Lettuce Gutter system

6. IMPORTANT FACTORS







Population growth
Water management
Land scarcity
Global warming
Labour
Efficiency
Energy

7. Population in Billion
Emerging markets
Industrial Countries

8. FOOD DEMAND
 Since second half of the 20th century the global
food production doubled
 The grains demand is projected to be doubled
again from 2000 to 2050

9. WATER SHORTAGE
70% of 0,5%
used for
agriculture
irrigation

10. LIMITED FERTILE LAND

11. GLOBAL WARMING

12. SUMMARY
IN
2050

13. WHY PROTECTED CULTIVATION
A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION

14. CASE STUDY
Production per hectare
Water consumption
Ltr for each kilogram
30 to 50 tons
400 to 500 ltr
500 to 800 tons
40 to 50 ltr

15. HEALTHY ORGANIC FOOD

16. Holland is…..

17. No 2 Agricultural
exporter in the world

18. No 2 exporter of
tomatoes
in the world

19. FACT SHEET THE NETHERLANDS
General
 Small country (1/3 of Cambodia 41.528 km²)
 Moderate climate
 16.4 million people
Economy
 An open market economy with an international orientation
 High level financial and professional services
 Transit sector that plays a key role on an international level

20. THE NETHERLANDS FACTSHEET
 In 2009 Dutch horticulture responsible for 39% of the agricultural
production = 7,0 billion Euros.
Furthermore in 2009:
 The export = 14,5 billion Euros
 The import = 7,9 billion Euros
 Total employment = 745.000
 Contribution to the surplus of Dutch trade balance
Horticulture is important for the Dutch economy!!

21. HOLLAND IS FACING CHALLENGES

22. NEGATIVE FACTORS
LABOR PRICES
PRICES & PROFIT

23. NEGATIVE FACTORS







High labor costs
Increasing energy prices
Lack of skilled personnel
Margins under pressure
Just on demand delivery
Land scarcity
Etc…

24. SCALING UP EFFECTIVELY
 HIGHLY PRODUCTIVE
 UP TO 30HA OF PRODUCTION PER
LOCATION
 COMPANIES MERGE, ARE TAKEN OVER
OR EXPAND
 SHAKE OUT OF SMALL COMPANIES

25. 2004

26. 2004 - 2010

27. 2004 - 2010

28. HOW THE DUTCH ARE COPING WITH
ALL THESE CHALLENGES？
ANSWER：INNOVATIONS

29. BENEFITS OF INNOVATIONS





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Higher productions
Better water and energy management
Quality & food safety
Less pesticide -> biological control
Less human error -> more profit
Sustainable -> financial & environmental
Etc…

30. BETTER HYGIENE & CONTROL

31. BETTER GREENHOUSE
MANAGEMENT

32. WATER SAVINGS

33. MORE PRODUCTIONS PER M2

34. SIMILAR CHALLENGES WORLD WIDE



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
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Growing demand of better vegetables
More consumers, less producers
Decreasing supply of labor and increasing labor cost
Land and energy supplies are under pressure
Just on time delivery
Food safety & regulations
Etc..

35. CHALLENGES WORLD WIDE






Width spectrum of products needed
Food safety: certification & regulation
Huge distances, lack of distribution Centre's
Increasing costs of labor and energy prices
Relatively Low level of technology
Etc..

36. HOW CAN THE YOU DEAL WITH
ALL THESE CHALLENGES？

37. ANSWER: INNOVATIONS







Learn from the mistakes from the Dutch!
Scale up effectively and efficient
Inside out design
Mechanisation & automation in order to decrease labor costs
Energy, water & climate management
Training, consultancy and education
But in all cases: Adapted to local conditions

38. EXPENSIVE? AFFORDABLE?

39. LETTUCE GUTTER SYSTEM

40. PROPOSAL 1
(1 ha)

41. YOUNG PLANT AREA
GROWING AREA

42. PRODUCTION CALCULATIONS
BASICS
Germination Temp
Growing Temp
Pots round/square in mm
Distance between plants in mm
Working day's
Hours per day
Total greenhouse area in m2
Summer weeks
Growing cycle in weeks summer
Winter weeks
Growing cycle in weeks winter
16°-18° C
18°-24° C
50
200
6
9
10.360
30
3
22
4

43. PRODUCTION CALCULATIONS
GUTTER SYSTEM PRODUCTIONS
Gutter length in mm
Amount of plants per gutter
Amount of plants per m2
Amount of gutters per row
Amount of rows available for growing
Net growing area in m2
Total plants in growing area
Production per year average (summer & winter)
Dropout in %
Production results after dropout
Production results in Kg
8.870
43
Variable
600
11
10.360
283.800
4.398.900
5%
4.178.955
940.265

44. PRODUCTION CALCULATIONS
Production per week summer
94.600
Production per day summer
15.767
Amount of guters to harvest per day summer
367
Amount of gutters per hour summer
41
Amount of lettuce per line per week
8.600
Production per week winter
70.950
Production per day winter
11.825
Amount of gutters harvest per day winter
Amount of gutters per hour winter
Yield per year/m2
275
31
425

45. WORKING PRINCIPLE
SEEDING & GERMINATION
The production of the lettuce will first start with the production of the young plants itself. Type of
growing medium is not chosen yet, but most likely it will the choice will be between Rockwool
plugs or Sublime foam blocks from Bas van Buuren for example. The size of these blocks can be
determined in a later stage, but most likely the dimensions of these blocks are 40x40mm or even
50x50mm. The seeder is are able to handle different kind of seeds. Most likely tray’s will be filled
with 54 plant each. After the tray’s have been seeded, the trays must be placed by hand onto a
Danish trolley for example for transportation towards the germination room. The germination
room is a separate room, most likely created in the service area, which is not located in the
production area for now.

