Europlant Pflanzenzucht GmbH
Europlant operates in more than 70 countries worldwide, supplying seed potatoes to growers across the globe. The decision to open a new site right in the middle of the growing region was therefore an obvious one. Christian Neumair, regional manager for southern Lower Saxony at Europlant, is responsible for the Wunstorf site. “We have excellent loess soils here, ideal for potato cultivation,” he explains. “So a location in the heart of the region simply makes sense. Short distances, top quality.”
The ambition
The new site in Wunstorf had to be up and running within a short timeframe. “We took over an existing site with a completely different layout,” says Neumair. “And still wanted to be ready for the 2025 harvest.” Through our instore partner MUSS Agrartechnik from Bad Fallingbostel, Neumaier was introduced to VHM’s technology and was immediately impressed.
That ambition called for a system that not only delivers capacity, but above all brings structure and stability to the process. Fewer manual actions and a process that keeps running, even during peak moments.
The challenge
Seed potatoes require careful handling. “The product is sensitive. The logistics simply have to be 100% right,” Neumair explains. At the same time, labour is becoming an increasing challenge. “Like many companies, we are dealing with staff shortages. That means you have to automate wherever possible.”
Europlant looked at different systems but ultimately chose box logistics. Ohlmeyer: “There are alternatives, such as bunker-based systems. They work fine, but with boxes you simply work more gently and have better control over the process. On top of that, you significantly reduce forklift movements.”
“VHM and MUSS think along with us and respond quickly. That makes the difference”.
About Europlant Pflanzenzucht
Europlant Pflanzenzucht GmbH was founded in 1992 and has grown into an international player in seed potatoes, operating in more than 70 countries. The company has over 400 employees and has 15 subsidiaries and participations abroad.
The Wunstorf site is a new logistics hub within the network, alongside locations in Oetzen, Wietzendorf, Eldingen, Suderburg and Jävenitz. From these sites, seed potatoes are shipped worldwide. The Wunstorf facility has a storage capacity of approximately 8,000 tonnes and processes 15 to 18 tonnes per hour per sorting line. During peak periods, storage capacity reaches 80 to 100 tonnes per hour.
The solution
At the heart of all processing is VHM’s box logistics. During harvesting, potatoes are filled into boxes via the BoxFilr from the Fully Automatic Street and efficiently transported to storage by two boxes at a time.
During sorting, the Turnr + EvenFlow from the Fully Automatic Street ensures a smooth supply of boxes to the U-Vision sorting line, where the potatoes are graded by size and quality. The sorted product is then, depending on size, returned to the BoxFilr from the Fully Automatic Street and to the four MonoFilrPro units to be refilled into the recently emptied boxes. By using the Fully Automatic Street for both filling and emptying boxes, handling of empty boxes is minimized.
“With the intake line running in parallel during the harvest, we achieve a capacity of 80 to 100 tonnes per hour,” says Neumair. “But more importantly, it gives us control and room to operate on busy days.” Packing is also an integral part of the solution. Sorted batches are routed via the Fully Automatic Turnr + EvenFlow to the appropriate packing line, where they undergo a final quality check before being packed. With the BigBagFilrPro, specific batches are filled directly into big bags, while other products are processed into smaller packaging units.
The Result
The result is a logistics process that simply works. Fewer forklift movements, less manual work and a continuous product flow. Ohlmeyer: “The machines are reliable and, above all, easy to use. New employees quickly understand how it works and can operate independently. That makes the job a lot easier every day.”
The collaboration also plays an important role. “We built everything here from scratch,” says Neumair. “So you know things won’t always go perfectly. But VHM and MUSS respond quickly and think along with us. Issues are simply resolved, without hassle. That’s how it should be.” His conclusion is clear: “This is as gentle as box logistics gets.”
We use the following machines:
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MonoFilrPro
Compact box filler for easy filling by weight with all the advantages of a continuous filling process. -
Fully Automatic Turnr + EvenFlow
Effective emptying of boxes with continuous product output, in combination with automated box discharge. -
BigbagFilrPro
Fill big bags by weight in a continuous high capacity filling process. Safe and ergonomic.
