Greenyard Frozen Belgium in Westrozebeke, a leader in frozen fruits and vegetables, packages millions of products annually for both domestic and international markets.
Confronted with challenges relating to product overfilling and waste on their high-speed packaging lines, Greenyard partnered with Mettler-Toledo to implement intelligent dynamic checkweighers equipped with feedback control.
This innovation has significantly improved packaging accuracy, reduced product waste, and enhanced operational efficiency.
Challenge
Tackling Overfilling and Product Waste
Greenyard’s packaging process involves bulk vegetables passing through metal detectors to inspect for metal contamination, followed by checkweighers that verify package weight before boxing.
Overfilling had become unmanageable, with the company adding an extra 40 grams per one-kilogram bag as a safety margin to avoid underfilling. However, this margin quickly accumulated to tons of wasted food annually. Manual adjustments proved inefficient and failed to maintain close adherence to target weights, prompting the need for a more precise, automated solution.
Solution
Every Gram Counts
The smart fill level adjustment feature on the C33 PlusLine checkweigher from Mettler-Toledo was piloted the previous year with promising results. The checkweighing system continuously monitors the average package weight and automatically adjusts the multi-head weigher’s fill margin from 40 grams to 10 grams per one-kilogram bag.
Following the successful pilot, Greenyard replaced four older checkweighers to integrate the smart fill level adjustment feature across multiple lines. By the following year, all six small packaging lines were equipped with this technology, supported by on-site assistance and operator training from Mettler-Toledo.
Automatic Adjustment of Filling Weight
This intelligent checkweighing system goes beyond measuring weight; it constantly monitors average package weights, and adapts to make real-time adjustments. This trims excess weight without risking underfill, maintaining weight closer to the desired target.
Dominiek Vierstraete, Technical Manager within Greenyard’s packaging department, shares: “We have used checkweighers and metal detection systems from Mettler-Toledo for many years. We initially tested the smart level fill adjustment feature on one of our newer checkweighers. The results were so convincing that we decided to replace four older devices and integrate this function across all packaging lines.”
Easy Deployment
Initial setup required manual input of target weight margins tailored to different product types, such as loose peas versus cauliflower pieces. Some coordination and testing were necessary to accommodate products with varying shapes and weights, and a visual interface allowed operators to monitor average weight trends in real time. Mettler-Toledo provided on-site support during start-up and initial configuration, as well as operator training to ensure smooth deployment.
Outcome
Concrete Savings
The savings have been clear. On one of the lines, the overweight decreased from 0.69% to 0.14%. Vierstraete explains: “That may not seem like much but calculated annually over large volumes, it represents significant quantities of product no longer packaged unnecessarily. This benefits both cost and waste reduction.”
Key Results
- Overweight percentages significantly reduced from 0.69% to 0.14% on one line, and from 0.30% to 0.11% on another
- Estimated product savings of approximately 1.8 kilograms per minute at 60 packages per minute
- Considerable cost savings and waste reduction realised annually
- Improved process efficiency with less manual intervention
“We can control the excess weight much better and stay closer to the desired filling weight. This saves product, prevents waste, and contributes to a more efficient process. Ultimately, it is an investment that pays for itself quickly.’’
Dominiek Vierstraete, Technical Manager Greenyard Frozen Belgium
Benefits of Working with Mettler-Toledo
Mari Bögels, Account Manager at Mettler-Toledo Product Inspection, highlights how manufacturers can quickly achieve significant returns when adopting smart product inspection solutions: “Margins are under pressure and every gram counts—companies can save substantially with smart technology. On average, the investment is recouped within a few months, depending on the product and the line.”
Key benefits observed by Greenyard since implementing the smart fill level adjustment feature include:
- Rapid return on investment, often within one to a few months
- Reduced raw material costs through optimised packaging weights
- Enhanced sustainability by minimising product waste
- Scalable technology with potential application across other Greenyard locations and product lines
“Margins are under pressure and every gram counts. Companies can save a lot with smart technology. On average, the investment is recouped within a few months, depending on the product and the line.”
Mari Bögels, Account Manager, Mettler-Toledo Product Inspection
Lessons for the Future
For Vierstraete, the message is clear: “If I had known this five years earlier, we would have done it then.” The key insight? “We can control the excess weight much better and stay closer to the desired filling weight. This saves product, prevents waste, and contributes to a more efficient process. In the end, it is an investment that pays for itself quickly.”
Summary
Greenyard’s adoption of the smart fill level adjustment feature, which incorporates feedback control, highlights how intelligent weighing technology can significantly reduce waste, lower costs, and improve efficiency in food packaging.
Emphasising collaboration, training, and ongoing support is key to maximising the benefits of this technology. According to Greenyard, the primary strengths of Mettler-Toledo is the support and knowledge transfer offered during implementation.
The service team worked closely with the customer to build, test, and fine-tune the system, enabling them to fully leverage the technology. Additionally, service contracts and training help sustain these benefits over time.
“Our role goes beyond installation; by working closely with the Greenyard team we support them to get the most out of their smart checkweighing solutions every day” says Janus Dumelie, field service technician at Mettler-Toledo Benelux.
For more information: www.mt.com/pi-pr