46. WORKING PRINCIPLE
SEEDING & GERMINATION
After a couple of days, the seeds are germinated and the trays with the small rooted plants should
be placed on so-called ‘planting tables’. These planting tables are made out of ‘rolling conveyors’,
which are mounted on a concrete base. By adding more tray’s into one line, the oldest tray’s will be
pushed forward automatically towards the end of this planting line.

47. WORKING PRINCIPLE
TRANSPLANTING & GROWING AREA
After app 2 weeks, the young plants are big enough and ready to be transplanted into a clean
empty gutter. Between the planting tables and the gutter system a small ‘working space’ is created
for workers to transplant the young plants into the gutters. By pushing a button, the system will
provide the worker 6 empty clean gutters at the same time (on one spot only for now). The gutters
will be pushed on a manual roller conveyor system, which is mounted underneath the gutter
system along all 11 stations. The worker needs to transport the gutters towards the right section
before he or she can start transplanting. The gutters must be placed by hand into the right section
(1-11). The gutter has a net. Length of app. 8.900mm and can carry 43 plants on a row. For lettuce
the CTC distance on the gutter is now set to 200mm. Once the gutters are filled with young plants,
the worker can push another button to activate the first section in that particular line, in order to
move the gutters away. So each section has his own push button to activate that first section.

48. WORKING PRINCIPLE
SPACING OF LETTUCE
All movements inside the tracks are automatically via a pull unit mechanism driven by 3 hydraulic
cylinders per track. The gutters are moved towards the end of the system (packing line)
simultaneously, increasing the distance between the gutters by the need of space that the plants
require. At this moment we created the following spacing’s according to the following sheet:
SECTION
AMOUNT
SPACING
SECTION
AMOUNT
SPACING
66
158,4
Section 1
102
86,4
Section 6
Section 2
66
100,8
Section 7
66
172,8
Section 3
66
115,2
Section 8
66
187,2
Section 4
66
129,6
Section 5
66
144
Section 9
Section 10
66
66
201,6
216
Section 11
66
230,4

49. WORKING PRINCIPLE
IRRIGATION
In the irrigation system the water is dosed to the gutters from pressure compensated drip emitters
with app 0,7 litre/min/gutter. Water flows from the water return gutters towards the circulation
water tanks that are mounted underneath this system. From the tanks the water is pumped to the
fully automatic filtration system. Cleaning of the filtration system is done with fresh water. So each
gutter has its own water dripper. The drippers are assembled in the steel coated profile of the
gutter by ‘grommets’.

50. WORKING PRINCIPLE
HARVESTING
Harvesting takes place at the end of each line. In total there are 11 positions where workers can
harvest the gutters. By pushing on a button, one section can be activated individually. The gutter
will be pushed away towards the end of the line, where the packing table is ocated. We suggest
working with 2 workers at one line at the same time. Each worker has his own working table. The
working tables can be transported along the complete line and can cover all stations if necessary.
On the working table, the worker can clean the lettuce for packing. The salads can be packed and
placed into an empty crate or box for example. The crates can be stored onto a roller conveyor
system, which is mounted along the gable of the greenhouse. For the moment 2 manual roller
conveyors will be supplied: one to transport empty boxes towards the working locations and 1 line
for full boxes to return to the main packing area. After harvesting, empty gutters should be placed
onto a manual roller conveyor system, which is located underneath the packing lines.

51. WORKING PRINCIPLE
HARVESTING & WASHING
This roller conveyor is connected to all packing positions. Except near the washer, the gutters on
the roller conveyors need to be moved my hand.
A washer cabinet will be located underneath the system and consists of a high pressure pump unit
and a spray cabinet of app 40 x 70cm. The gutters will be brushed and cleaned by water via highpressure nozzles. Wastewater will be collected and will be connected to a pipe that drains the
water out.

