" We are currently in the eye of spring production and our early spring sales are going well . We are busybodied with planting for Mother ’s Day and the May / June cut-rate sale . Our hanging basket systems are all full to content – we could n’t grow the amount of baskets we do without them , " aver Philip Pannekoek , Business Owner at Panamara Acres ( Chilliwack , Canada ) when blab out about the Metazet pay heed hoop system .
Family photograph
Mainly give ear basketsPanamara Acres is a 26,000 sq ft ( 2400 sq mt ) gutter - connected glasshouse , including a planting and transport warehouse with loading docks . It also has rough 10,000 sq ft ( 900 sq m ) of polytunnels which are mainly used to finish crops at cooler temperatures . Pannekoek and his wife Jody start Panamara Acres in 2009 , and a yr by and by they started produce . The company get down out with a focus on growing pay heed baskets for independent Garden Centers , but they now also turn planter and a whole selection of bedding plant on the nursery floor . " We started it as a side business while I was working as Head Grower at DeVry Greenhouses , a large bedding flora greenhouse in Chilliwack . In our first two years of operation , we sign grew hanging baskets for DeVry while I continued my job as Head Grower . In 2012 I left DeVry , and that was the first twelvemonth that we part producing our own Cartesian product for our own grocery - which are mostly main garden centers and occasionally larger agriculturist . "
One of the first investmentsHanging basket systems were one of the first things that the companionship invested in . In 2010 the company installed four system and an additional two in 2017 . presently , 70 % of Panamara Acres ’s baskets are on these systems . ( The remaining 30 % are hung over pathways and its warehouse using a scissor lift , and they are watered with drippers ) . The automated hanging basket system are from Metazet , a Dutch society , and made in North America . Panamara Acres was one of the first businesses to install them in North America .
This videoshows the hanging basket system at Panamara Acres .
AdvantagesAccording to Metazet ’s Dennis van Gaalen , General Manager of Metazet Canada these systems have multiple reward include creating additional spring up space , easing work , lowering proletariat costs , and providing dependable conditions for crops and multitude . Metazet highlights that the systems can be used as an surplus cultivation layer above each other and that they allow raiser to pee plants automatically . Moreover , they state that the systems can be customized to existing and new nursery . Pannekoek sum : " One of the main benefits of these organisation is that a incision of the path lowers to working height . So , we do n’t want ladders or lifts to reach the baskets , making it much safer and easier for our employee . " Further , it ’s worth mention that the systems are suitable for both minor and larger company . of late , 65 bay of 450 meters of the system have been establish at a Dutch nursery , providing place for a total of 65,000 hang up plant .
Advantage of hang field goal systems at Panamara AcresSo why did Panamara Acres choose this organization ? Pannekoek : " We ab initio choose this hanging basketball hoop organization for labor savings , since the first yoke years we were in line I still had a full - time business . We needed something that would be leisurely and fast for hang and shipping basket , as we did it too soon in the cockcrow or in the even . These organization ' main welfare is that we can chop-chop ship a system empty and re - hang it with baskets again , giving us the ability to finish more baskets for the spring market . In each system , we can fall about 800 baskets . ( The amount of plants depends on the length of the system . ) With three people we can ship a system empty and rehang it full again within 3 hours . It is also very convenient for water the baskets , as this is done automatically by a calculator eye as the system of rules move the basket around . However , we learn in our former years that we must be very proactive with watering in this way , as it can take 1.5 hours for the organisation to finish its cycle . On a blistering twenty-four hour period plants can dry out quickly and you ca n’t just work a tap on to water all the field goal at the same time- we call for to hold back for the scheme to water . "
He continue : " Because the spring season is quite brusque , we require to maximize the number of crops we can grow . If we wanted to do the same amount of turns that we do now ( with these organization ) we would necessitate another 5 employees , to finagle the cargo ships and rehanging . Instead , we currently have 1 local full - meter employee and 2 seasonal workers from Guatemala . The system allow us to grow and sell many baskets in a modest field with very little Labour Party . The systems are a big investing . I would say the style we grow and maximise their exercise , the payback is around 3 - 4 years . It might be faster now because of the increase in Labour Party price . "
Expansion plans?“We have no plans to increase our field goal yield , so I do n’t see us installing any more system unless we add on more greenhouses . At this point we have no programme for that either . With the size of our operation , my wife and I can take care of all the yield provision , growing , sales , management , and bookkeeping . Moreover , we can make a skillful living being this size . If we were to exposit , it would call for to be a fair big expansion so we could afford higher paid employees to help with direction as it would be too much on our own . It would only make sense if we really increased our sale and profits . One of my wise man always mentioned that in this diligence , you either need to be under an Akka in size or five acres , as the in - between size usually is n’t very efficient . While we currently do n’t have program to lucubrate our wholesale concern , we would love to trade our product retail one solar day if one or more of our five daughters would be interested in unite us ! "
For more data : Philip PannekoekPanamara Acres Ltd.10905 McSween RoadChilliwack , British ColumbiaCanadaEmail:[email protected]InstagramLinkedIn
Dennis van GaalenMetazetEmail:[email protected]www.metazet.com
