Automation and Efficiency: The Power of TotaalVERS and Numafa
TotaalVERS B.V., based in Spijkenisse, is a fresh food wholesaler and part of the Eetgemak Group. The company supplies a broad range of food and beverage products, including fruit and vegetables, bulk packaging, frozen products, and everyday groceries. In addition, TotaalVERS operates its own production departments where meals are prepared and vegetables are processed. Its customers include healthcare institutions, corporate catering facilities, schools, and hospitality businesses.
Every week, TotaalVERS processes more than 42,000 foldable crates returned by customers. These crates must be sorted and cleaned before re-entering the order-picking process. The existing crate washer was nearly twenty years old, and the return process was largely manual. TotaalVERS wanted a different approach: a single automated line in which returned foldable crates could be processed and washed within the same system.
‘Numafa has been a reliable partner for us for many years. In addition, we value working with regional partners.’ Vincent Hoogendoorn, Operations Manager at TotaalVERS
Choosing Numafa: A Trusted Regional Partner
For the new solution, TotaalVERS evaluated several suppliers. Ultimately, the long-standing and reliable relationship with Numafa proved decisive. The fact that Numafa is located in the same region also aligned perfectly with TotaalVERS’ preference for collaborating with local partners. Short communication lines and familiar contacts make all the difference when redesigning a complex process together.
One Integrated Line for Sorting, Washing, and Drying
In the previous setup, a significant amount of manual handling was required. Foldable crates had to be opened and closed manually, cleared of dirt and crate labels, and were only washed when heavily contaminated. Today, these tasks are performed within a fully automated processing line. The crate washer is integrated into the system alongside the sorting and handling of returned foldable crates for the order-picking process.
The washing and drying of the crates are fully incorporated into the line. The old washer did not include a drying unit, which meant that wet crates often entered the order-picking process. That is now a thing of the past. For TotaalVERS, the most valuable aspect of the solution is the combination of washing, drying, and the control of the crate washer by the foldable crate handling system. As a result, clean and dry crates are available for order picking in the shortest possible time.
Co-Designed and Impressively Innovative
Because the crate washer forms part of a broader process line that does much more than simply wash crates, close coordination was essential. Throughout the design phase, extensive collaboration ensured that the washing and drying process could be seamlessly integrated into the wider production line.
One feature that pleasantly surprised TotaalVERS is the heating method. The wash water is heated through steam injection from the company’s own steam boiler. This allows the machine to reach the required temperature of 55°C within just ten minutes, making it ready for operation quickly without lengthy warm-up times.
‘The wash water is heated through steam injection from our own steam boiler. As a result, the machine reaches operating temperature within ten minutes, which was a very pleasant surprise for us.’
Vincent Hoogendoorn, Operations Manager at TotaalVERS
The Next Step: Reducing Labor Costs and Increasing Throughput
With this investment, TotaalVERS aims primarily to reduce labor hours while maintaining a high processing capacity. By automating the handling of returned foldable crates and integrating the washing process into the same line, a previously labor-intensive process has become structurally more efficient.
By choosing a partner that fully understood the overall process and successfully integrated the washing and drying solution, despite the crate handling system being designed by another supplier, TotaalVERS was completely relieved of the complexity involved in implementing the project.
‘Numafa has been a reliable partner for many years. We would certainly recommend them.’
Vincent Hoogendoorn, Operations Manager at TotaalVERS
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