"Kenya: "Healthier hands with the Cut and Hold"

The Kenyan floriculture sector is blooming. Good climate, logistics and low labor costs makes the country favourable for growing flowers, especially roses. The country is increasingly looking for and investing in new technologies to enhance productivity and the quality of flowers. However, there are still activities that cannot be automated yet in the rose cultivation. Harvesting and removing the old leaves or stems, for example, is still done manually. Therefore, the materials that are required for this manual labor should be comfortable and of high quality. This was explained by Rainer Kibbel of Original LOWE a German supplier of professional pruners and cutters at the IFTEX in Nairobi, Kenya.

Comfortable and durable cutters
"On average, pruners and cutters are used over 10.000 times a day in a rose farm. So, for the healthiness of the hands, good materials are necessary", says Kibbel. In order to offer these materials, Original LOWE invested in techniques to make their cutters more comfortable; they implemented dual shock absorbers. Besides that, they also invested in the durability of the cutters. "The high humidity in the greenhouse can corrode the bare steel surfaces of the cutters terribly. Thanks to the new coating we use, all steel parts are protected against corrosion, without changing the features of the steel," explains Kibbel.

The Cut and Hold. On the right: Rainer Kibbel with the Cut and Hold at the IFTEX.

Original LOWE offers many different cutters for different purposes. At the IFTEX, they presented their new cutter, the 'Cut and Hold'. This cutter makes it easier to harvest roses. "It is all in the word. The cutter cuts the rose and hold it. All in one movement. It enables the workers to work faster and more precise and the amount of damaged roses due to dropping on the ground can be minimized", says Kibbel.

Market opportunities
The blooming floriculture sector in Kenya, but also in South America, offers Löwe International new possibilities. "Our aim is to supply all farmers in Africa and the US with our pruners and cutters." For this reason they attended the IFTEX in Nairobi. "Attending this exhibition is the first step to entering the Kenyan market. It was the first time but it was worthwhile. A lot of rose growers showed their interest," says Kibbel. In order to enter the South American market, Original Löwe will also attend the Proflora in Bogota, Colombia.

Richard Heemskerk of HSI and Rainer Kibbel at the IFTEX.

Both, in Africa and in South America, Richard Heemskerk of HSI will distribute the cutters. "We are very pleased with Richard Heemskerk. He knows the farmers and is able to assist and advise them when choosing a type of cutter or pruner."

Original Löwe
Gebr. Schroder GmbH manufactures and distributes a large range of pruners and cutters, under the brand Original LOWE, to countries all over the world. "Currently, we supply to 90 countries," says Kibbel. Next to rose farmers, Original LOWE also offers professional pruners and loppers for all aspects of commercial and domestic Horticulture and Gardening. They provide a range of professional tools utilizing the anvil principle for applications into industry and trade, cutters like slat cutters, tube cutters, miter cutters and other specialized cutters, complete the range of quality cutting tools.

For more information

Original Löwe
Rainer Kibbel
Email: r.kibbel@original-loewe.de
www.original-loewe.de

Hortus Supplies International BV

Richard Heemskerk
www.hsibv.com