Protec

Founded in 1990 by industry visionary Luigi Sandei, Protec was built on two decades of pioneering expertise in agro-food technology.
Mr. Sandei, the innovator behind the first European self-propelled tomato harvesters, recognized early on that optical sensing was the key to reducing labor and increasing efficiency. This insight led to the creation of the first “Made in Italy” optical sorters, originally designed for tomato harvesting and later expanded to the wider preserves and processing industry.

Today, Protec’s commitment to continuous R&D has resulted in a fully modernized machine lineup capable of sorting a diverse range of fruits and vegetables. With over 3,500 installations worldwide, we combine technical precision with a client-focused managerial approach. Our mission remains clear: providing global customers with accurate, reliable, and efficient sorting solutions tailored to their unique production needs.

AI
Every PROTEC optical sorter (excluding the CS 2000) now features integrated Artificial Intelligence. Developed entirely by our in-house engineers, this state-of-the-art technology utilizes Neural Networks to deliver unparalleled sorting precision.

Our systems process massive data flows from linear color cameras through a high-performance GPU. This creates an AI ‘brain’ that analyzes images in real-time, evaluating color, shape, dimensions, and texture with human-like—or superior—accuracy to distinguish between premium, second-quality, and waste materials.

Unlike traditional systems that rely on rigid, hard-coded rules (such as ‘red’ or ‘3cm’), our AI learns autonomously. By simply providing examples of ‘good’ and ‘waste’ products, the system adapts to your specific criteria. This eliminates the failures common with traditional programming and ensures the sorter evolves alongside your product variations.”