Heavy, time-consuming and a job that was preferably postponed for as long as possible. For years, cleaning the cultivation tables was perhaps the least popular task at Ten Have Plant. That changed in April this year, when the family business switched to the Greeny PRO cleaning machine from Terrazza MC. "It has truly changed everything," says Carolien Ten Have. "The difference is huge."
Ten Have Plant grows Campanula, Cyclamen and Tamarind in the Netherlands and works with large numbers of cultivation tables. These need to be thoroughly cleaned on a regular basis to maintain proper hygiene. "Previously, we used a brush," Carolien explains. "But that was extremely labor-intensive. One person could clean a maximum of four tables per day. Sometimes nine or ten tables needed to be done, but at most three people could manage that. And it easily took an hour per table."
© Mirthe Walpot | FloralDaily.com
The cultivation table before using the Greeny PRO and after
Trials and tests
Various methods were tested in an attempt to make the job lighter and faster. A high-pressure cleaner, for example, but that turned out to be unsuccessful. "Everything splashed everywhere, including onto the plants. We had to install splash curtains, which only made the work more difficult. And it also used a lot of water." A vacuum cleaner and other kinds of brushes were tried as well. "They were often too heavy or actually designed for stone surfaces. And the dirt simply wouldn't come off properly."
A major issue was that it was impossible to properly clean the grooves and edges of the tables by hand. "You had to push extremely hard or tilt the brush in impossible ways, but there was always residue left behind," Carolien says. During busy periods, the cleaning was sometimes postponed altogether. "The men couldn't fit it in their schedules, and it mainly became a task for the women in the nursery. But in reality, it was far too heavy."
Greentech
That changed after Carolien visited Greentech together with her uncle. Ten Have Plant attends the exhibition every year to see which innovations could be useful. "We're always focused on development," Carolien says. "For example, we're currently working on basins. At Greentech, we came across the Greeny PRO, and it immediately caught our attention."
Since April, the machine has been used on a daily basis. "Now, one person can easily clean ten tables in a single day," Carolien explains. "And perhaps even more importantly, it only takes about fifteen minutes per table. After that, you rinse it off briefly and you're done."
© Mirthe Walpot | FloralDaily.com
The brush Ten Have Plant used previously, next to the Greeny PRO
Easy to use
The Greeny PRO is mainly used on the cultivation tables, but occasionally also on the floor. "For example, when there's a little mud, such as in the propagation area where the women work with propagation trays. A thin layer of mud often remains on the floor there, and the machine works very well for that too."
According to Carolien, the machine is very easy to use. "You can operate it with one or two hands, and it's not very heavy. Both young and older employees can work with it. That's really a major improvement." The system runs on batteries. "We have two batteries. One battery is enough for at least four tables. We swap them proactively, so we don't have to stop halfway through cleaning."
© Mirthe Walpot | FloralDaily.com
Reduced water use
Another major advantage is the reduced water consumption. "You slightly wet the table, go over it with the brush and then rinse it off. With a high-pressure cleaner, you use much more water and create a lot more mess. With a regular brush, you used just as much water, if not more."
The cleaning results are also better. "It works particularly well in the grooves and along the edges. That was simply impossible to clean properly by hand." Splashing is minimal. "Occasionally, a drop may fly off, but that usually only happens if you tilt the machine incorrectly. It depends a bit on the user."
© Mirthe Walpot | FloralDaily.com
Very satisfied
Overall, satisfaction is high. "Hygiene has improved, the work is far less physically demanding, and we spend much less time on it," Carolien concludes. "What used to be a job we always wanted to postpone has now become a routine task that gets done with ease."
For more information:
Terrazza MC
Dany Mestdag
[email protected]
www.terrazzamc.be
Ten Have Plant
+31 (0)174 627079
[email protected]
www.campanula.com
