FDBusiness.com

TOMRA Sorting in Irleand has created a new centre of excellence for its food optical sorting and peeling business, and is set to improve its R&D capabilities after moving to a new facility in Citywest, Dublin. The official opening took place on the 25th September with Damien English, the Minister of State for Skills, Research & Innovation, performing the ribbon cutting ceremony along with Dr Volker Rehrmann, Executive Vice-President and head of TOMRA Sorting and Maurice Moynihan, local Managing Director and Market Director of TOMRA Sorting Food.

TOMRA Sorting Food was formed following the acquisition of Irish company ODENBERG in 2010 and the Belgian company BEST Sorting in June 2012, by TOMRA Systems, a Norwegian publicly listed company. The acquisitions united two cutting edge, high technology market leading providers of sensor-based sorting and processing systems for the fresh and processed food industries. TOMRA Sorting Food is now the largest and most technologically advanced company operating in their sector with over 150 applications including potatoes, vegetables, fruit, dried fruit, seafood, nuts and seeds.

The company has been developing cutting edge technologies, optimizing production flows and helping to deliver consistent, high quality, safe food products for more than 40 years. The Dublin office is responsible for the development of whole product sorting (potatoes, peaches, carrot, onions, etc.) and peeling equipment that increases yield, productivity and enhances food safety for the global food industry. This is a highly competitive market space where innovation and long term partnerships are critical for success.

The investment in the new 3,500 square meter facility stands at approximately Eur2.1 million and includes office, workshop and demonstration space as well as a peeling process development lab, an advanced optics lab and a sorting test facility. “The investment in our new premises allows us to capitalise on the significant investment made by TOMRA in R&D whilst also proving much improved work areas for our people. The new work space promotes the highest levels of collaboration and creativity where the flow of ideas can happen naturally in a bright and comfortable environment supporting greater innovation and efficiency” says Maurice Moynihan.

Innovation is at the very heart of the business in TOMRA Sorting in Dublin and has been since the founding of the international company in Ireland in 1968. Since introducing the concept of steam peeling into the American Market in the mid-seventies, they have continuously innovated to now being the technology and market leader in steam peeling technology worldwide. Today TOMRA’s equipment steam peels over 75% of the world’s French fries and they supply sorting and peeling equipment to 6 of the top 10 food companies in the world.

TOMRA’s investment in leading, innovative technology continues notably with the launch of the Blizzard free-fall sorter for frozen vegetables, the Sentinel II sorter for root crops and the Eco-Steam Peeler in 2014. Dr Volker Rehrmann says: “Our investment in the new facility will enable the Dublin team to concentrate on developing innovative solutions for the global food industry and continue to set TOMRA aside as the market leader in sensor based sorting solutions. TOMRA is also committed to providing a truly great place to work for all our 2,400 employees worldwide.”

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Pictured (left to right): Dermot Clohessy IDA; Maurice Moynihan, TOMRA; Minster Damien English and Ashley Hunter, TOMRA.