52. YOUNG PLANTS BEING TRANSPLANTED

53. OVERHEAD IRRIGATION AND SPRAYING

54. 3D VIEW GUTTER SYSTEM

55. SPACING OF GUTTERS

56. SPACING GUTTERS 2

57. SUPPORT SYSTEM BY TRELLIS 1-11

58. SUPPORT SYSTEM EMPTY GUTTERS

59. FINAL PRODUCT

60. PROPOSAL 2
‘FUTURE IDEAS’
4 PHASES 12 HA TOTAL

61. LETTUCE GUTTER SYSTEM PHASE 1 TO 4
PHASE 4
PHASE 1
PHASE 3
PHASE 2

62. SECOND
LAYER
WORKING
AREA
LETTUCE GUTTER SYSTEM PHASE 1
GROWING AREA

63. WORKING AREA

64. SECOND LAYER YOUNG PLANT PRODUCE

65. WORKING PRINCIPLE
NURSERY
The production of the lettuce starts with the production of the young plants. In the plant nursery
located at the second floor, you will be able to make your own young plants. Seeding and
germination takes place at or around position A. After a certain period of time the plants will be
moved out of the germination room towards positions B where the plants in tray will be placed by
hand in to an empty clean container.
A full container can be moved by hand towards a lift, positioned at C. The lift transports the
container with young plant material towards the second breeding floor. From the lift the containers
will move automatically into one of the lanes available. Probably you will rotate them in loop D.
After a certain growing period the young plants need to be spaced. In order to space the plants, the
containers will travel via the lift at C, towards position E where spacing is taking place. After spacing
the young plants will move upstairs for a certain period of time (F and G). Once the young plants
are big enough and ready to be transplanted the containers should be transported towards
position H. At position H the young plants will be transplanted into a clean empty gutter.

66. WORKING PRINCIPLE
GUTTER SYSTEM
Transplanting the young plants into the gutters is done per 6 gutters. There is a buffer of gutters
created in order to keep on transplanting without stopping. 12 gutters will move automatically
towards the end of the track where the transport robot (I) will pick up 12 gutters at the same
time. This robot will move automatically along the side gable of the greenhouse in path J. The
gutters will grow towards the harvesting side (K).
The movements of the gutters along the 17 bay’s are automatically by an engine driven roller
conveyor system. All movements inside the track are automatically via a pull unit mechanism
driven by hydraulic cylinders. The gutters are moved towards the packing end simultaneously,
increasing the distance between the gutters by the need of space which the plant requires. At
this moment we created 10 different spacing’s, but this can be adjusted according to your
requirements

67. WORKING PRINCIPLE
Once the gutters arrive at position K, the gutters will move automatically towards the working area
where the gutter will be harvested.
IRRIGATION
In the irrigation system the water is dosed to the gutters from pressure compensated drip emitters.
Water flows from the water return gutters to the circulation water tank. From the tanks the water
is pumped to the fully automatic filtration system (not supplied by Hawe). Cleaning of the filtration
system is done with fresh water. So each gutter has its own water dripper. The drippers are
assembled in the aluminium profile of the gutter by ‘grommets’.

68. WORKING PRINCIPLE
HARVESTING
Harvesting takes place in a central working/packing area. The commands to harvest gutters should
be given into the PLC (touchscreen panel) or on a PC (SDF). The system will release one or multiple
gutters from one specific bay and it will travel via an engine driven roller conveyor line towards the
working area. The gutters will be shifted a side in order to line them up into one of the 3 packing
lines.
Along these 3 lines, workers pick up the lettuce and drop them onto an engine driven transport
belt, which goes into a flow packing line. The flow packing line will seal the lettuce according to
your requirements (need to be discussed in detail). The empty gutters will travel through a washer
cabinet which is installed in the same line as the packing stations

69. WORKING PRINCIPLE
WASHING
The washer cabinet consists of a high pressure pump unit and a spray cabinet of app 40 x 70cm.
The gutters will be brushed and cleaned by water via high-pressure nozzles. Wastewater will be
collected and will be connected to a pipe that drains the water out.
Once the gutters have been cleaned, the gutters will be side shifted, buffered and transported
towards the growing area again. In the mean time the gutters will travel lower and lower in order
to be moved underneath the system back to the working area where the process starts over from
the beginning.

70. PRODUCTION CALCULATIONS
BASICS
Germination Temp
Growing Temp
Pots round/square in mm
Distance between plants in mm
Working day's
Hours per day
Total greenhouse area in m2
Summer weeks
Growing cycle in weeks sumer
Winter weeks
Growing cycle in weeks winter
16°-18° C
18°-24° C
50
200
6
9
30.240
30
3
22
4

71. PRODUCTION CALCULATIONS
GUTTER SYSTEM PRODUCTIONS
Gutter length in mm
Amount of plants per gutter
Amount of plants per m2
Amount of gutters per row
Amount of rows available for growing
Netto growing area in m2
Total plants in growing area
Production per year average (summer & winter)
Dropout in %
Production results after dropout
Production results in Kg
11.770
57
Variable
720
17
25.704
697.680
10.814.040
5%
10.273.338
2.311.501

72. PRODUCTION CALCULATIONS
Production per week summer
Production per day summer
Amount of gutters to harvest per day summer
232.560
38.760
680
Amount of gutters per hour summer
76
Amount of lettuce per line per week
13.680
Production per week winter
Prodcution per day winter
Amount of gutters harvest per day winter
Amount of gutters per hour winter
Yield per year/m2
174.420
29.070
510
57
421

73. WATER STORAGE TANKS

74. PUMP STATIONS

75. FERTILZER UNITS

76. FERTILIZER UNTIS

77. FILTRATION

78. DESINFECTION

79. FULL PACKAGE