ErfGoed develops rail systems for cultivation floor

ErfGoed is in the process of marketing a new flexible rail system for use on its cultivation floor. In the words of managing director Hugo Paans, many growers believe that a cultivation floor is not suited for internal vehicle movements. "Under those circumstances growers often opt for a cultivation system with an impervious surface, such as asphalt or concrete, out of necessity. But that is definitely not necessary. The development of the ErfGoed Trolley Track means that growers can profit from the ideal cultivation conditions that the cultivation floor offers them, without having to make concessions in terms of vehicle movements."

According to Paans, rail systems have already been made for use with the cultivation floor, but they are solely for specific sorts of cart. "As we have developed the system, taking it to the next level, many types of cart can now be moved to any part of the glasshouse."

From the cultivation floor to the pathway
The special trolley bridge, a sort of adapter that bridges the gap between the cultivation floor and the concrete pathway, ensures that the cart can be moved from the cultivation floor to the pathway without problems. "That was, apparently, a hurdle that growers often had to overcome. It's fine if you can move a full cart across your floor, but if you then have to lift that cart up to get it onto the pathway, the system suddenly seems quite a bit less user-friendly. So it seemed obvious that we needed to devise a solution." The special rounded shapes of the ErfGoed Trolley Track ensure that the system is easy to clean with a sweeper.

Greater opportunities
According to Paans, the ErfGoed Trolley Track is an ideal way to widen the opportunities for making a cultivation floor suitable for vehicle movements. "We delivered our first durable surface ErfGoedFloor as long ago as the nineteen-nineties. However, that floor could not be compared with the high-quality product that we lay these days. Our current cultivation floor has a unique structure that makes it the toughest cultivation floor around. So a fork-lift truck with big tires and a flat tread is going to be fine on the surface. There's no chance of rutting."

And the company from Moerkapelle has recently made a system for several growers incorporating fixed conveyor belts. "That means that the growing surface can be used as efficiently as possible, as the conveyor belts can, in most cases, also be used as a walkway. And small batches can be moved from any place without other plants having to be moved out of the way first."

Research and innovation
ErfGoed is continuously looking to improve its products. Paans: "The development of the ErfGoed Trolley Track is entirely in line with our vision of taking glasshouse horticulture and tree growing to the next level." ErfGoed will give an extensive presentation on the new rail system at the Cultivate’16 exhibition later this month.

For more information:
ErfGoed
Bredeweg 59
2751 GH Moerkapelle
T +31 (0)79 593 38 00
info@erfgoed.nl
www.erfgoed.nl