Automated greenhouse roof cleaning regardless of gutter size

Regardless of gutter size, growers can now benefit from automated greenhouse roof cleaning, as Besseling Techniek has introduced the Roofmaster Compact, a roof washer that operates along a single gutter. The machine was unveiled to a broader audience for the first time at GreenTech Amsterdam.

"We've traditionally focused on larger operations," explains managing director Ronald de Vos. "With the Roofmaster Compact, we're now offering a solution specifically for smaller greenhouses, up to about 3 hectares. For that market, it's important that the roof washer is lightweight, easy to operate, and competitively priced."

Over the years, greenhouse structures have become increasingly tall, and gutter dimensions have varied across builds. "We see this a lot in places like France. With the Roofmaster Compact, we're offering a single machine that can run on a variety of gutter sizes."

The target group for the new, compact roof washer consists of growers with greenhouse areas ranging from approximately 0.5 to 3 hectares. "The Roofmaster Compact was well received at the trade fair in Amsterdam," Ronald notes. "The feedback was very positive."

Interestingly, it also caught the attention of growers with larger greenhouse operations. "In the summer months, they often need to ventilate extensively and leave the windows open. That makes it impossible to use the standard Roofmaster, which operates across two gutters, for cleaning. In those situations, growers start looking for alternative solutions to keep their gutters clean. That's where the Roofmaster Compact comes into play, because it runs along just one gutter."

© Besseling Techniek
With the Roofmaster Compact, Besseling Techniek targets growers with varying gutter sizes and greenhouses of about 0.5 to 3 hectares.

Drive
A petrol generator powers the compact system. To operate the machine, the grower simply presses a button on the remote control. At the end of the gutter, the machine stops and returns along the same track.

"It's a straightforward system," says Ronald. "Choosing a generator helps keep both the weight and the cost of the machine down. The generator drives three electric motors: one for movement, one for the brush, and one for the hose reel. The only thing trailing behind the machine in the gutter is the water hose."

Besseling Techniek offers the petrol generator as an optional add-on with the Roofmaster Compact. In some cases, growers already have a compatible generator available, Ronald adds.

© Besseling Techniek
The Roofmaster Compact weighs approximately 225 kilograms and moves at a speed of 25 meters per minute.

Platform
Using a roof washer also involves working with a platform. "Earlier this year, we tested the Roofmaster Compact on an existing platform. In April, we began trials with a platform specifically developed for the Roofmaster Compact," Ronald explains.

Stability is key for this machine. "You can compare it to a bicycle, it needs balance. At the top of the platform, there's a guiding rail. With the push of a button, the Roofmaster Compact drives onto the platform, and the upper rail provides support."

Because of the compact size of the new roof washer, the platform is only half the width of standard ones. Once the Roofmaster Compact is positioned on the platform, a staff member can safely move it to the next greenhouse bay. "This is done manually, using the same petrol generator that also powers the platform's motor."

Broadening of machine applications
For now, the Roofmaster Compact is designed primarily for cleaning greenhouse roofs. To do this, the machine is equipped with a large brush in combination with a high-pressure spray lance. Other Roofmaster models allow growers to apply chalk or coatings to the roof as well. "That does require different nozzles, though. It's something we could explore further as a next step," the developer notes. Another potential development he's considering is a new brush mechanism.

When Ronald joined the company, he emphasized that Besseling Techniek was looking to broaden its scope. The Roofmaster Compact is a clear example of that ambition, but the managing director is thinking even further ahead. With this machine, the Dutch company sees strong potential in markets relatively close to home, not just in the Netherlands, but also in Belgium, Germany, France, the UK, and Ireland.

Besseling Techniek is also seeing demand for roof-cleaning machines from Southern Europe and North Africa. These regions have fewer glass greenhouses, but a significant number of plastic greenhouses, often built in the Gothic style. This has prompted the company to explore whether a machine can be developed to serve that specific market. The development of the Roofmaster Compact is proving useful here. "In Gothic-style greenhouses, the gutters are often narrow and the plastic rises quite steeply. For those structures, you'd need to make the machine slimmer, and you'd also need a longer spray lance, similar to what's used for washing wide-span greenhouses."

Ronald, who has previously worked in countries such as Kenya, points to rising labor costs, even in countries where wages have traditionally been lower than in Western Europe. "Wages are climbing fast in these regions, which means that mechanization and automation are becoming increasingly attractive, even there."

Allowing people to walk through gutters with a high-pressure sprayer is becoming less and less acceptable, he observes. "For safety reasons, it's increasingly undesirable to have workers on the greenhouse roof." This growing concern is driving demand for automation, particularly in the Netherlands, but also in Southern Europe, where the tipping point toward preferring machines over manual labor is approaching rapidly. "And North Africa is also headed in that direction over time," Ronald adds.

A system for use in plastic-covered greenhouses could well be developed based on the experience gained with the Roofmaster Compact. "The foundation is now in place. That gives us the flexibility to respond to other needs going forward."

For more information:
Besseling Techniek
Keplerstraat 14
1704 SJ Heerhugowaard
+31 72 571 97 12
info@besselingtechniek.nl
www.besselingtechniek.nl