Pellenc Wins the WBM Innovation Award at the WISA SOTY Awards - October 27 2010
Press Release from Louise Fraser, Managing Director:
PELLENC WINS WBM INNOVATION AWARD 2010
AT THE WISA SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2010
Pellenc Australia was delighted and honoured to win the ‘Australia’s Wine Business Magazine Innovation Award 2010’ at the Wine Industry Suppliers Australia Supplier of the Year Awards.
The Award recognises the technology and introduction of the innovative, world-first, Selectiv Process On-Board, with its high-frequency de-stemmer and on-board sorting tables. This technology represents a huge leap forward in mechanical harvesting, offering a range of labour-saving, cost-saving and environmental benefits to vineyards and wineries alike.
The machine’s ability to remove all green waste from the harvest sample, including petioles, makes it the first viable alternative to hand-picking. The risk of green taint is eliminated and heavy MOG (matter other than grapes) can be removed by the sorting tables, meaning that fruit from old vines can be delivered in a pure state.
The revolutionary high-frequency, in-line de-stemmer is extremely gentle on berries, which are effectively resonated from the stems. The de-stemmer resembles a mini-shaking system which moves at up to 1100 times per minute. One of the big advantages of the Pellenc system is that only that fruit which requires de-stemming passes through the de-stemmer. Fruit already de-stemmed during the harvesting process moves through a grid belt and onto the sorting tables, eliminating an unnecessary intervention on the fruit (in most systems, all fruit passes through the de-stemmer).
Once fruit has either passed directly through the grid belt or via the de-stemmer onto the sorting tables, a clever system turns petioles and other MOG so that it is perpendicular to the edge of the fruit collection bins. Thereafter, a second set of rollers allows berries to move through into the bin, whilst petioles and MOG are carried towards the edge of the bin and onto the vineyard floor.
The result is fruit which is de-stemmed, MOG-free and of such a high standard that it can be sent directly from the machine into the press or fermenter, eliminating one task from the processing at the winery, which reduces power consumption and increases efficiency. Furthermore, pump blockages are reduced significantly, as wood is left behind in the winery.
The fact that green waste is left in the vineyard brings a range of benefits to the environment, growers and wineries. Growers are not paying for transport of unwanted material to the winery and the winery does not have to deal with the waste. The figures on fuel consumption and costs can be significant, not to mention the fact that fruit is not carried along with green material which can taint the sample. Green waste is left in the vineyard where it belongs and is reintegrated into the soil profile.
Whilst the Selectiv’ Process technology emanates from France, it is important to note that much emphasis was placed on Pellenc Australia’s ability to introduce this new technology into the marketplace, particularly at a time when the industry is in some difficulty. Having great technology is not enough in its own right, particularly when one is challenging the existing way of doing things.
Much effort has been put into ensuring the base harvesters are well-suited to the Australian conditions, which vary significantly from those in Europe. From the early stages of Pellenc harvesters in Australia, the company here has put much work into adaptations which render the machines more able to work in the range of conditions which characterise Australian vineyards.
“We have been very lucky over the years to have a number of customers who recognise the potential of new technology and are prepared to work with us in perfecting new ideas to suit the Australian market,” said Pellenc Australia’s Managing Director, Louise Fraser. “It is never an easy decision to adopt a new and untried technology, but we have never been short of willing partners who understand the risks associated with early implementation of new ideas and who are prepared to work with us to ensure the technology works well here.”
“We would particularly like to acknowledge the foresight and co-operation of Caj Amadio and the team at Advanced Viticulture and Management, who were the first to take the technology in Australia for Vintage 2009. Together, we managed to overcome the inevitable teething problems and show the Australian industry that there was another way,” Fraser said.
“During Vintage 2010, Nepenthe Viticulture became the first contractor to offer the new technology to its customers. The work conducted by Nepenthe in a range of regions, varieties and trellising styles was essential in demonstrating the capacities of the machine in a range of situations,” Fraser said. “The Nepenthe team were happy to push the boundaries of the machine and even we were surprised at what it could do.”
We share this Award with our colleagues in France and all of our customers, who have not been afraid to embrace new technology and have always been happy to work with us to achieve the best possible machine for our conditions.
We thank Australian Wine Business Magazine (WBM) for sponsoring the Award and WISA for providing the opportunity for suppliers to be recognised within the Australian industry.
For more information, please contact Pellenc Australia :
admin@pellenc.com.au
P: (08) 8244 7700
F: (08) 8244 7788