News on Processing Equipment from Europe

Aardappeldemodag 2026 brought over 4,500 visitors to Westmaas amid a challenging year for the Dutch potato sector. The event focused on market pressures, extreme growing conditions, knowledge sharing, machinery and innovation.

Ellips introduces the CleanFlow Pre-Sorter, using True-AI to remove stones, clods and defects before potato and onion storage or grading, handling up to 120 t/h while reducing equipment wear, storage losses and manual labour.

Haith and GRIMME will co-exhibit for the first time at PotatoEurope 2026 in Springe, Germany, presenting complementary solutions spanning potato planting, harvesting, post-harvest handling, washing, grading and packing.

Optimum Sorting's laser technology detects hidden defects, foreign materials, wet centers, soft rot and solanine in potatoes, fries and chips, delivering high-precision sorting with 0.3 mm resolution and up to 3,333 scans per second.

Ellips will present five True-AI grading solutions at Potato Europe 2026, September 9–10 in Springe, Germany, addressing labor shortages, quality demands and capacity challenges in potato and onion grading.

Agristo is investing €350 million (USD 405 million) in a new Hauts-de-France potato processing site, its second-largest facility. Located 120 km from Belgium, the project will create 300 jobs and strengthen its French market presence.

Flikweert Vision says its AI-powered QualityGrader helps potato and onion processors cut labour costs boost processing capacity by 10–20% reduce unnecessary rejects and improve batch insights with VisionCore for faster ROI.

Jensma Agro installed two Optica Q optical sorters to grade 30 t/h of seed potatoes with less labour. The system cuts manual inspection, improves efficiency, increases capacity and supports future growth, with minor software improvements planned.

Janine Luten, Director of the Dutch Potato Organisation (NAO), says innovation, knowledge sharing and collaboration are essential to keeping the Netherlands a global leader in potatoes while tackling labour, sustainability and regulatory challenges.

Mousline faced a difficult 2025 with lower sales, crop problems, and lost contracts. The French brand is investing €14 million (USD 16.2 million), expanding exports, innovating products, and launching plant-based spreads to drive recovery.

FAM STUMABO will showcase its latest potato processing innovations at Interpom 2026 in Kortrijk, Belgium, from 29 November to 1 December. Highlights include the new SureTec 240P, STUMABO hydrocutting heads and the Dorphy dicer.

DTS and MTS Foods combine process-engineering expertise with regional customer coordination across India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Elea Technology has appointed Vassilis Smoilis as Strategic Business Advisor to support the adoption of Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) technology and expand customer engagement across the food processing industry.

Elea will host PEF Advantage Day 2026 on September 9 in Quakenbrück, Germany, featuring AI-powered PiCon Tools for smarter PEF processing. The free event includes live demos, expert talks, networking, and product testing opportunities.

Flikweert Vision delivered six upgraded QualityGrader optical sorting machines for a modern onion sorting line. The enhanced platform features improved software, remote service, reliability and sorting performance for efficient grading.

Ukraine has begun building its largest potato processing plant in Cherkasy. The first phase, due by late 2026 or early 2027, will produce 25,000 tonnes of potato flour annually, replacing imports, with future expansion into French fries and exports.

European potato processors are prioritizing automation, resource use and flexible equipment as labour shortages, energy costs, climate risks and competition increase. Wyma highlights technologies help improve yields and resilience for future growth.

Belgian AI technology company Polysense has raised USD 10.7 million to expand its AI-powered quality control and process optimisation solutions, helping food manufacturers reduce waste, improve yield, and automate real-time production decisions.