To give customers a competitive edge when producing finished containers, Van Belle Nursery re-designed their Youngplants shipping method using the principles of lean manufacturing. The new FloGo™ Shipping System saves labour while potting, reduces freight costs, and eliminates waste.
"We've been investigating different ways we could improve how we ship to our partners throughout North America, and we're excited about the benefits FloGo offers," says Diego Martinez, Van Belle's Youngplants grower. "We're always very focussed on producing great liners, but we also want to give our customers value in every part of the experience they have with our product."
Labour-saving
The key to the labour saving is that liners arrive de-potted. According to customers who have tested the new FloGo system, not having to de-pot the liners helped save anywhere from one to four people on their potting lines. Van Belle still offers the classic waxed box option, but the positive experience of customers who tested FloGo this spring is a great indicator that it will become the primary method soon.
Lower freight cost
A second great benefit the FloGo Shipping System offers is freight savings. Shipping efficiently has always been a focus for Van Belle, and they are excited to improve that further. Through the re-design of the box size, the move to standard-size pallets, and the space saved by shipping pot-less, FloGo enables Van Belle to ship 15% more plants in the same space.
FloGo eliminates waste
Central to lean manufacturing practices is eliminating waste whenever possible. FloGo helps growers do this in several ways.
- No liner pots to discard. Van Belle takes the pots off so growers don't have to when potting them up into a finished container size. Van Belle sterilizes and re-uses the pots, eliminating waste in their production as well.
- Boxes are 100% Recyclable. From the double-walled cardboard, to the specially designed environmentally friendly coating, and the recyclable glue, growers can recycle the boxes easily.
- Standard size pallet. With our classic-style boxes, Van Belle uses a custom pallet-size to maximize space on a truck. With FloGo, growers receive plants on standard size 48" x 48" pallets, which are easy to re-use in other parts of their operation.
Van Belle Nursery is a wholesale grower and propagator in the Pacific Northwest that ships North America-wide. Our approach is to develop profitable, long-term business relationships with other growers and re-wholesalers, and with retailers.
Known for our innovative delivery and growing systems, we specialize in propagating and producing hardy ornamental shrubs—from four inch liners to finished containers, and from tried and true top-selling varieties to new and branded lines.
For more information: www.vanbelle.com
