Automation is a good solution to the labor shortage. We have heard it countless times, and practice proves it. But it does mean you have to take care of everything down to the last detail. At Interjensen, growers of field lettuce in Rilland, they know all about that. In the greenhouse, they have large robots which automatically perform various processes: from steaming and harvesting to planting.
"So it is crucial that the soil is as even and smooth as possible, so the robot can go over it smoothly in one go," says Rob van den Berg, co-owner at Weterings. "Rienk Visbeek, the owner of Interjensen, noticed that, over time, height differences arose that he could no longer straighten with milling. So he knocked on our door for a leveler, a kilverbak."
As a result, Rienk now no longer needs a contractor. "He now flattens out the whole thing with the tractor in one go." At Weterings, they have been seeing this more often lately, a demand for less complicated systems, so growers can level the ground themselves without having to rely on contractors every time. So they have developed new boards, which are more price-friendly, as well as easier to operate.
"At Interjensen, they work with a 2.20m board," Rob explains in conclusion. "Then they first use a laser to make sure everything is nice and level, setting it so that the ground should slope slightly. The board then does the work: correcting, scraping, and adding."
For more information:
Weterings Machinery 
Oude Hooislag 4, 2691 NH
's-Gravenzande, the Netherlands
Tel.: +31174416481
[email protected]
www.weterings.com