Smarter packaging at Growers United: less handwork, more continuity
Growers United is all about scale, speed and freshness. The cooperative of growers’ associations delivers tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and eggplants daily to customers at home and abroad. In that chain, the packing locations play a key role. At the main location, investments were recently made in an innovative crate unfolding machine from Reintjes, with measurable results.
Thousands of crates, every day
“On an annual basis, we process millions of clapboard crates here,” says a Growers United representative. “That work is repetitive, heavy and not exactly the most enjoyable part of the line. Moreover, it can cause disruptions in the production process.” So the question was clear: Can this be done smarter, faster and less stressful?
From potential to practice
Reintjes Systems came up with a working concept early on. “The machine was not yet fully developed, but we immediately saw potential,” said Growers United. “What won us over was the confidence Reintjes exuded in their product as well as in the cooperation. As a result, we dared to embark on the development process together.”
That confidence proved justified: the final solution fits the production needs seamlessly. The machine is directly linked to a buffer that serves 50% of the production lines, a total of 12 lines. Thanks to this automation, manual stacking and unfolding is completely a thing of the past. The savings? Over one FTE.
One touch, ready for every crate
The strength of this Reintjes machine lies in its flexibility. Growers United works with a wide range of crate types. Switching from one type to another is fully automatic, at the push of a button. No mechanical conversion is required, which ensures speed and reliability.
The collaboration between Growers United and Reintjes Systems shows what is possible when technology and practice really reinforce each other. Less manual work, more continuity. Exactly what the fresh produce chain needs.
