CFG has invested heavily in new logistics capacity, mobile racking, real-time pallet tracking, automated packing technology and energy resilience
Ceres Fruit Growers (CFG), one of Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing’s shareholder packhouses, has completed a major infrastructure and technology upgrade.
The multi-million rand investment was driven by sustained growth in volumes, it outlined, as growers continue to invest in new-generation varieties and replace older orchards with more productive ones.
“Ceres Fruit Growers now handles between 130,000 and 145,000 tonnes of apples and pears annually,” said CFG logistics manager Con Louw.
To accommodate the higher throughput, CFG increased its physical loading and dispatch capacity by adding dock levellers, expanding load-out areas, and improving pallet handling systems.
A new staging area fitted with gravity-fed rollers can accommodate 24 containers simultaneously, improving order picking and reducing forklift movement.
Louw explained that one of the most significant upgrades was the installation of mobile racking storage with capacity for 4,000 pallets, improving space utilisation and stock flow.
The company also implemented ViTrax and AppSource pallet movement systems, allowing forklift operators to scan and track pallets in real time using tablets mounted on forklifts.
“The flow through the facility is now far more efficient,” said Louw. “We can prepare loads in advance and respond much faster when shipping schedules change, especially when the Port of Cape Town experiences delays.”
CFG is also expanding its recooling capabilities as export protocols and packaging requirements become increasingly specialised.
The facility currently operates 16 cold treatment protocol rooms, steri tunnels, and upgraded holding rooms, with further recooling expansion planned.
Technology and automation play an increasingly important role across the operation, as CFG uses automated palletisers and advanced fruit camera systems.
The group’s packhouse five, which specialises in bicoloured apples, runs 24 hours a day during peak season and can pack apples into four colour categories with ten count sizes within each category – averaging 18 tonnes per hour.
“Our aim is to maximise packout percentages while improving productivity and maintaining flexibility for our growers and markets,” noted Louw. “There is no such thing as ‘set and forget’ in this industry.”
CFG also had to invest in energy resilience, enabling the entire site to operate independently from Eskom through two generators, 5.5 MW of solar capacity, and batteries.
During the season, the company employs more than 1,600 people.
Staff dining and relaxation facilities were also upgraded as part of its broader focus on employee well-being, operational excellence, and food safety, the group added.
