Jan 2, 2024Equipment handling manufacturer to display innovations at Potato Expo
Potato handling equipment manufacturer Haith will showcase three new innovations at Potato Expo 2024 Jan. 10-11 at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas.
The U.K.-based company will display its new potato dryer, the ProDry, along with the latest version of its Rota-Tip box tippler and the QuantaFill box filler.
The ProDry uses a fan and belt system to speed up the drying time of potatoes. As well as being quicker than conventional sponge dryers, Haith’s new system eliminates bacteria buildup, according to a news release from Haith. Wet potatoes are conveyed through a drying tunnel where a combination of fans dry the whole surface area of each tuber.
Haith’s Rota-Tip box tippler has been enhanced by introducing an in-feed and out-feed box stacking and de-stacking functionality, which speeds up the box emptying process and reduces forklift movements. As the tippler is rotated around a center pivot, the weight of the box is never lifted and the machine is not put under pressure, which eliminates fatigue and prevents damage to both the machine and the box, according to the company. The absence of hydraulics also removes the chance of oil contamination, and high-efficiency motors which only run during the tipping sequence use less power.
Hydraulics are also absent from Haith’s third new product, the QuantaFill box filler. An in-feed conveyor layers product into a buffer bunker, which is then lowered into the box. Active discharge doors open to transfer potatoes into the box, simultaneously raising as it fills. As with the box tippler, the weight of the box is not lifted and the machine is not put under pressure, according to the release.
Operators can place stacks of empty boxes into the machine, which are then automatically de-stacked and transported to the filling module. After being filled, the boxes are re-stacked for removal from the line.
“Potato Expo is the largest trade show for the American potato industry, and as such, it is one of the most important events of the year for us,” Rob Highfield, Haith sales manager, said in the release. “We always enjoy visiting Potato Expo as it gives us a great opportunity to meet up with existing customers and meet new ones.”
