Aweta celebrates 60 years of innovation | Anniversary launch at Fruit Logistica

Our story started in 1966 with one man and one idea: helping Dutch growers sort their vegetables more accurately. In a small workshop in Nootdorp, founder Adrianus Wilhelmus Tas built his first mechanical sorting machine. What began as a practical solution quickly grew into something much bigger. His passion for engineering and clear vision laid the foundation for Aweta, named after his initials, and for technologies that continue to set the standard in fruit and vegetable sorting and packing.

The global fruit and vegetable sector and specifically Chile is changing. Fruit production is increasingly conditioned by climatic variables, in the case of the production of stone fruits in central Chile it is common to see the quality and condition of the fruit affected. Whether it is high summer temperatures or unexpected rains during the same pre-harvest season. To maintain the productivity of packaging plants, it is vital to be prepared, aligned, and have the technology to maintain productivity levels without the need to increase the amount of labor.

Part of Aweta's culture is innovation, so the company – which has sales and services in more than 45 countries around the world – develops advances that result in state-of-the-art technology, for example, the use of artificial intelligence, which is trained and learned from the fruit of its customers, which provides a solution that best suits each user. Otto Vink, CEO of Aweta noted that "the face of agriculture is changing. A change that is charged by substantial growth of the world's population and growing demand for more varied, healthy and high-quality food". We believe we can respond to this appetite for change by pointing to an ever-higher standard for fruits and vegetables, he added.

The global fruit and vegetable sector and specifically Chile is changing. Fruit production is increasingly conditioned by climatic variables, in the case of the production of stone fruits in central Chile it is common to see the quality and condition of the fruit affected. Whether it is high summer temperatures or unexpected rains during the same pre-harvest season. To maintain the productivity of packaging plants, it is vital to be prepared, aligned, and have the technology to maintain productivity levels without the need to increase the amount of labor.

From those humble beginnings, Aweta evolved step by step into a global partner for growers and packers of fresh produce, moving from mechanical systems to smart optical grading, from standalone machines to fully integrated, automated sorting and packing lines, and from a local pioneer to an international organization with engineering expertise and service support around the world.

While our technology has transformed over the decades, our purpose has remained the same: creating reliable, innovative solutions that help customers work more efficiently, reduce waste, improve quality, and operate more sustainably. Throughout every decade, one principle has remained constant: technology must create real value for our customers.

Sixty years is not only a moment to look back with pride, but also a moment to look forward. With ongoing innovations in automation, data, and intelligent systems, we are excited about what the future holds and confident about the role we will continue to play in shaping it together with our customers and partners.

We will officially kick off our anniversary year at Fruit Logistica in Berlin, where our special 60-year anniversary logo will be revealed for the very first time.

To celebrate with our community, we warmly invite customers, partners, and friends to join our Aweta 60 Years Stand Party on Thursday 5 February from 16:30–18:00 at our booth in Hall 1.1 – Stand A40.

Because milestones are best celebrated together.