Projects
Angeloff Flowers, Austria
Florian Angeloff Flowers (Orth an der Donau, near Vienna) has been producing tulip flowers for many years in an outdated facility in Klederling. As a valued customer of Triflor, we got in touch with him. To modernize the tulip production, we developed a plan together for a fully automated system (half containers), which can be expanded modularly.
The project consists of Venlo greenhouses with a leg height of 6 meters. In the section with a kinked roof, technical rooms have been planned, as well as the planting area, the rooting cells, and the flower cell.
Since it can get very warm in this area during spring, the flowering area is covered with milky white glass.
Regulations in Austria are very strict and more stringent than in the Netherlands.
For nearly all components, we invited both Dutch and Austrian suppliers. The list of contractors and installers shows that – despite the distance – we are still more than competitive. Only the electrical installation has been outsourced locally.
Gourmet, Grootebroek NL
Gourmet BV cultivates, processes, packages, supplies, and distributes shallots, onions, and garlic for supermarkets and wholesalers both domestically and internationally. Due to the expansion of business activities, two new warehouses of approximately 5,600 m² and 7,300 m² respectively are being constructed. Additionally, a canopy of around 1,100 m² and a staging area for finished products of approximately 800 m² are planned. Technical rooms will be located above this staging area. The 5,600 m² hall was already completed in May 2015. Agrofocus Technology handled the specifications and tendering of the technical installations (cooling, heating, storage walls). Agrofocus Technology is also closely involved in the tendering and execution of the lighting and power installation, as well as process control.
Special features:
Ammonia cooling
Separate storage for organically grown products
LED lighting in cooling cells
Status: Completed
Bloomia, South Africa
Bloomia South Africa has a year-round production of tulips in a greenhouse of about 1300 m2. Before the summer a cooling instalation in the greenhouse was installed. In the South African winter, there were problems with maintaining the proper temperature and relative humidity due to the lack of a heating installation. From the existing suppliers a heating system was proposed, whether based on propane / butane or using electric heating.
Agrofocus designed on the basis of the existing refrigeration system a heat pump system with an air distribution system. During the months that the greenhouse cooling is necessary, the waste heat from the refrigeration system can be used for dehumidification. During the months when heating is required, the refrigeration system operates as a heat pump system. The costs of the modifications to the refrigeration system will be more than compensated by the savings in energy costs.
De Boer, ‘t Veld, Holland
A.S. de Boer from 't Veld built a new construction of approx. 2.250 m for the storage of red and white cabbage, including loading pit, sanitary facilities and a canteen.
Agrofocus did the following things:
logistic design
cost estimation
structural and technical specifications and tendering process
building management
John and Ad de Boer: "Agrofocus reduced the work load a lot. With their building and technical specifications we could buy the right materials for the right price."
Characteristics: four ULO cells, ammonia cooling installation, vibro piling.
Status: project finished 2011
Mts. Sturm – van Nieuwenhuizen, Wieringerwerf, Holland
Build of a new storage room for seed potatoes.
Agrofocus made the logistic design, the estimation of costs, the licensing process, specifications and conditions and contract of building components, suction system, cooling installation, light and power station and the process regulation.
Leo Sturm: "After visiting some similar colleague companies, Agrofocus made a plan. The contractor and installer made some very competitive pricings for the specifications and conditions and technical drawings. For the most competitive price we've got an amazing storage facility for boxes. Agrofocus? Always!"
Details: Suction system with concrete walls in relation to sustainability.
Mts. Meurs, Creil, Holland
Build of a new drying hall and cold store for tulips and seed potatoes.
Agrofocus made the logistic design, the estimation of costs, the licensing process, specifications and conditions together with the judgement of offers for the buildings, cooling and heating installation, light and power station and the process regulation.
Stef Meurs: "Thanks to the specifications and conditions and the complete technical drawings there was a minimal additional work involved, both for building and installations. At the control test by Agrofocus, one of the evaporating fans was turning the wrong way. Luckily that fizzled out!"
Details: overhang was done extra acoustic in connection with minimizing noise pollution
Mts. De Graaf – Splinter, Wieringerwerf, Holland
Build of a new storage room (almost 700 m2) for storage of bulk consumption potatoes.
Agrofocus made the logistic design of this project, together with estimation of costs, the licensing process and specifications and conditions. Offers for the buildings were judged, also the underground channels, ventilation system, process regulation and the construction were supervised.
Jacco de Graaf:"With the help of Agrofocus I've got a functional storage room for a competitive price. They gave insight in the differences, which released me of a lot of work. You were a good sparring partner before, during and even after the project."
