Geerligs LLP
The ambition
Dirk: “We were among the first companies to switch to box storage back in 1979. Before we came into contact with VHM, we were using a smaller box filler, but it would occasionally drive my brother up the wall. While searching for a machine that could support our company’s growth, we came across a video in 2013 showing the BoxFilr in operation at one of VHM’s customers.”
“That machine itself I didn’t think was higher math in itself, because if you’re working with boxes and want to automate, you pretty quickly end up with this concept. What was special was the inventive way in which the TiprFilr was developed at the time. And, of course, the fact that the machine could be integrated flexibly when expanding your machine park. Because that was already our ambition at the time.”
The challenge
According to Geerligs, calculations on paper are not always the decisive factor when investing in innovation. Henk: “At a certain point, money becomes less important, especially when your investment gives you time and peace of mind. That is our most valuable and costly asset. Growth is only possible if you have time; capacity. To achieve that, your mechanisation needs to be in order. If you are operating at full capacity, you cannot grow. You have to keep innovating and investing. To deal with our challenges, that’s exactly what we did. We wanted to continue running the business together.”
“If you are operating at full capacity, you cannot grow. You have to keep innovating and investing.”
About Geerligs LLP
After graduating from HAS in 1978, Dirk Geerligs joined his father’s company. In 1987, he and his wife Moniek took over the business. Henk Geerligs studied at Wageningen University and joined his brother Dirk’s business in 1998. Each year, they process up to approximately 2,000 boxes of seed potatoes. The farm covers approximately 90 hectares and consists of 45 hectares of seed potatoes, grass seed, sugar beets, and winter wheat.
The solution
The TiprFilr, together with an EvenFlow, is now part of both the sorting and the storing line at Geerligs. Everything is automatic and, depending on the season, the machines are flexibly fitted into the line that is needed at that time.
The automated sorting area is completely sealed off to keep out dust. Dirk: “During sorting, two full boxes go directly from the destacking station to the Turnr + EvenFlow. The empty boxes go to the stacking station for empty boxes, the hopper feeder supplies them from the sorting line, and finally, there’s the elevator for full, sorted boxes.”
The Result
The result: more capacity, less manual work and, above all, peace of mind in the process. That is exactly what the VHM lines deliver. Henk: “It works perfectly: two full boxes in, two sorted boxes out. And during storage intake, an additional step can easily be added without any extra effort from us to remove soil from the crop. The boxes are filled evenly and loosely. Everything runs smoothly and forklift movements are kept to a minimum.”
