2013
Control your climate Grow your profits
Solutions for Horticulture
Powerplants Vision We provide world leading service and innovative tailored solutions to the horticulture industry
Great projects start here... Established in 1994, Powerplants Australia is a privately owned company that has grown from strength to strength over the past 19 years to become Australia’s premier Greenhouse Technology provider.
technologies has enabled us to deliver the right solutions to our customers with reliable products and outstanding outcomes.
With over 30 employees, Powerplants continues to provide the technical needs of growers in all corners of Australia and South East Asia.
Contact us today for all your greenhouse requirements on +61 3 8795 7750 or via email at: sales@powerplants.com.au or www.powerplants.com.au
Our 19 years of industry experience and practical knowledge combined with overseas
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Based in Hallam, Victoria, and with representatives in four states, Powerplants Australia can provide all facets of modern turnkey projects to any size.
Scan to visit our website www.powerplants.com.au
We partner and support growers throughout Australia and South East Asia
Our focus on Service and Maintenance You can focus on growing your business while we take care of all your service and maintenance requirements.
Ideally all screen and vent systems should be serviced at least once a year and climate control and fertigation equipment serviced at least once every six months.
Powerplants have a team of fully qualified and experienced service technicians on the road to ensure your system runs smoothly. No matter where you are located, we can attend to your property within a day.
Service is our priority, therefore we now provide a dedicated phone number for any service or maintenance issues you may have. You can call our Service & Maintenance hotline at any time 24/7 and speak directly to one of our qualified technicians.
Preventative maintenance is the most effective way to look after your equipment. By conducting consistent servicing, you are ensuring your equipment is running at 100%. If you get a group of growers together in the same area, we can also discount travel expenses.
Call our friendly team now and book in for a regular service on +61 3 9709 4747 or email admin@powerplants.com.au
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Why work with Powerplants?
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The LEAN approach In 2012 Powerplants looked at how to move forward and streamline its business to be the most cost effective and efficient horticulture solutions provider in the market. Taking on the principles of LEAN has meant that Powerplants is in the best position to work for our customers and produce the expected outcome with superior service. Principles of Lean The five-step thought process for guiding the implementation of lean techniques is easy to remember, but not always easy to achieve: 1. Specify value from the standpoint of the end customer by product family. 2. Identify all the steps in the value stream for each product family, eliminating whenever possible those steps that do not create value.
Powerplants have recently moved to a new, larger facility located in Hallam, Victoria. The move came from the need to streamline processes to ensure optimal manufacturing for our customers. We want production to be faster, more economical and with less delays to ensure the best solution could be custom built to your specific requirements. We encourage you to come and see the products being built by our experienced team.
3. Make the value-creating steps occur in tight sequence so the product will flow smoothly toward the customer. 4. As flow is introduced, let customers pull value from the next upstream activity. 5. As value is specified, value streams are identified, wasted steps are removed, and flow and pull are introduced, begin the process again and continue it until a state of perfection is reached in which perfect value is created with no waste.
Powerplants Australia accredited Master Electricians Master Electrician Australia represents the best of the electrical trade across the country. All Master Electricians are accredited to provide the highest levels of workmanship and electrical safety. When you choose Powerplants you can be confident you are selecting quality electrical contractors with proven experience to provide
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you with a safe, energy efficient solution for your business. Each Master Electrician is also required to adhere to a strict code of ethics and offer their customers a 12-month guarantee on their work. We are very proud that all our electricians are accredited as Master Electricians leaving no doubt that when choosing Powerplants, you get professionals who stand by their work.
Turnkey Project Partners Usually the greenhouse is only 35% of your total investment cost. Our job is to make the whole investment actually work. Talk to us about project design before you start and we promise that your results will provide the best ‘growth’ return per dollar, per square metre. We work with the best greenhouse technology suppliers both here and overseas to ensure we get your project right from the start.
We only work with the best, to give you the best...
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What’s your challenge?
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Find your solution here...
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Combining the country’s industry leaders, HortWorks can provide the greatest range of products and advice for any new or existing greenhouse project. When you want the best advice and expertise in Australia, speak to the people who can deliver, HortWorks.
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Solutions & Products Table of Contents
Find your solution here...
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Retractable Roof
Increase yield with Cravo Retractable Roof Production System (RRPS) The ability of retractable roof greenhouses to increase yields by optimising the growing environment and protect crops from excessive cold, heat, rain, hail and wind allows a grower to modify where they grow and how large of a production facility they need to meet their customer demands. This provides growers the option to improve their balance sheet by lowering their overall investment by lowering land acquistion costs and reducing the overall investment on the greenhouse.
