The Importance of Connected Smart Solutions in Indoor Ag
Ridder is committed to providing growers with the solutions they need to maximize their crops’ potential and prepare them for future challenges. Ridder collaborates with global partners to create and deliver Connected Smart Solutions which enable the operations for sustainable food and flower production in Controlled Environment Agriculture across the world.
Wil Lammers, Ridder’s Managing Director of the Americas, points out that a part of Ridder is best known for its drive systems – Operating air vents, sidewall ventilation, and screen systems in greenhouses. “The customer base for our drive systems is typically the major greenhouse manufacturers in Europe and North America. We are also working more with smaller regional greenhouse builders. But today Ridder is so much more than drive systems. We offer a complete line-up of connected smart solutions by providing a unique plant-centric suite of technologies that work in close harmony to master the major crop balances and processes in a controlled environment.”
According to Lammers, it is increasingly desired by advanced greenhouses and indoor growing environments to look for a complete holistic solution – managing plant growth and ensuring business continuity with a smarter use of energy, water, labor and knowledge. “Not only from a growers-perspective, but also from a business owner point of view. There is clearly more demand for a more integrated approach when it comes down to greenhouse automation and other technologies.”
“We offer individual components such as drive systems, screen cloths, climate computers and water treatment systems to guarantee optimum crop quality through controlled and precise growth. In addition, we ease work with robotics, labor registration and other smart innovative technologies. Of course each individual solution is high-level, but when they work together, they are perfectly tuned to each other to create the optimal growing conditions and controlled in one go”
Lammers explains that Ridder has a unique position with regards to what it takes to produce plants. “In the indoor environment, there must be a perfect balance between photosynthesis and the energy balance around the plants. There is also the moisture balance, which involves transpiration and the vapor pressure deficit around the plants. On top of this you will also need to consider the irrigation and fertigation of the plants and integrated pest management to maintain plant health. Since a controlled environment is a micro-climate, adjustments in one of these plant or climate parameters will influence another. Therefore, it is important that the technology used in indoor farms or greenhouses work in close harmony to master these balances and processes in a more effective and sustainable way.”
The process of managing and balancing irrigation, ventilation, heat and light will provide business owners and growers with a profitable bottom-line result of their venture. “Please come visit us at Indoor Ag-Con booth 704. We look forward to discussing your challenges and provide you with the latest insights on how both our connected smart solutions allow you to future-proof your business and help you grow your way.
Discover the latest insights on CEA automation, irrigation, energy and management at Ridder’s knowledge sharing platform: https://blog.ridder.com/