SIMPEX continues to strengthen its bonds with SATAKE,
particularly in the rice milling sector

(Hiroshima, Japan – Satake Asia’s agents together with Satake Corp.’s President,Mr. Kazuhiza Matsomoto [left photo] and Chairman, Mr. Kazuyuki Kihara [right photo])

Following the successful 3rd Satake Asia’s Agent Meeting held from July 31 to August 2, 2024, at Satake Corporation’s head office in Hiroshima, Japan, Simpex Machineries, Inc. proudly received the ‘Satake Asia’s New Market Development Award’ for its exceptional sales performance of Satake’s non-rice machines in the Philippine market.

The agent’s meeting was attended by the core group from Simpex, led by its President and CEO, along with the VP for Operations & Administrations and the VP for Engineering & Technical Services Divisions. Additionally, the team responsible for marketing and selling the rice milling line was also present.

Satake Asia’s annual agents meeting focuses on continuous improvement in sales and technical aspects, addressing the challenges of the current global market. This year’s meeting was also attended by representatives from 10 other Satake agents across the Asian region.

The event showcased the latest advancements and improvements in Satake’s machinery, detailing the development process behind their current milling technology.


 


Attendees had the opportunity to visit Satake’s Rice Mill studio, where the ‘MILSTA’ was exhibited. MILSTA, a next-generation rice-milling plant, features Satake’s latest technology and vision, including a fully automated feeding unit capable of unpacking 500 rice bags per hour. One of its key features is the depalletizer, which securely transfers rice bags to the conveyors, regardless of how unevenly they are stacked. This technology also emphasizes a ‘long-life rice process,’ which evenly disinfects and effectively removes insects and eggs.

             

(Simpex group at the Satake Rice Mill studio showcasing MILSTA together with Satake Japan’s Mr. Mitsu Hisada)

The new rice milling unit of MILSTA is powered by an automated classification system that eliminates the need for human adjustment in milling operations, ensuring uniform grain whiteness and consistent rice quality. MILSTA also includes a new optical sorting system that is 1.7 times faster than previous models. This sorting system uses unique piezo air valve technology to increase the yield of good grains by 10%.

Additionally, the ‘rinse-free rice production system’ was featured as part of MILSTA, utilizing ultra-micro bubble water technology to improve the taste and yield of the product.

The final unit showcased was the ‘weighing and packaging unit,’ which eliminates the possibility of foreign contamination by requiring only one person for operation. MILSTA is remotely operated by the SATAKE iNetwork System, which connects the entire process seamlessly.

A visit was also made to an existing rice mill and sake brewery plant that utilizes Satake machines.

Furthermore, Satake’s head technicians presented their upcoming products, set to launch between the 4th quarter of 2024 and the 1st quarter of 2025. The discussions also covered Satake’s future plans, new technologies, forthcoming timelines and improvements, and new business opportunities for both rice and non-rice industries. Improvements in machine standardization, price listing, ordering, and shipping processes were also discussed.

Agents had the opportunity to present their companies, showcasing their capabilities and accomplishments, as well as discussing the challenges they face when offering Satake machines to prospective clients.

Simpex has been partnering with Satake Corporation since the 1990s, focusing on various grain sectors such as wheat, barley, coffee beans, etc. The partnership continues to strengthen, now extending to Satake Asia, which handles the rice milling sectors.