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Better Grape Handling for the Wine Industry with Forward Bin Dumpers


Vintners have been making wine for thousands of years, but their processes keep improving due to advances in technology. Two of the most helpful advances have been harvest bins and Forward Bin Dumpers, which allow vineyards and wineries to transport large volumes of fruit with less manual handling.

Forward Bin Dumpers attach to forklifts to allow them to lift and tip harvest bins, cubic bins, pallet bins, and megabins. Here are some of the benefits of using a Forward Bin Dumper to transport and dump grapes onto sorting tables and into crushers and presses.

Better Grape Handling for the Wine Industry with Forward Bin Dumpers

  • Forward Bin Dumpers handle larger volumes and offer a more hygienic process than a rotator with load hold down.

Because Forward Bin Dumpers dump in a forward motion, there are less moving mechanical parts above the target area. That means less foreign objects and debris will end up in the fruit supply.

Contrast this motion with a rotator, whose entire dumping apparatus hovers over the target area to empty a bin. Even the cleanest of forklifts likely has some amount of dirt, leaves, or debris that will float down with the grapes.

  • Empty pallet bins onto sorting tables in a controlled manner.

Using a Forward Bin Dumper allows a tractor or forklift operator to slowly and steadily dump grapes onto a sorting table. This gives workers a consistent feed of fruit to check for spoiled grapes, unripe bunches, and foreign bodies. Because of the steady dumping action, the destemmer receives a more consistent supply of fruit.

  • Minimize damage to grapes and pallet bins.

Forward Bin Dumpers can handle a wide variety of bins and totes — that means that vineyards and wineries can choose exactly which size is right for their harvest. Balancing volume with gentle handling is an important decision that depends on the operation. The versatility of Forward Bin Dumpers allows vintners to exercise their best judgement when choosing bin sizes. Additionally, by minimizing the transport and handling of grapes, the product is less likely to bruise and spoil.

Forward Bin Dumpers extend the life of containers by controlling the bin throughout the entire dumping process. At all times during handling, the tipper has full control of the bin, causing less stress and increasing its lifespan.

After the harvest, compost grape byproducts with Forward Bin Dumpers.

Winemaking results in a great deal of organic waste that can be composted for fertilizer. The solid remains of the grapes, called pomace, contains skins, pulp, seeds, and stems. Residual yeast and other particles can also be collected from the bottom of vats after fermentation and aging has occurred.

Forward Bin Dumpers can help corral and transport these valuable byproducts to a composting site. By using the same equipment that is necessary for transporting grapes, you can keep your forklift configured the same way while getting multiple benefits.

For more information on the Forward Bin Dumper or compatibility with bins, contact Solus Group at (314) 696-0200 .