November 21, 2023 – Key Technology (“Key”), a member of Duravant’s Food Sorting and Handling Solutions group, announces the promotion of Harry van de Wiel to Vice President and General Manager – NL. Based in the Netherlands (NL), van de Wiel is responsible for developing and leading strategies that bring Key’s high-performance optical sorting, conveying and other process automation systems, as well as world-class service, to food processors throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) in addition to China, India and Southeast Asia.
“Food processors and packers across these regions are facing a huge challenge – extreme weather is impacting the quality of field crops, increasing the prevalence of defects found in raw products. Now, processors and packers must work harder and smarter to adequately prepare their product for consumers. Our advanced sorters, graders and other equipment are invaluable tools for managing product quality, and great leadership at Key in EMEA and Asia helps fuel customer success,” said Jack Lee, Duravant Group President - Food Sorting and Handling Solutions. "Harry is a strategic thinker with a big-picture perspective. He sees opportunities and creates a clear path forward. Add his strong professional background and technical knowledge, and Harry is the ideal person to lead Key in these important regions.”
Van de Wiel brings 33 years of experience in food processing automation. He’s been with Key for two years, most recently as Senior Director of Sales Engineering and Process Engineering for EMEA and Asia and, before that, as Director of Projects and Engineering for EMEA. For 16 years, he owned and managed Innotec Systems B.V., a global supplier of food processing equipment.
“Key has achieved exponential market growth in EMEA and Asia over the last five years. As customers entrust us with more business, it’s crucial that we continue to keep the customer at the center of everything we do – that’s our single highest priority. This means understanding our customers’ goals, keeping the lines of communication open and developing new technologies that solve previously intractable problems,” said van de Wiel. “Key is the total package. With 75 years of experience and best-in-class global engineering, sales and service teams, we know how to design, build and support innovative and reliable systems that help processors and packers optimize product quality, protect food safety and increase profitability.”
Key manufactures its optical sorters, conveyors and other food handling systems in Beusichem, the Netherlands for processors in the EMEA and Asia regions. Duravant’s Customer Experience Center in Hasselt, Belgium showcases technologies from Key alongside systems from Marlen, WECO and other Duravant companies.
For more information about Key Technology, visit www.key.net.
About Key Technology, Inc.
Key Technology is a global leader in the design and manufacture of automation systems including digital sorters, conveyors and other processing equipment. Applying processing knowledge and application expertise, Key helps customers in the food processing and other industries improve quality, increase yield and reduce cost. Key manufactures its products in Walla Walla, Washington, USA; Redmond, Oregon, USA; and in Beusichem, the Netherlands. Key offers customer demonstration and testing services at five locations including Walla Walla and Beusichem as well as Hasselt, Belgium; Sacramento, California, USA; and Melbourne, Australia; and maintains a sales and service office in Santiago de Queretaro, Mexico. Key is a Duravant Company. For more information, visit www.key.net.
About Duravant
Headquartered in Downers Grove, IL, Duravant is a global engineered equipment company with manufacturing, sales and service facilities throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Through their portfolio of operating companies, Duravant delivers trusted end-to-end process solutions for customers and partners through engineering and integration expertise, project management and operational excellence. With worldwide sales distribution and service networks, they provide immediate and lifetime aftermarket support to all the markets they serve in the food processing, packaging and material handling sectors. Duravant’s market-leading brands are synonymous with innovation, durability and reliability. For more information, visit www.duravant.com.
Lene Boes
Key Technology
Bedrijfsstraat 6b
B-3500 Hasselt, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0) 11 26 70 38
lboes@key.net
www.key.net
Buffy Hagerman
Key Technology
150 Avery Street
Walla Walla, WA 99362 USA
Tel: +1 509 540 7415
bhagerman@key.net
www.key.net
Cat McBride
McBride Public Relations
527 27th Street
Richmond, CA 94804 USA
Tel: +1 650 384 5727
connect@mcbridepr.com
www.mcbridepr.com