Duravant acquires electronic fruit and vegetable sorters manufacturer WECO

Duravant has wrapped up its previously announced acquisition of Woodside Electronics Corporation (WECO), a California-based manufacturer of optical color and defect sorting equipment for fruits and vegetables.

Financial terms of Duravant acquisition of WECO, which was announced in February 2020, were not revealed.

WECO has been providing optical sorting technology for agricultural growers for more than three decades. The company is said to manufacture highly intelligent optical color and defect sorting systems and moisture monitoring systems.

It provides automation solutions to national and multi-national customers, enabling them to boost productivity and also efficiency throughout their operations. Included in the portfolio of WECO are highly differentiated and proprietary vision technology and software systems that are designed to generate high quality optics and accurate sorting performance.

Duravant, on the other hand, which is based in Illinois, is an equipment and automation solutions provider that caters to the food processing, packaging and material handling sectors.

Duravant acquisition of WECO, an electronic fruit and vegetable sorters manufacturer WECO. Photo courtesy of WECO.

Mike Kachmer – President and CEO of Duravant said: “WECO is a great addition to Duravant. Their culture of customer-centric innovation and commitment to rapid new product development has been at the core of their success.”

Catering to growers of agricultural products in their core end markets of vegetables, fruits, and nuts, WECO is said to have grown its offerings to provide inspection and sorting solutions for high-value applications including coffee cherries, wine grapes, olives, and hops. WECO is said to have designed a value proposition for its customers with purchase and leasing models that helps operators to maximize their throughput during critical junctures of their production cycle.

Don Douglas – President of WECO said: “We’re excited to officially join the Duravant family of operating companies. We share the same commitment to developing long-term relationships with our customers. Additionally, Duravant’s global presence and strong service infrastructure will stimulate our growth and enhance our ability to be a lifelong trusted advisor for our customers.”