S & B Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH

What S & B Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH does

S & B Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH is the German operating entity of Sorma Group, an Italian-headquartered industrial automation business (parent MNLG S.R.L., Cesena, Forlì-Cesena) serving the post-harvest segment of the fruit and vegetable industry. The firm designs and builds complete lines of automated post-harvest machines for fruits and vegetables, supplies the associated packaging consumables, and delivers computer vision-based optical sorting systems. Core technology includes the proprietary Hyper Vision optical sorter (evaluating the entire fruit surface for inner and outer quality, color, shape, diameter, density, and weight), the Aporo robotic crate/basket filler, and the SormaClipless clip-less net packaging architecture. Packaging consumables — nets and printing products — are produced internally from cellulose and recyclable polymers, giving the group a vertically integrated consumables stream alongside equipment sales.

The customer base consists of European producers, packers, and processors of fresh produce (apples, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, citrus), with explicitly identified markets in Belgium and the Netherlands and a broader trade show presence across Germany, Italy, Spain, and other European countries. The revenue model combines direct equipment sales (machines, optical sorters, robots) with a recurring consumables stream (nets, packaging) and on-site technical service. Go-to-market is primarily direct field sales supplemented by a heavy trade show circuit (Fruit Logistica, Interpoma, Macfrut, Fruit Attraction, Fructura, Interpom, Fruitteelt Vakbeurs), a multilingual website, and organic social channels (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo). The German subsidiary itself is small (8 employees) and appears to function as a localized sales, distribution, and service node within the wider Sorma Group structure; no pricing, revenue, or headcount trend is publicly disclosed.

Name

S & B Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH

Legal name

MNLG S.R.L.

Website

https://sbsorma.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

S & B Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH is the German subsidiary of Sorma Group, providing automated post-harvest machines, optical sorting systems, and vertically integrated packaging consumables to European fresh fruit and vegetable packers and processors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Post-Harvest Fruit and Vegetable Processing Machinery

NAICS

Farm Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333111), Agricultural Implement Manufacturing (33311), Food Product Machinery Manufacturing (333241)

SIC

Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523)

akta.pro primary industry

Berry Sorting & Packing Facilities (AFAOAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Stone Fruit & Tropical Fruit Packing Facilities (AFAOAGAE)

Keywords

• Post-harvest machinery
• Fruit packaging equipment
• Optical sorting technology
• Fresh produce processing
• Automated packaging lines

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

S & B Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH operates as part of the Sorma Group, designing and building automated post-harvest machinery for fruits and vegetables combined with vertically integrated packaging materials (nets, printing products in cellulose and recyclable polymers). The company also supplies optical sorting systems that evaluate the entire fruit surface for internal and external quality, color, shape, diameter, density, and weight, delivered with on-site technical service and monitoring.

Product overview

Sorma Group offers a comprehensive portfolio of machines and packaging solutions for the fruit and vegetable industry. The core offerings consist of three main product lines: (1) Maschinen (Machines) - automated post-harvest machines and complete production lines built with automation and AI technologies, (2) Verpackung (Packaging) - fully integrated production of printing products and nets using cellulose and recyclable polymers, and (3) Optische Sortierer (Optical Sorters) - computer vision-based sorting machines that evaluate fruit quality by color, shape, diameter, density, and weight. Supporting these core lines is a Nachhaltigkeit (Sustainability) module focused on environmental responsibility. Key product innovations include SormaClipless (metal clip-free packaging), Hyper Vision (advanced optical selection technology), and Crate Filling Robots. The company emphasizes comprehensive customer service with on-site technician support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SormaClipless: Clip-less metal net packaging solution for the produce industry.
• Hyper Vision
• Aporo

Products and services

• Maschinen (Machines)

Quantifiable outcome

• Consistent quality, reduced waste, and significantly higher profits through optical sorting technology

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bühler Group: Swiss global leader in food processing equipment with optical sorting capabilities across multiple food categories. Competes with Sorma in larger produce packhouses seeking a full-portfolio supplier.
• TOMRA: Global leader in optical sorting and grading equipment for food, including fresh produce. Directly comparable as a competing supplier of computer-vision sorters to fruit and vegetable packhouses, but with a vastly larger portfolio spanning recycling and food industries.
• Duravant: US-based industrial parent of multiple food processing and sorting equipment brands. Competes indirectly via its portfolio companies in produce sorting and grading lines similar to Sorma's offering.

Direct peers

• Ellips (Ellips B.V.): Dutch company specializing in optical sorting and grading technology for fresh produce, including apples, tomatoes and berries. Competes head-to-head with Sorma's Hyper Vision optical sorter platform in the same European customer base.
• Key Technology: US-based manufacturer of optical sorters and processing equipment for food applications including fresh produce. Comparable technology stack targeting similar packhouse customers.
• GP Graders: Australian manufacturer of optical sorting and grading equipment for the global fresh produce industry. Comparable as a specialist optical sorter supplier competing for the same produce-packer capex budgets.
• Multiscan Technologies: Spanish maker of optical sorting and inspection equipment for fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes and citrus. Directly comparable in product scope (vision-based sorters) and European customer overlap with Sorma.
• Newtec: Danish manufacturer of weighing, sorting and packaging machinery for fresh produce. Directly competes in the same integrated post-harvest line category as Sorma's machines and packaging products.
• Maf Roda: French/Spanish manufacturer of post-harvest sorting, grading and packaging lines for fresh fruit and vegetables. Among the closest direct competitors to Sorma, serving the same European packhouse customers with similar complete-line solutions.

Emerging players

• WECO Sorting (Wecotek): European optical sorting technology provider active across food and produce applications. Comparable as a vision-based sorting competitor with overlapping customer types, though smaller and broader in industry coverage.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCP9TQKmdSXj7T2AIIthRIJQ/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/SormaGroup1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/s-&-b-verpackungsmaschinen-gmbh
• Instagraminstagram.com/sormagroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about S & B Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH