When Peter Aarts of Groentekwekerij 't Bleekerven in Asten-Heusden, Netherlands, kept running into problems with his aging crate unloading line, he looked to a trusted supplier in Next Handling Solutions in Deurne for help, reconnecting with Rick van Roij to explore a solution. That conversation, one that occurred right at the grower's own table, resulted in a fully customized answer: a new, high-capacity unloading line designed specifically for Beekenkamp crates, offering significant labor savings both in the greenhouse and in the packing area.
Room for improvement
Peter explains that the old system was falling short in several ways. "There was hardly any buffer, the supply flow was slow, and we had to manually remove empty crates and propagation trays from the cart before they could be fed into the line. That meant a lot of lifting and hauling."
He also noticed inefficiencies during harvesting: many crates were filled with too much "air" because cucumbers were always laid lengthwise. "But shorter cucumbers, harvested directly from the plant, can actually fit crosswise as well. The problem is that no current unloading line can handle Beekenkamp crates filled with mixed orientations."
Another important requirement for Peter was ensuring sufficient space between crate emptying and the point where produce enters the sorting line. "Not all second-grade cucumbers are harvested into separate crates," he explains. "By creating at least three extra meters of space before the sorter, we have enough time and room to manually remove the second-grade cucumbers. This also allows the flow of premium cucumbers to catch up and fill the gap, helping us use over 95% of the sorter's capacity."
© Next Handling Solutions
Solution conceived at the table
The practical, on-the-ground challenges faced by Peter Aarts sparked some serious thinking on the part of Rick from Next Handling Solutions. Thanks to the direct communication and short lines between grower and supplier, a tailored solution took shape, right there at the table.
The result? A new unloading line for Beekenkamp crates that can handle cucumbers placed both lengthwise and crosswise. This is made possible by a clever combination of an AI-powered crate filter and a rotating dumper.
"This allows the system to process crates in both orientations without needing to stop," Rick explains. "It's ideal if your operation has multiple greenhouse sections with different planting dates. You can mix early cucumbers harvested directly from the plant with later ones picked from the vines, all in one smooth process."
High capacity and labor savings
The new unloading line is now fully operational at Aarts' cucumber nursery, which spans 10.9 hectares. It offers generous buffering, high throughput, and allows more cucumbers to fit into each crate, resulting in about 30% more cucumbers per cart. That, in turn, increases the overall filling rate of the sorting machine.
But the biggest win for Peter Aarts is the reduction in harvest labor. Because fewer carts and crate changes are needed, the nursery now saves between 5% and 10% on annual harvest labor hours. On top of that, empty crates and off-grade cucumbers can be automatically removed from the flow, without slowing down the system.
"That takes a huge load off our shoulders, literally," says Peter.
Vision for the future
For Next Handling Solutions, this project is a perfect reflection of their core philosophy: working directly with growers to develop practical, innovative solutions that improve efficiency and reduce labor demands. The company itself is growing rapidly—so much so that it has relocated twice in just three years to expand its production and development capacity.
Thanks to the new unloading line, Groentekwekerij 't Bleekerven is once again ready for the future. Peter Aarts looks back on the partnership with satisfaction: "For us as growers, it's great to sit down at the table and work together. Next delivered a solution that truly fits the way our business operates."
For more information:
Rick van Roij
Next Handling Solutions
[email protected]
www.nexthandlingsolutions.com