Want to increase your yield while reducing your production area?
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The higher yields in a retractable roof greenhouse, allows growers to build fewer hectares of houses while still maintaining the same overall yield. Growers can also reduce the number of growing locations. For growers wanting to supply year round, the retractable roof greenhouses can frequently reduce the number of farm locations that would be required to ensure a constant supply year round.
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Need to increase the quality of your crop in order to increase sales?
Fruit quality can be improved compared to those grown in the open field or a conventional greenhouse or shade house since the roof can be closed during adverse conditions to prevent the blemishes which occur in the open field. Retracting the roof during ideal outdoor conditions help produce fruit that is larger, has a longer shelf, has a higher brix and is firmer than that grown outdoors or under a shadehouse.
- Rob Pohlman, Pohlman’s Nursery
Thinking about methods to reduce overall costs?
Costs to grade the land could be reduced since certain retractable roof greenhouse designs allow the greenhouse to follow gentle changes in the slope of the land. Grading costs can also be reduced if the crops are going to be grown in the ground since grades are not as critical compared to crops grown hydroponically.
Finally, it may not be necessary to install horizontal airflow fans to circulate the air since opening the walls and roofs allows the wind to circulate the air more effectively and economically than horizontal airflow fans. However, if the greenhouse roof is closed for long periods of time during the winter, then horizontal airflow fans will still be beneficial.
Retractable roof greenhouses can: • Allow growers to increase plant density due to the higher light levels and better control over humidity. Also, plant density can be frequently increased by around 12% in the retractable roof compared to a tunnel due to the greater head clearance and distance between post lines. • Increase the yield per plant due to the improved growing environment. • Extend the growing season since crops can be protected from the winter cold and the summer heat. • Potentially allow growers to increase the number of plantings to target the shoulder seasons.
Do you want to reduce your water usage?
Growers of outdoor plants have experienced up to 50% reductions in water usage during the summer simply by closing the greenhouse roof 85% during hot conditions. When factoring in the increased yields, the water usage per kilo of crops harvested can be up to 85% less than that of the open field. In addition, water usage can be further reduced by retracting the roof during rainfall to naturally irrigate your crops using rain that is free and has good PH and low salinity. The rain can also be used to clean off the leaves and help leach salt out of the soil media.
Supply produce when the prices are highest The ability to open and close the roof provides growers with the ability to speed up or slow down production to allow the managers to time their peak production to the window when they can realize the highest prices. The best prices could be during the winter, being the first to market in the spring, being able to supply good quality through the heat of summer, or being
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Costs for power supply, backup power generation and electrical hook up of motors can be minimised since few motors are required to power the roofs. (One motor can power up to 0.5 hectare of an A frame style roof and 1 hectare of flat roof ). The retractable roofs also allow you to build in warmer climates where heating systems will not be required.
Looking for a way to increase sales?
Retractable Roof
“We are subjected to wild weather at times however with the Cravo screens we know our crops are protected all year round which gives us peace of mind”
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Retractable Screens
Cravo Retractable Roof Growing Systems able to supply product in the Autumn after the cold weather has limited the field production. It all depends on your crop and the market that you are competing in.
Reduce fertiliser usage Reductions in fertiliser usage or improvements in fertiliser usage should be achieved regardless of whether your crops are normally grown outside or in a greenhouse. Fertiliser usage on outdoor crops can be improved since the roof can be closed during rainfall to prevent leaching of fertilisers. When compared to crops grown in traditional greenhouses, fertiliser application rates in retractable roofs can usually be lowered since retracting the roof increases transpiration levels to normal levels allowing plants to more easily absorb and distribute the nutrients that are available to the root system.
Reduce the risk of catastrophic loss Retractable roof greenhouses can reduce the risk of catastrophic loss to the owner due to: • Crop loss due to a major disease outbreak since plants grown in a retractable roof tend to be naturally healthier and conditions inside are generally not conducive to insect and disease reproduction. • Crop loss resulting from losing a roof due to the wind since Cravo retractable roofs have never blown off even during cyclones with wind speeds up to 200kph (130mph). • Structural damage during extreme weather conditions since the roof and walls can be automatically retracted in minutes. • Fire, since the greenhouse roofs can be retracted during a fire which will limit the spread of fire.
