'Apples For Apples’ Innovation Leads To Nomination

'Apples For Apples’ Innovation Leads To Export Nomination

Clear Day6 August 2001

'APPLES FOR APPLES’ INNOVATION LEADS TO EXPORT NOMINATION

Auckland-based innovation hot-shot, Compac Sorting Equipment, has been nominated as a finalist in the prestigious American Chamber of Commerce/United Airlines innovation awards.

The company received its nomination for its successes in the US market and particularly in Washington State, where more than 20% of the state’s total apple crop is now graded by Compac Sorting Equipment (CSE) electronics and software.

This equates to production in excess of New Zealand’s total apple crop.

Compac Sorting Equipment was established in 1984 to supply fruit grading equipment to the domestic kiwifruit industry. Since then, it has grown to become a technology supplier to the fresh produce industry, exporting over 75% of its products as complete turnkey systems or specialist technology throughout Europe, USA, Australia and Africa.

The company has built its business on an integrated R&D programme and has received funding from Technology New Zealand to fast-track its research to create the products which form the basis for the company’s expanding product line internationally.

This has included a colour sorting system used in developing value added packs for niche markets.and also an external defect grader which helps increase consistency and decrease labour costs. The intensive R&D focus has also produced innovative camera and computer technology which gives immediate identification of defects and colour inconsistencies

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For more information:

James Flocchini, 09 634 0088, 021 314 172

Jan Sedgwick Carrara Communications Ltd - Public Relations / Communications P O Box 128-183 Remuera, Auckland, NZ Tel: 64 9 579 7270. Fax 64 9 579 7807 mobile: 021 80 4749 .

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