Digital upgrade means fruit ripeners can now access even more data for tighter control of the ripening cycle at lower cost
Ripening room specialist Interko has developed a fully digital data network for its automatic ripening control system RipePilot as global demand grows for the smart solution.
The upgrade means additional, accurate data can be received from sensors within the ripening room and analysed by RipePilot during the ripening cycle, giving greater visibility and control of the end product.
“The move to a fully digital set-up ultimately enables better decision making for improved fruit quality,” Interko said, adding that with all sensors in the ripening room connected via a single digital data cable, the installation, maintenance, and servicing processes are quicker and easier, translating into lower costs.
Devised by Interko and following four years of successful customer testing, the digital upgrade lays the foundation for further advances to the RipePilot sensor-based ripening control programme.
Chris Maat, Interko’s managing director/partner, commented: “As a manufacturer, Interko is taking a highly integrated approach to our ripening solutions. By developing a fully digital data network to feed greater information to RipePilot we are future-proofing this already invaluable solution.
“Every business wants access to more and more data to improve their processes, decision making, and results. With this upgrade, RipePilot can now receive expansive, complex, and consistent datasets to provide a more accurate picture of what’s happening inside the ripening room”.
He added that the upgrade paves the way to introduce even more sensors within the ripening room in the future thanks to the ability to feed greater datasets to RipePilot via a single digital cable, allowing for even tighter control over the ripening process.
RipePilot was launched at the end of 2022 to automatically optimise the ripening cycle of fruit. The system is designed to deliver high quality fruit and shelf-life, with minimal product loss and lower energy consumption.
“The technology has proved extremely popular in enabling operators to go one step further in automating, monitoring, and tracing their ripening process, all with the reassurance of our market-exclusive fail-safe mode,” Interko said.
To date, RipePilot is used in more than 100 different ripening sites, and well over 300 ripening rooms installed by Interko. RipePilot can be pre-fitted or retrofitted within Interko’s Ultimo, Optimo, Axesso, and Mobilo rooms.
Already in 2026 Interko is installing RipePilot in 50 ripening rooms for one customer in the UK. Of that total, 12 rooms are being built from scratch with RipePilot integrated, while 38 rooms are being retrofitted with the solution.
Maat commented: “Now a mainstay product within the Interko ripening solutions range, RipePilot continues to offer existing and new customers the easiest, most economic way of optimising their fruit ripening. We are really pleased with the success of this product and its future potential”.
Interko will once again be exhibiting at Fruit Logistica in Hall 1.2, Stand D-40, together with Fresh Produce Instruments.
