Compac Sorting Equipment Limited was founded in 1984 by Mr Hamish Kennedy, Managing Director of the company.
Hamish grew up on a kiwifruit orchard in Kerikeri , New Zealand, and while completing a master's degree in electrical engineering he designed and built an electronic sizer and packing line for his family's fruit packing operation. Developed to meet industry and user requirements, the sorter was a great success and he was asked to build more sizers for neighbors and others in the industry seeking accuracy of sizing and innovation in fruit packing.
From this original sorting machine at the family orchard, Compac has grown to be a global leader in the development of fruit and vegetable sorting technology. The timeline below, including significant milestones, describes how our company has grown through the years.
1985 - 1991
A time of growth and development within the home market of New Zealand, mainly with Kiwifruit which demands precise weighing accuracy to ensure top returns from their export crop. This was achieved using an improved flat cup design with 3 point weighing and unique link arms. The software was continually under development to add features and options to make it flexible enough to cope with various packhouse requirements. Over this time more than 50 Compac sorters were installed at orchards and packhouses throughout New Zealand.
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1991
The first export of a Compac sorter, an 8-lane unit installed for the largest Kiwifruit packer in France.
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1993
 
Compac released its revolutionary roller/carrier system. This combined the functions of rotation for singulation and a new optical system, with precision 4-point weighing and dual side tipping of fruit to the desired outlet on a single conveyor. The patented carrier designed by Compac is considered by the fruit industry as the most versatile and flexible design available to handle a wide range of fruit and vegetables.
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1995 - 1998
Compac sorting machines gain market share in Europe and the USA for Kiwifruit, Stonefruit, Tomatoes and Citrus.
1995 - Saw the first Compac sorters installed into the United States.
1997 - Compac 4 lane sorter for presizing Apples is installed in Montauban , France.
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1999
Many new Compac sorters were sold around the world during this period. In the United States in particular, Compac installed sorters for Citrus, Onions, Stonefruit, Apples and Tomatoes.
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2000
Compac develops technology for blemish grading, frost sorting, sugar testing, and increased software functionality for standard color and weight produce sorting.
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2001
Compac installs the first commercial installation of the advanced InVision 9000 Blemish grading system for Citrus in California.
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2002
Compac continued to expand, with increasing sales of the new InVision 9000 Blemish systems for Citrus based on the performance of the first installation in 2001.
The first Compac sizer was installed in Chile for the 2003 packing season.
One of the most advanced sorting and fruit distribution systems was installed at Gerawan Farming in California. The new Sizer V10 control software with Auto Allocation and Dynamic Distribution Systems brought a new dimension of automation to operating a packhouse, providing new efficiencies to the packing of Stonefruit by hand .
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2003
Compac installs one of the largest sorting lines in the world! A 40-lane x 60 metre long pregrade line with the InVision 9000 Blemish system and a 12-lane x 70 metre packing line for Sun Pacific in California . The 40 lane line pictured below is for Mandarins and Oranges and is capable of sorting 400 fruit per second. That's 1.44 million fruit per hour!
 
Other significant installations included a 12-lane x 87 metre long Apple sizer / color sorter for Broetje Orchards in Washington State, USA .
Gerawan Farming installs another 3 x 5-lane sorters in California with Compac Auto Allocation and Dynamic Distribution Sorting System based on the success of the first sorter installed the previous season.
Other achievements include seven sorters shipped to Italy, and new lines to Chile and South Africa.
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2004
Compac celebrates the 20th anniversary of the company with personnel reaching over 100 full time employees worldwide plus contractors and part time staff.
In March 2004 Compac expanded into a new factory adjacent the existing factory and offices. This new facility allows all processes – design, fabrication and assembly to be completed on the one site. The building features internal container loading and has sufficient space to significantly increase production.
 
A joint venture company, Compac Sorma Europe S.P.A is formed with the Sorma Group based in Cesena, Italy. This JV begins manufacturing Compac equipment and packing lines for the European market. The first Compac sorter rolls out of the new factory in August 2004 with many other projects in progress.
Over 200 lanes of sorting machines with the Compac InVision 9000 Blemish system are now installed for a range of crops including Oranges, Mandarins, Lemons as well as Apples, Kiwifruit and Pomegranates.
Sun Pacific install their second 12-lane packing line for the Mandarin facility at Maricopa, CA based on the performance of the lines installed in 2003.
More than 40% of the Washington State, USA apple crop is now sorted according to color and size with Compac technology.
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2005
In Washington State, USA, a 20-lane pregrade line is installed at Zirkle Fruit Company based on the success of an 8-lane Apple pre-grade line with Compac InVision 9000 Blemish technology installed at Larson Fruit in 2004. Additional software features were also installed to improve the performance of water flumes feeding Hydrofiller bin filling systems.
InVision 9000 Blemish systems continue to develop with a successful Kiwifruit season removing physical damage as well as external shape and blemishes from Zespri Gold Kiwifruit.
Sun Pacific's Maricopa facility is expanded to 84 lanes of Compac technology under the one roof after the installation of a 20-lane Compac sorter.
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