- 1-800-667-6924
- info@vistasort.com
- 835 - 58th Street East, Saskatoon, SK
Canadian-owned since 1986. 2,000+ machines supplied. 150+ VistaSort color sorters across Canada and the US. Based in Saskatoon, serving processors from the Prairies to the world.
Vistasort is a Canadian-owned seed and grain processing equipment company based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Founded in 1986 by Bernie Chivilo, we have spent nearly four decades supplying optical color sorters, air screen cleaners, gravity separators, seed treating systems, and packaging equipment to agricultural operations across Canada and internationally.
Over 2,000 machines supplied to the Canadian seed industry. More than 150 VistaSort color sorters running across Canada and the US. Complete turnkey processing plants designed and built from the ground up. That is the track record behind every recommendation we make.
When you call Vistasort, you speak with someone who has been on the floor of processing operations across this country — and knows what actually works.
Vistasort was founded by Bernie Chivilo in 1986. His son Steven joined that same year and has spent four decades building the company into one of Canada's most trusted sources of seed cleaning and grain processing expertise.
Steven's credentials are not just years on the job. He holds a Master's Certificate in Grain Operations Management from Kansas State University and is an active certified Project Management Professional (PMP) — a combination that shapes how Vistasort approaches every project, from a single machine installation to a full facility build.
His core belief has never changed: help customers succeed, and the business takes care of itself. Over 40 years and 2,000+ machines, that philosophy has proven itself across every size and type of agricultural operation in Canada.
Bernie Chivilo founded Vistasort in 1986 and immediately hit the road, introducing himself and the equipment — Clipper air screen cleaners, LMC grain gravity separators, and more — to the Canadian agricultural industry. Steven joined the company that same year while attending the University of Saskatchewan, learning the business from the ground up: traveling with his father, repairing and rebuilding machines in the shop and in the field. Chris Hammel also joined in the early days, and has remained one of the most trusted figures in the business ever since.
Through trade shows — including the Crop Production Show right here in Saskatoon — training seminars, and hands-on field work, Vistasort established itself across Western Canada. The company expanded its equipment range into grass and forage seed, specialty crops, and pulses — recognizing early that no single machine or discipline covers the full complexity of the processing industry. These were challenging and exciting years of growth.
Following the sudden and unexpected loss of his father Bernie in 1995, Steven was asked to take over and continue growing the company. He turned to Chris Hammel — who had been part of the Vistasort team since the very beginning in 1986, and is today one of Canada's most respected sources of expertise in the seed cleaning and grain processing industry — and together they led Vistasort into its next phase of growth.
Steven took Vistasort into international equipment sales, exporting machinery to Mongolia, Ukraine, Russia, Chile, Turkey, and China. These projects built relationships with leading agricultural companies worldwide and sharpened the team's understanding of global grain processing standards. In parallel, Steven built an engineering and drafting team to design and build complete, turnkey seed cleaning plants — including the Strathmore Seed Cleaning Plant, Galloway Seeds, Starland Seed Plant, and Camrose County Seed Cleaning Plant.
Steven and the team developed the VistaSort optical color sorter — sourcing expertise from the US and international manufacturing partners to build a machine that delivers top-quality color sorting precision and capacity at a fair price point. Making high-performance equipment accessible to Canadian processors has been a core belief of Steven's throughout his career.
In 2025, Steven Chivilo was awarded the Alberta Seed Processors Outstanding Service Award — a recognition of four decades of dedicated service to Canada's seed processing industry, presented by Greg Andrews, GM of Three Hills & District Seed Cleaning Plant. A meaningful acknowledgement of the long-term relationships that have always been at the heart of how Vistasort operates.
With over 150 VistaSort color sorters now running across Canada and the US in just over a decade, the machine has proven itself across wheat, canola, pulses, specialty crops, and food-grade applications. Steven continues to innovate — incorporating artificial intelligence into the next generation of the VistaSort to push the boundaries of sorting precision and speed.
