LEUVEN, BELGIUM — TOMRA Food announced March 9 it has entered a strategic partnership with Haarslev to develop and introduce new sensor-based sorting solutions to the global rendering industry. The two companies will focus on providing “unprecedented levels of efficiency, food safety and product quality.”

TOMRA Food offers expertise in designing and manufacturing sorting technologies. The company began offering its solutions to pet food processors two years ago, and recently added solutions for renderers. Haarslev is focused on meat and poultry rendering and fish byproduct processing applications.

"Businesses in the pet food and rendering industry today face the same challenges and demands as those producing food for human consumption,” said Lars Povlsen, global sales manager of proteins for TOMRA Food. “This makes it a natural step for TOMRA to enter this market. Working with Haarslev, which has a great record in supporting this industry, we expect to see more renderers investing in the latest sorting technologies to remain competitive."

TOMRA cited accelerating consumer trends and economic impacts of COVID-19 as key reasons to provide processing solutions that reduce waste and improve efficiencies for pet food processors and renderers. Additionally, as the expectation for product quality increases, it’s crucial to detect foreign material early-on to ensure food safety and prevent recalls.

"We see a strong shift in the market towards increasing the end-product quality,” said Henning Haugaard, chief commercial officer of Haarslev. “One of the main challenges faced by renderers is foreign materials in processed animal protein. TOMRA Food has proven its strength in removing foreign bodies in various ways and is, therefore, the ideal partner for our customers and us."

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