Bühler partners McArthur BDC to expand access to colour sorting solutions for UK, Irish farmers

UK – Bühler UK has announced a strategic partnership with McArthur BDC to make advanced colour sorting technology more accessible to farming businesses of all sizes in the UK and Ireland.

This collaboration is expected to play a pivotal role in ensuring that even small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises can benefit from market-leading sorting solutions, which large-scale commercial operators previously dominated.

Neil Walker, Area Sales Manager for the UK & Ireland at Bühler UK, emphasized the importance of the partnership in expanding Bühler’s reach into the agricultural post-harvest sector.

 “Bühler is well established as delivering market-leading sorting technology across the food and flour processing market, and this partnership will drive our reach into the agricultural post-harvest sector,” said Walker.

The timing of the partnership coincides with the increasing challenge posed by Ergot contamination in grain crops. The fungal disease, which can cause serious health risks if consumed, saw a significant surge in the last harvest season, further highlighting the need for effective sorting solutions.

“With the exponential rise of Ergot last harvest, our partnership with McArthur BDC is timely. Farmers now have the opportunity to look at affordable colour sorting solutions, available from Bühler’s Spark Pro, and take advantage of McArthur BDC’s expertise to create the system around it,” Walker added.

Bühler’s Spark Pro is engineered to offer a robust, high-quality solution that is easy to operate. Featuring a touch-screen control panel, the sorter allows real-time monitoring and precise programming to optimize sorting quality, yield, and overall performance.

A key differentiator of Spark Pro is its innovative use of two dedicated cameras per chute, compared to competing sorters that use two cameras for multiple chutes.

This feature ensures that the sorter maximizes the removal of unwanted material, enhancing both efficiency and product quality. The machine also includes self-cleaning mechanisms, reducing maintenance time and operational downtime.

Scott McArthur, Technical Director of McArthur BDC, highlighted the value Spark Pro adds to farmers.

“The Spark range of colour sorters is an important addition to our comprehensive range of post-harvest equipment, enabling farmers to add value to their crops on-farm, crucially at a price point that speeds up the return on investment,” he said.

Beyond providing cutting-edge equipment, McArthur BDC will also offer installation and maintenance support for Spark machines, with additional backing from Bühler’s UK-based engineering team if needed.

“When designing a colour sorter into a grain plant, of whatever size, it is key to work with an integrator who understands what you want to achieve and what is possible within the constraints of the project,” McArthur explained.

Considerations such as throughput capacity, specific sorting requirements for different commodities, and seamless integration with other processing equipment must be factored in for optimal performance.

Walker added that McArthur BDC’s expertise in successfully delivering post-harvest solutions was a driving factor in Bühler’s decision to take the partnership forward.

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