Kruiningen, Holland-headquartered Lamb Weston/Meijer, a high-volume manufacturer of deep-frozen potato products and dried potato flakes, is investing EUR 20 million at its flagship factory in Zeeland to build a new, state-of-the-art potato grading area.
Former production buildings are being replaced with a single potato reception and sorting area. The installation of a number of fully automated sorting lines will make the complex potato sorting process considerably simpler and more efficient after delivery in mid-2015. The system in Kruiningen will be reduced to a single flowing line, from arrival and sorting of the potatoes to processing in the plant.
This project is an example of the company’s continuous investment in the optimization of processes and activities, reported Chantal de Baaij, corporate communications specialist. She added that it is aimed at strengthening the company’s position in the international market for potato products, improving customer service and enhancing the quality of the working environment.
Lamb Weston/Meijer was established in 1994 as a joint venture between the Lamb Weston unit of ConAgra Foods in the USA and Meijer Frozen Food of the Netherlands. Operating five plants and employing more than 1,300 people in Europe, the company’s annual capacity is 650,000 tons of finished product.
