Galuku opens new dedicated coir fibre factory in India
“Pollachi was the perfect location for a factory to produce our coir fibre products, as it’s close to the factories that manufacture the coir fibre,” Galuku Asia Pacific General Manager Philip Martyn says. The factory will produce Galuku’s OMRI-certified Latex Weed Mats, which are being used by large-scale berry growers in Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and California. Made from 100 per cent organic coconut fibre and natural latex, the weed mats are eco-friendly; suitable for diverse climates; and can be used for a variety of trees, bush and vine crops.
Galuku’s new factory in Pollachi, India.
A study by Dr. Geoff Cresswell, one of Australia’s leading hydroponics experts, has found that Latex Weed Mats reduce the volume of weeds to almost nil and help with the distribution of irrigation water, while holding on to substrate moisture. An independent report from Southern Cross University Coffs Harbour backs up the findings, suggesting that Galuku Latex Weed Mats reduce the cost of hand weeding by up to 60% and improve the effectiveness of irrigation by 30%. Over five hectares, for example, this equates to large savings in labour, water and fertiliser each year.
The new factory will produce Galuku’s OMRI-listed Latex Weed Mat, made from organic coconut fibre and natural latex.
Thanks to the significant financial benefits experienced by growers around the world, demand for the Latex Weed Mats has been strong, Philip Martyn says. “Using cutting-edge technology, the new factory in Pollachi will allow us to meet this strong demand. It will also enable us to produce a broad range of other fibre based products, such as Geo Erosion Control Fibre Blankets which are used for erosion and sediment control in landscaping.”
The new factory will be Galuku’s eleventh across Sri Lanka, India and Malaysia. The company started in 1993 and produces a range of coir products for use in hydroponics, substrates, oil absorbents and pet products.
For more information:
Galuku International
2/665 Old South Head Road
Vaucluse NSW 2030
Australia
Tel +61 29-337-2198
www.galuku.com