France-based bean sprouts producer Heng Sieng has installed two Ishida multihead weighers – CCW-R-214-WS-50-WP in order to automate its packing operations.
According to Ishida, the new weighers deliver the necessary combination of gentle and hygienic handling with accurate weighing.
While seeking to automate the packing stage, Heng Sieng looked for a solution that could overcome the tendency of the sprouts to stick to contact surfaces, while avoiding damage to the product whose appeal lies primarily in its crunchy freshness.
Features of the Ishida CCW-R-214-WS-50-WP include stainless steel, hex-embossed contact parts which reduce sticking. The large (5L) double-opening hoppers ensure proper transfer of product from pool to weigh hopper and from weigh hopper to discharge chute, while protecting it from crushing or tearing.
With speeds of about 80 bags per minute for 500g bags and 35 bags per minute for 4kg bags, the weighers are mounted on gantries above vertical bagmakers, and fed by flighted elevators.
The weighers feature waterproof bodies and contact parts that lift off for cleaning, and comply with HACCP guidelines.
Heng Sieng imports mung bean seeds from Asia and germinates them to produce quality fresh bean sprouts. The company is a major supplier across Europe, with its own well-known Sojalor brand. The company produces 7,200 tons of sprouts per annum and has a turnover of €5m. It recently moved to a 9000m2 site at Dieuze, north east of Nancy.
