Remarkable photos from the UK. James Broekhuizen, nursery manager at Anchor Nurseries and chairman of the Cucumber and Pepper Growers Association, shares how a 50-year-old boiler has finally been removed from a boiler house.
"50 years since this boiler was built for my grandad, it has finally burnt its last therm of gas", he shares. The installation of the boiler in 1974 was part of the everlasting focus of the company to produce the best quality with the least cost.
Anchor Nurseries began in 1958 when the nursery on Thearne Lane in Woodmansey, East Yorkshire, was bought by Edward Baarda. In February 1959, it received its certificate of incorporation. Anchor Nurseries mainly grew lettuce, tomatoes, & cucumbers in the early years. Sadly, Edward Baarda died only 2 years into the formation of the company; as a result, it was left to his son-in-law, Arie Broekhuizen, to take the reins.
In 1982, Anchor Nurseries decided to focus its efforts wholly on cucumbers. To help the company specialize in the growing of cucumbers, investment was made into building new glass and improving the heating and irrigation systems.
Throughout the years, just before the new millennium began, also CHP installations were installed, and since 2012, the company has worked with a biomass boiler, with the aim of cutting down on the amount of gas being burnt on the site. Particularly, as gas prices had rocketed in the previous years, shares James, adding that in 2021, as part of the company's move away from gas, Anchor Nurseries installed a new 1.5MWH Linka Straw boiler to further help reduce gas usage on site.
And now, it was time to say goodbye, and the now 50-year-old boiler has been put to rest. "Amazing work by J Kool Engineers skating this through a very tight gap with no damage," James concludes.