fruit washer, which solved the problem.
CR Automation, based in New Zealand, produces the high-pressure washer. In 2012, they unveiled their first joint effort to the public. CR Automation has continued to develop the technology since then, and the company currently offers a variety of fruit-washing devices that cater to a wide range of cleaning requirements and fruit varieties.
“Once the cleaning effectiveness was proven, the CR Automation washing system very quickly became the market leader in New Zealand,” says Perry Field, CEO at CR Automation. “The fact that it was developed specifically to clean fruit to the specification needed for import into countries with strict biosecurity rules makes this product unique.”
Most of the area’s washers work in apple pack houses because of the booming apple business. High-pressure washing has also been used successfully on avocados, and work is currently underway on the next generation of washers optimized for avocados, set for availability in 2024.
The lack of seasonal workers and a need to boost efficiency have fueled a desire to enhance automation in New Zealand, despite the country’s challenging seasons. Due to New Zealand’s status as a major exporter, fruit quality and compliance with phytosanitary standards are of paramount importance; thus, tools that help growers satisfy these standards remain in high demand.
To meet export standards set by the New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries, the high-pressure washer may eliminate up to 98% of pests. With 200-micron filtration for water recycling, automated filter cleaning and trash disposal, and real-time monitoring of water pressure and flow, customers may learn when their jet nozzles are clogged or need replacing.
CR Automation works with customers to incorporate our washers into preexisting plants and provides comprehensive fruit-in-feed solutions. We also construct structures for other types of fruit, such as avocados, citrus, and stone fruits. Robotic bin dumps, infeed fuming, washers, drying beds, waxing lines, tray fillers, carton handling, robotic palettizing, and scanning are some of our other primary solutions. We also offer remote SCADA monitoring and material-moving mobile robots.
Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand is where CR Automation got its start back in 2002. Products are made in New Zealand and exported to Australia and the United States.
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