Tomra Food undertakes major restructure of its global production operations

Belgian-headquartered Tomra Food has confirmed a new organisational restructure focused on two core product areas, Fresh Food and Processed Food, which the company believed would bring major benefits across its global technology and research resources, writes Neill Barston.
The company has delivered a number of solutions targeting the confectionery and bakery sector, and as previously reported, its sorting and inspection systems have been linked to augmented reality monitoring systems amid the covid pandemic, as the sector continues amid challenging international conditions.
As part of the restructure, Ken Moynihan (below) has been appointed CEO Tomra Processed Food, the global leader in sorting potatoes, nuts, vegetables, and dried fruit. He brings more than 15 years of experience in technology and executive leadership roles, most recently as the CEO of Compac, the global leader in fresh fruit sorting technology acquired by TOMRA in 2017.
Furthermore, he is driven by seeing technology transform the global food supply chain and brings his international management experience with a market-led technology approach to the broader food industry. Born in Ireland, Ken has lived and worked in South Africa, the USA and New Zealand, and will now be sharing his time between the USA and Belgium.
Meanwhile, Geoff Furniss (main image) is to lead as CEO for Tomra Fresh Food, the global leader for turnkey packhouse solutions in fresh fruits and vegetables, such as apples, citrus, avocados, stonefruit, cherries and blueberries. This business area will integrate BBC Technologies’ and Compac’s portfolios and expertise. Geoff has been working in technology for over 25 years with executive leadership roles in Ag Tech for the past 16 years. Geoff is driven by innovating customer-led solutions which support delivery of high quality product that meet end-consumer requirements.
Ashley Hunter, who has been leading the processed food segment, will retire on January 31st, 2021, after a long career within the company. He successfully led the first stage of integration, which the newly restructured group is taking forward with this new organisation.
Michel Picandet, Executive Vice President and Head of Tomra Food, (above) said: “First of all, I would like to thank Ashley for his invaluable contribution to our company bringing a wealth of experience in the industry. Going forward, I am confident that Ken and Geoff will successfully consolidate our leading position in the processed food sector and further grow our well-established business in the fresh food market. Compac and BBC Technologies are joining forces within the Fresh Business area built on strong partnerships that we will continue to develop. The new organization will allow us to build on our strengths, push the boundaries of innovation, and remain the global leader of choice for our customers. With its an enhanced go-to-market approach, our new set-up will facilitate our efforts in striving to lead with excellence for our people and our customers.”