SME's are now grading live lobsters and lobster tails like never before

Marel's Compact Grader is a stand-alone solution designed to fulfill the needs of small and medium sized enterprises. It is also an ideal add-on for larger companies requiring a machine that can handle temporary or seasonal overflow needs that do not justify the expense of another full-size grader. Yet while this grader is classified as very economical, it is a robust, user-friendly workhorse that significantly improves efficiency and profitability in its market niche.

For some operations this is the first step into mechanized processing, and one that has a significant impact on the bottom line. "The Compact Grader has dramatically changed lobster processing for small and medium sized businesses," commented Bain Blois, sales manager at Marel Halifax, Canada. "Volume has jumped, and our customers are getting a much better grade of lobsters than they did when using traditional hand-grading – there 's really no comparison."

In addition to benefits of improved speed, accuracy and yield, the Compact Grader handles live lobsters in a most gentle manner :arms pull products into the category chute instead of pushing, ensuring there is no loss of quality. In addition to grading live lobster, companies have found that the machine effectively grades lobster tails. Some are even experimenting with clams and whole fish. "Once customers
see the grader in action, it literally sells itself," said Bain Blois, "and they are amazed at its accuracy and speed."

The grader is a veritable 'plug and play ' unit: installation is simple and then it is basically ready to run. It is also available with an optional infeed belt and optional discharge chutes to suit individual needs.