Hessing inaugurates Europe's most sustainable fresh produce factory
In 2018, Hessing embarked on the development of a completely new production location. Five years later, Europe’s most sustainable vegetable factory is operational. The roof is adorned with no fewer than 12,000 solar panels, the building is devoid of gas connections, and vegetable and fruit waste is transported via a 2,000-meter-long flume system from Colubris Cleantech to the recycling center, where the rinse water is also purified for reuse.
Since 2022, Sander Mens has been the Manager of Operations Improvement at Hessing and has been closely involved in the realization of the state-of-the-art vegetable factory. 'Within Hessing, I am responsible for continuously improving operations. We look to the future, for example, the role of further automation, and what the current needs are.'
'Take the flume system that Colubris Cleantech has installed. The channels neatly transport the vegetable residues to the recycling center, where the residues are transported via containers. For a company like Hessing, waste processing is not our core business. The flume system is essentially a utility, like electricity. However, the flume system does ensure logistical efficiency and safety.'
Making a difference
'Currently, we are working together with the Project Manager from Colubris to further fine-tune the system. Because as a supplier, that’s where you can make a difference. If you truly assist the customer in their operations and optimization. Not just installing a system and wishing the customer success with it. A proper commissioning and guidance are essential; only then does the customer truly take ownership of the installation.'
'To brainstorm together about topics such as
water conservation and reuse is very valuable.'
Sander Mens | Hessing
'A system works as well as the people have been taught to operate it. And that applies to everyone within the company who interacts with it, from users to the technical department. With the experiences gained, we continue to optimize together because it’s unrealistic to expect everything to run optimally right from the start. That’s why, for example, I advocate for engineers from the supplier to visit installations over time. So that they can also see firsthand what works and what can be improved for new projects.'
'In the end, Hessing also benefits from this. Because water and water usage are becoming increasingly important topics for us as well. So, brainstorming together on topics such as water conservation and reuse is very valuable. Additionally, we always like to be at the forefront of tests and pilots for innovative and sustainable solutions. Because our primary goal at Hessing remains to sustain where we can, without compromising on quality.'
How does the flume system work?
The vegetables are flushed via the 2-kilometer-long flume system at intervals to the recycling center. In this recycling center, solid waste is separated from the water using a sieve conveyor and transported to containers. These containers then go to animal feed manufacturers.
The water flows to a pump pit and is then pumped to a buffer tank, where sand/sediment is separated. The remaining water is reused in the flume system.
A video of the implemented flume system at Hessing is available on the Colubris Cleantech YouTube channel.
Making healthy eating easy
That’s Hessing’s mission. Every day, employees help facilitate healthy choices with an extensive range of pre-cut vegetables, fruit, fresh packages, and complete meal salads. Weekly, 320,000 kilograms of raw materials are processed into more than 7 million fresh products.
Hessing, like Colubris Cleantech, is a true family business. Since 1968, many family members have been involved in the company, which owns Europe’s most sustainable vegetable cutting factory. This marks an important step towards further sustainability.