News on Processing Equipment from the Americas

MTS Giesenberg has installed two Flikweert Vision DIVIDER Select optical sorters at its Arizona potato operation, using industrial cameras and AI to remove stones, clods, foreign objects and extreme defects.

Ellips added four Elisam potato grading installations across North America in 2026, using True-AI technology to grade potatoes by size, shape, color and defects while improving throughput and consistency.

Tolsma-Grisnich introduces Optica S, an optical sorter that removes stones, clods, soil and crop defects before storage. With capacities up to 80 tonnes per hour, it improves storage efficiency, reduces waste and boosts returns for growers.

Urschel and KRONEN will showcase integrated processing solutions at Pack Expo International 2026, including the Sprint 2 Dicer and HEWA 3800 PLUS, alongside cutting, washing, drying and produce processing equipment.

Urschel Laboratories appointed Tim Crammer as President, effective October 12, 2026. Formerly a senior executive at Henny Penny Corporation, Crammer will work alongside CEO Rick Urschel to strengthen leadership and support the company's future growth.

Flikweert Vision introduces its upgraded QualityGrader to North America at IFPA 2026, featuring AI-powered sorting, up to 30 tonnes per hour capacity, flexible configurations and improved quality inspection for potatoes and onions.

Eagle Eye Produce has completed a new red and yellow potato packing facility in Idaho Falls, adding automation and AI-powered optical grading to improve efficiency, quality and flexibility while supporting program growth.

Ellips will showcase four AI-powered potato and onion grading solutions at the Global Produce & Floral Show 2026 in Orlando, highlighting automation, labor savings, defect detection, higher throughput, CombiGrader and CleanFlow Pre-Sorter.

Deprez has partnered with Exeter Engineering to strengthen its presence in North America. The collaboration will focus on providing automated solutions to improve product flow, storage and handling for citrus processors and packers.

Urschel and KRONEN will showcase cutting and line-building solutions at The Global Produce and Floral Show 2026, including the Little Gem Aspire Dicer and GS 10-2 Slicer, alongside equipment for washing, drying and peeling.

Heat and Control will showcase potato processing, seasoning, packaging and thermal processing technologies at Pack Expo International 2026, including Cascade Water Recirculation, Symphony Seasoning and Tek-Dry solutions.

Polysense has opened its first US office in Chicago to serve food manufacturers across the US and Canada, expanding its AI-driven quality control and process optimization solutions for potato, bakery, and fruit and vegetable processing.

FAM STUMABO will showcase the Yuran Hytec 300 EC, SureTec 240 and Centris 400C at PACK EXPO International 2026 in Chicago, highlighting industrial cutting solutions for potato and food processors focused on efficiency, consistency and yield.

Urschel will showcase its Little Gem Aspire™ Dicer at Tecno Fidta 2026 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from September 15-18. The compact dicer is designed for continuous produce cutting and streamlined food processing operations.

Heat and Control founder Andy Caridis passed away on June 29, 2026, at age 105. His 76-year legacy includes innovations that shaped food processing, a commitment to research and development, and a focus on collaboration.

MoistTech will present the IR-3000 NIR moisture sensor at PACK EXPO International 2026. The system enables real-time moisture control, helping food and corrugated manufacturers improve quality, reduce waste, and save energy.

Agristo has officially broken ground on its new potato processing facility in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The project is expected to create 300–350 jobs, process 275,000 tons of potatoes annually, and begin production in fall 2029.

Idahoan Foods has improved conveyor reliability at its Idaho Falls potato processing facility by installing Intralox Series 10000 belting beneath its even-flow bins, eliminating belt slippage, reducing maintenance and helping prevent costly downtime.