2022 Digital Buyers' Guide - 16

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Ossid Overwrapping Brings Efficient, Professional
Packaging to Virginia Produce Company
The Virginia Produce Company (https://vaproduce.com/) has
created a business model for the wholesale distribution of fresh
fruits and vegetables that is simple, yet extremely effective by
allowing everyone to concentrate on their strengths. Farmers
focus on planting and growing crops, while VPC manages
the packaging, marketing and delivery of produce to stores.
This road map to success did not happen overnight, but rather
through developing strong partnerships with farmers, grocers
and equipment suppliers like Ossid to produce professionallydesigned
packaging that's appealing to shoppers.
Battleboro, North Carolina-based Ossid (https://www.ossid.
com/) is well known within the produce industry for its tray
overwrapping and sealing machines that feature speeds up
to 120 packages per minute, the ability to run multiple tray
styles and film materials, and quick, intuitive two-minute
changeovers. Features like these are what converted Virginia
Produce Company into an Ossid believer.
A few years ago, the company installed its first Ossid
machine, the 500Si High Speed Stretch Overwrapper, to
package corn. Based on the promising results that they were
seeing, Virginia Produce soon purchased a second 500Si to
package a variety of vegetables, such as tomatoes, green
peppers and other foods.
" Our previous equipment was only packaging about 35
packs a minute, but with Ossid, we're running about 75 packs
a minute all day long, which is perfect for us, " said Jeremy
Buckland, Maintenance Manager, Virginia Produce Company.
" We used to have three to four machines running corn, now
the Ossid machines do it all. They've been a tremendous help. "
Packaging presentation is a critical element to Virginia
Produce's success. It packages for
private-label brands sold in stores up
and down the East Coast, including
Food City, Food Lion, Harris Teeter, Aldi
and others. One of the many reasons
why they choose to go with the 500Si is that it presents their
products in a professionally-designed package that helps keep
food fresh, safe, and ready to be sold.
" Overwrap has become a really big thing, " said Jennifer
Hawks, Vice President, Virginia Produce Company. " For some,
it makes their shopping easier; you do not have to go picking
out everything. You can just pick up a tray, and it also keeps
the product a little bit fresher. "
Ossid's 500Si is a tuck and fold machine that has been a proven,
ideal solution for packaging a variety of produce products. The
500Si uses less film than competitive overwrapping machines
and uses gripper-chain technology to produce tightly-wrapped
packages at speeds of up to 120 trays per minute.
" The great thing about the 500Si is that it's very versatile.
You can run a wide variety of different tray sizes, anywhere
from a No. 2 to a No. 15 tray, " said Andrew Birdwell, Southeast
Regional Sales Manager, Ossid. " The machine has high
production volume and one thing that really sets us apart
on the 500Si versus competitors, is the way we handle the
material. It allows us to use a much narrower web width of
film for a package. "
The servo-driven 500Si enables product changeovers in
less than two minutes; requires no air or water utilities;
and is ideal for space-constrained environments. Featuring
integration with top and bottom application of decorative
labels, the 500Si accommodates strict requirements in the
produce industry. Additional features of the machine include
an intuitive HMI for ease of operation, a gripper chain system
to ensure tightly wrapped packages, and a stainless steel frame
that is compatible with the required clean environments of
produce packaging facilities.
Virginia Produce Company added a third Ossid 500Si
machine in spring 2020, expanding their produce packaging
to include squash, zucchini, onions, lemons and other items.
As a testament to its strict sanitary practices and following
food safety protocol, Virginia Produce Company holds the SQF
Food Safety Code for Manufacturing
certification, which means the company
conforms to guidel ines for safe
storage, handing and distribution of
its food products.
Another factor that sold Virginia Produce on Ossid was
its level of technical support and factory acceptance testing.
Buckland and three other employees spent four days working
alongside Ossid engineers to learn the ins and outs of the new
equipment prior to installation.
" You learn how to operate and work on the machines,
how to clean them; you learn so much by going there and
completing their course. It was worth every minute being
there, " Buckland said. " Their tech support is unreal. Terry
Grubbs, a field service technician with Ossid is great. I can
call and ask him anything, and if we can't figure it out, he
comes here within a day and is onsite with me. That's worth
a lot to have that level of support. "
" We really strive to create lasting partnerships, and Virginia
Produce is a great example of that, " Birdwell said. " We are in
this together, their success is a direct reflection on us. Virginia
Produce is a great company to partner with and have been a
true pleasure to work with. "
https://www.ossid.com
2022 Digital Buyers' Guide

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