Forty years and 2,000+ machines have taught us a few things. Here is what separates Vistasort from every other supplier in the market.
Headquartered in Saskatoon — the geographic and commercial centre of Western Canadian grain farming — since 1986. We stock parts locally. We know our customers. We are here when it matters, not referring you to a distributor in another country.
There is no single sorter or cleaner that fits every crop and throughput requirement. We take the time to understand what you are processing, what grades you need to hit, and what your capacity targets are — before we recommend anything.
Our team provides installation support, operator training, and ongoing technical assistance. If a machine needs a part, we are not telling you to ship it to a factory overseas. Parts are stocked in Saskatoon. Support is direct and immediate.
Wheat, durum, canola, lentils, chickpeas, peas, flaxseed, grass seed, and specialty crops all have different optical, density, and dimensional characteristics. We understand how each behaves through every stage of processing and configure equipment accordingly.
From a single replacement machine to a complete turnkey plant build, Vistasort handles the full scope. Named completed projects include the Strathmore Seed Cleaning Plant, Galloway Seeds, Starland Seed Plant, and Camrose County Seed Cleaning Plant — with more across Canada every year.
Vistasort developed the VistaSort color sorter in 2011 and now has 150+ units running in Canada and the US. The next generation is being built with artificial intelligence — continuing the commitment to bringing the best available technology to Canadian processors at a fair price.
Vistasort works with agricultural operations of all sizes across Canada. If you are cleaning, sorting, treating, or packaging seed or grain — we have the equipment and experience to help.
On-farm seed cleaning and sorting for direct sale, retained seed production, or conditioning before delivery to elevators or buyers. Scalable cleaning equipment matched to your acres and crop mix.
Processing certified seed for distribution, retail, and export. High-precision optical sorting, gravity separation, and treating systems to meet variety purity and germination standards.
Grade segregation and quality control at commercial scale. High-throughput air screen cleaners, scalpers, and color sorters for managing large volumes across multiple crop types.
Precise optical sorting for lentils, peas, chickpeas, soybeans, canola, flaxseed, and other high-value crops requiring strict colour, size, and foreign-material standards for domestic and export markets.
Strict colour, foreign-material, and damaged-kernel tolerances for malt barley, food-grade wheat, and specialty food crops. CCD and near-infrared optical sorting configured for the most demanding grade specs.
Complete turnkey processing plant design and build — facility layout, equipment selection, conveyance integration, installation, commissioning, and operator training. See our plant design service.
3D Design Render
Completed FacilityThe Starland facility demonstrates Vistasort's full turnkey capability — from 3D facility layout design through complete construction and equipment integration. The facility includes full seed cleaning and processing lines, optical color sorting, conveyance systems, and packaging automation, all integrated into a single optimized production facility.
Whether you are replacing a single machine or starting from an empty building, the approach is the same: understand the operation first, then recommend the right equipment.
What crops are you running? What grades do you need to hit? What is your throughput target? We ask the questions that determine which equipment actually fits — before we recommend anything.
We select from our full portfolio — VistaSort color sorters, cleaners, gravity separators, treating systems, packaging — to build a solution that fits your volume, crop types, and grade targets. Nothing specced in excess, nothing left out.
Equipment is sourced, delivered, and installed by our team. Commissioning includes full setup, calibration, and test runs with your product to confirm the machine is performing to spec before we leave.
Your team is trained on operation, adjustment, and routine maintenance. We remain available for technical questions after commissioning. Parts are stocked in Saskatoon for quick turnaround when you need them.
Vistasort represents a carefully selected set of equipment manufacturers — brands that have proven themselves in Canadian conditions over many years of use in real processing operations. We also manufacture the VistaSort color sorter.
Whether you have a specific machine in mind or you are starting from scratch, we will work through it with you. No obligation — just a straightforward conversation with someone who has 40 years in this industry and knows what works.
Call +1-306-242-9292 | Toll-free +1-800-667-6924 | info@vistasort.com
