Kiremko's global potato industry solutions

Kiremko's global potato industry solutions
March 25, 2012

Food Processing Equipment manufacturer Kiremko has been rather busy in 2011, continuing the growth and success the company enjoyed in recent years.

Below, Kiremko presents you a range of their 2011 projects that have a special story behind it.

These projects illustrate not only the range of (potato) processing lines Kiremko offers, but also the geographic spread of the companies activities.

All Kiremko's potato processing solutions are designed and manufactured in-house. In many cases, Kiremko's strategic partnerships with specialized equipment suppliers also proved to be an excellent addition to its capabilities.

Kiremko has been present in China for over 15 years and during this time has been actively promoting the opportunities for French fries processing. As it happens, French fries is probably one of the few products that the People’s Republic of China needs to import!

Therefore, it was extremely rewarding to have signed the contract for the first fully Chinese owned French fries endeavour.

Appreciating that Kiremko was the only real option for supplying a complete project that can truly be described as turnkey. In December 2010 Kiremko and TaiMei Potato signed a contract of significant value for the supply of a 10 t/hr French fries line with a 1 t/hr potato flakes line, including a 100.000 metric ton potato storage, receiving and grading system supplied by our partner Tolsma and at the end of the line Kiremko was also required to deliver an automatic packaging and case-packing solution.

The flakes line is set-up to process partly rejects coming from the French fries process but can also run stand-alone. It includes the new Idaho Steel super drum dryer, which is the largest drum dryer currently available in the market. Please see the paragraph on the Gem State project.


Gedas Genel Gida - Turkey
 

(Click to enlarge) Kiremko French Fry line at Gedas Genel Gida - Turkey

Kiremko French Fry line at Gedas Genel Gida - Turkey

When first contact was made in spring 2008, Turkish potato processor Gedas was already making French fries on a process line imported from a variety of different suppliers. The maximum line capacity back then was around 2 t/hr and the original requirement was to upgrade this line gradually to industry standards. However, after close consultations with the Kiremko project team, it became clear that a gradual upgrade to a state-of-the-art 5 t/hr french fry line was a much better idea. Especially given the required capital investment and considering the quickly growing market demand for French fries in Turkey.

In October 2008 Kiremko delivered the first project with a new receiving, washing and peeling line, including a STRATA® steam peeler. In 2009 this was followed by the hydro-cutter, a grading and blanching section and in 2010 with a dipping system and a dryer. In spring 2011 the project was concluded with a new frying system and cooling/freezing tunnel.


Agro North - Poland

This project is another good example of the effectiveness of Kiremko’s close and longstanding relationship with partner company Tolsma. The customer is based in an important growing area of root vegetables in northern Poland, not by chance located in the same village as the Aviko/Farm Frites potato processing plant.

Appreciating the opportunity to add value to his potatoes and carrots, Mr Lewinski was looking for the right end product and suppliers who could offer a complete solution.

As it happens, Tolsma was already working with Agro North on a ultramodern storage, washing and grading facility. After ample discussions, Kiremko was asked to design and deliver a flexible processing and packaging line for pasteurized root vegetables, both whole peeled (profiled), as well as an option of diced, sliced, halved or quartered product.

Optical sorting has been included both for whole peeled product with the new TriPlus® free-fall sorter and the well-known Visionair® for cut products. The line has a nominal capacity of 2.5 t/hr output of packed product, Kiremko having supplied the complete weighing and thermoforming unit, as well as the autoclave/cooler with automatic feeding system, in cooperation with Spanish specialist Ferlo.


Torekovs Lilla Chipsfabrik - Sweden
 

(Click to enlarge) Batch potato chips production at Torekovs Lilla Chipsfabrik - Sweden

Batch potato chips production at Torekovs Lilla Chipsfabrik - Sweden

As reported in a previous edition of the Kiremko News, we have successfully introduced a revolutionary new design of a batch fryer for ‘home-made’ potato chips, following a growing popularity for this kind of product among consumers in Western Europe.

Torekovs Lilla Chipsfabrik is based in Scania, southern Sweden and right in the middle of a potato growing area. In fact, the company is a recent start-up and owned by a farmer’s cooperative and local investors. Apart from the complete set for slicing and frying, including the controls, Kiremko also supplied its latest version of flavouring drum with volumetric dosing unit. The fryer is designed for an output of 100 kg/hr.

The complete line was commissioned in August 2011 working closely together with EMVE, a Sweden based supplier of potato processing equipment.


Fresh Del Monte - Saudi Arabia

The market in the Middle East for frozen French fries is growing fast. Besides increased imports, this also triggers local food processors such as Del Monte, a subsidiary of the well-known American fruit company.

With poultry and other meat products and now frozen potatoes, the company clearly intends to expand its product offerings developing the emerging markets of the Middle East.

In March 2011 Kiremko was awarded a contract to supply a complete process line for 1 t/hr French fries. The line is currently being commissioned and will be in full operation beginning of 2012.


Gem State Processing - USA

Kiremko is proud to report its involvement to build what probably is to be the largest flake processing plant in the world. Given certain market developments in North America, there was a need for extra potato dehydration capacity and consequently a new company called Gem State Processing Co. was formed to this end.

The company is located in Burley, Idaho and forms part of the same group that owns potato flake plants in Oregon and Washington. Our partner Idaho Steel was awarded the entire project for the process line and completed the first phase in 2010. They are currently very busy installing the second and final phase, which will see the output capacity doubled with a total of 6 super drum dryers, each 7.3 m long and 2.2 m diameter.

Idaho Steel has taken the opportunity to not only respond to customer demands for larger capacity drum dryers, but also upgrade the design of several components. Of course, the drums remain their unique feature of full stainless steel execution, including the stainless steel coating of the drum surface. End-of-line inspection and packaging are fully automated, including three Visionair® optical sorters, supplied by Kiremko.
 

(Click to enlarge) One of what will eventually be 6 super drum dryers at Gem State

One of what will eventually be 6 super drum dryers at Gem State

(Click to enlarge) Transport of one of the super drum dryers to Gem State (Burley, ID)

Transport of one of the super drum dryers to Gem State (Burley, ID)

Visit Kiremko at Anuga Foodtec

Kiremko will be present at the Anuga FoodTec together with Idaho Steel, Concept Engineers and Tolsma. You can visit them in Hall 10.1 G40.