Germany

Probat’s new Cleaner series color sorter uses digital camera technology to identify foreign objects and coffee beans differing in color and sorts them out with an air blast. Thus, the system ensures an even more uniform bean color.

"The trend towards the whole bean is continuing, both in the restaurant business and with end consumers," explains Jens Roelofs, product manager at Probat. "This means that consumers are defining the quality of roasted coffee in terms of both taste and visual appearance. Even if Probat roasting machines already guarantee a uniform roast, the color sorter allows roasting operators to take uniformity a step further."

Using digital CCD cameras, the new color sorter separates different-colored coffee beans that do not fit the overall appearance. The exclusion criteria for the sorter can be individually defined by the operator and saved in various profiles. Each bean that does not fit the defined parameters is moved out of the product stream by the color sorter using an air blast. Optionally, the system can be equipped with near-infrared detection. This technology also sorts out foreign objects such as stones or wood, objects that have the same color as the coffee.

The color sorter can also be used to clean green coffee. In this case, the goal is not a uniform bean color but a steady elimination of defective beans and foreign objects, especially beans with defects, such as mold, infections and insect damage that can have a negative impact on the taste of the roasted coffee.

"These beans are very similar to non-infested ones in terms of weight and size. Regular cleaning meets its limit very quickly in this context. Color-wise, though, there are oftentimes huge visible differences," Roelofs said. Foreign objects behave similarly. Due to its special cultivation, transport and processing methods, the natural coffee product is often affected by impurities. Roasting operators must therefore be in a position to rid the coffee of the various foreign objects, such as wood pieces, using technical aids. This enables them to secure product quality and work more efficiently overall. Probat also offers further systems to clean coffee during processing, such as: air cleaner; circular sieve cleaner; stone separator; metal separator and a vorticity screening machine.

Change in management
As of May this year, Wim Abbing is now the sole managing director of Probat. From now on, he will also be in charge of Stephan Lange’s former fields of responsibility. With this change, management is now back exclusively in family hands.

As of April 2009, after 10 years with the company, 7 of those as a managing director, Stephan Lange has left the company. This change results from diverging views of business strategy and business management regarding the group‘s direction during the current economic environment.

"For his accomplishments, efforts and commitment, Lange is entitled to our sincere thanks," commented Abbing. "The company owes Stephan Lange for essential groundwork and important impulses that enabled us to further establish and expand our position on the global market. We will continue to cooperate closely with the customers and keep up the discussions about markets, products and future-oriented technologies," explained Abbing. Probat area sales managers and the usual contact persons are looking forward to continuing dialogue with customers old and new.