Vissers Strawberryplants, America
In a new complex 3 big storage cells, 5 flow cells and a traffic space will be build, in order to store strawberry plants. One cold storage is suitable as freezer unit at -20C.
Agrofocus specified the cooling capacity and the air distribution for the above mentioned cells. The right air distribution is tuned on the logistic processes. The temperature variation is minimal. We described the process control and subsequently reviewed the cooling technical quotes. In addition Agrofocus developed the constructional aspects of the cooling cells, in order to minimalize energy losses and guarantee uniform storage conditions.
Leon Vissers: "As a leading supplier of strawberry plants, quality has a high priority. At Agrofocus they know what's needed for that. Due to their expertise we were able to buy a fine cooling installation for a competitive price."
Details: 1 mW ammonium cooling, or 1.000 kW!!
VECO vegetables and fruit, Creil
Veco in Creil is a production company of mainly silver onions and parisian carrots. Due to succes of growing and selling silver onions there is a need for an extra processing area, new storage and transfer cells, a loading pit and a new canteen and laboratory. With the complete design, HACCP-requirements, logistics, fire safety and working conditions are of utmost importance. There is special attention regarding the materials, as they need to be sour and salt proof.
Agrofocus together with VECO, made the design taking into account the existing buildings. In the following months further details will follow in cooperation with the supplier of the processing machines and the fireproof acoustic materials.
The project will be conducted in multiple stages. In the spring of 2013 the physical elaboration will start. Firstly the loading pit with overlying canteen and laboratory will be build, whereby the storage and transfer cells will be conditioned.
Status: week 23 phase 1 almost finished
Thwan van Gennip, Lierop, Holland
Thwan van Gennip cultivation of strawberry, asparagus- and raspberry plants.
New build of cold stores and cooltechnical installations.
Agrofocus will design the logistic process as well as the establishing principles and cost budget, moreover they will make the technical design of the installations. The specifications and conditions, quotes and review of the quotes will also be done.
Status: handover January 2014
Fresh Tulips USA, Stevensburg Virginia
Fresh Tulips USA is a tulip forcing company based in Stevensburg, Viriginia.
Agrofocus made a calculation for 1,2 ha greenhouse cooling for year round tulip forcing, as well as the technical design of cold generation and the technical design of a cold transport and delivery system. Everything is big here!
On location we checked the construction of the system and the air distribution.
Natuurlijk Hopmans, Wieringerwerf, Holland
Natuurlijk Hopmans is a family company based in Wieringerwerf, it is specialized in arable farming and garden plants. The arable farming branch is medium sized with a specialization in seed potato production. The garden plants branch is recently developing and will continue to grow the upcoming years. At this moment about 1.3 ha container fields is available for this purpose.
Agrofocus will take care of the license application and tendering of a new big Venlo-greenhouse of 2.000 m² for the garden plants branch.
Status: week 50 completion
Details: greenhouse roof with hardened Low-Iron diffuse cover glass with 70% Haze function.
De Lepelaar, St Maarten, Holland
De Lepelaar is a biodynamic horticultural business growing field vegetables, greenhouse vegetables and arable crops. Besides of cultivation, De Lepelaar has its own store with grown crops.
Because of the ongoing succes of growing and selling, there is a need for an extra processing area and a space to store potatoes. We also look at the possibilities to implement solar panels.
Agrofocus determined together with De Lepelaar the position of the new barn and the connection with the existing buildings. We have taken into account logistics, future expansions and an optimal location for air inlet for potato storage.
After the cost estimation and license application the project was further developed. Constructional drawings and calculations, and specifications and conditions have been made. At registration K. Dekker was 9% cheaper than number 4.
The installation process was various, so 4 installers did the work based on our specifications and conditions.
Status: Open Day 11th April 2014
Details: half the roof is equipped with solar panels.
Flower Valley
Flower Valley is a leading tulip forcing company. The companies majority of products is being sold in British multinational grocery TESCO.
After the significant rebuilding of the greenhouse complex with a root growing hall, the lodging; preparation cells; a flower cell and a double loading pit are scheduled. For this purpose hall 6 will be equiped with a cross over ridge instead of a lightstreet. The flower cell continues untill hall 7 and will be connected with a new double loading pit.
Agrofocus assists Flower Valley with logistic integration, license application, required technical drawings and specifications, quote inquiries and construction supervision.
Status week 51 building technical aspect finished
Fresh Tulips, Montenegro (2012)
Design and coördination of a new factory for forcing tulips.
2.300 m2 greenhouse, gutterhight 6m.
1.260 m2 warehouse with insolated roof including coldstores, boilerroom, canteen and office.