Reduce or eliminate chemical fungicides, pesticides and growth regulators The frequency of chemical usage can be significantly reduced when growing in a retractable roof greenhouse due to the improved growing conditions, increased plant health and reduced insect reproduction making it easier to utilize IPM protocols. If chemicals are required, the volume of chemicals applied in a retractable roof can be reduced compared to that in the open field by closing the roof and walls during the application to prevent wind drift. Growers using retractable roof greenhouses have experienced a: • 50%-100% reduction in fungicide usage. • 50%-100% reduction in growth regulator usage. • 10% -100% reduction in pesticide usage. • 50%-100% reductions in herbicide usage. When calculating the total savings in reducing chemical usage, one must consider that in the retractable roof:
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• Soap and garlic is frequently used for insect control.
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• There is a reduced cost to purchase and apply the chemicals. • There is a potential reduction in labour downtime due to re entry regulations. • There is an increased life of the roof coverings since many chemicals used in greenhouses are harmful to polyethylene film coverings.
Thermal Screens
Maximise crop growth with Svensson Thermal Shade Screens Thermal screens are by far the most effective energy and cost saving technology in the modern greenhouse. Thermal shade screens open when light is limited and close when light is excessive. They also reduce heat loss, dew drop, heating costs, and help to maintain a more constant and comfortable greenhouse climate for your crop and your staff.
Is your greenhouse too hot?
Australia is one of the driest and sunniest countries in the world. While this is great in winter, summer heat is a big problem for many growers. High temperatures are caused by excessive light getting into the greenhouse. Svensson Thermal Screens are made of polished aluminium strips, which reflect light straight back out of the greenhouse, keeping crops cooler in summer creating a more productive growing climate to increase yield. With a life span of 8 - 10 years, Powerplants’ Thermal Screens give a phenomenal return on investment.
Do you need to reduce costs in your greenhouse?
On cloudy days or in the morning and late afternoon, light becomes limited and plant growth slows down. Powerplants Screens are retracted automatically when light is required. So on a cloudy day, the screens will open to let in as much natural light as possible in order to maximise growth. The screens are automatically closed at dusk in order to trap as much heat as possible for the night. This means that heating costs are greatly reduced by 20 - 70%.
Climate Systems
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Do you want to save on rising energy prices?
Svensson Thermal Screens are made from aluminium and polyester, which are excellent insulators. Aluminium reflects long wave radiation from the crop back down to the crop. While the polyester absorbs long wave radiation providing a warm ‘blanket’ above the crop, reducing radiation and heat loss. With electricity and gas prices rising, any savings can be spent elsewhere and you’ll feel better about your effect on the environment too.
“The Powerplants thermal screens greatly reduce the energy loss in my greenhouse” - Steve Eggleton, Plant Growers Australia
Does your crop suffer from recurring plant disease?
Thermal screens are designed to keep crops warmer. This reduces the likelihood of condensation forming on leaves, flowers and fruit leading to fungal disease.
Thermal Screens
Light can be diffused by XLS Harmony Revolux Screens How to choose the right type of thermal screen: Most greenhouses are designed with good natural roof ventilation. If you are growing in a hot summer environment (most of Australia), you need Open Weave Screens. These screens have gaps between the aluminium strips that allow warm air to rise through them, while the strips reflect unwanted light back out of the greenhouse. These screens still give significant energy savings of up to 30%. If you are growing in a cooler climate and have high heating costs or if you need to modify the day length, you need Closed Weave Screens. These screens have a clear plastic strip between the aluminium strips that helps trap heat, while the aluminium strips reflect unwanted light back out of the greenhouse. These screens give very high energy savings of up to 70%. Blackout screens are used to shorten or lengthen the day for flowers like Chrysanthemum and other crops. We can also install roll-up blackout sidewalls.
We are the largest Thermal Screen installer in Australasia By using Powerplants you are guaranteed quality parts and manufacturing. We use genuine De Gier drive motors and parts from Holland, which ensure long-term reliability. Most screen fixing parts are stainless steel or aluminium not plastic, making the system last longer. We also specialise in Rack and Pinion Drive and the latest Slip Clutch Systems from Holland. Our installers are the best in the business with over 40 years experience between them. When you choose Powerplants you are choosing the best people to do the job. Ask us about the new Harmony Diffused Light Screens – giving even cooler crops with better light penetration into the crop.
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Drive Systems and Components
Drive Systems and Greenhouse Components Powerplants wants to make life easier for our growers. There is no need to waste valuable time opening and closing vents, rollup walls or shade screens. We can automate everything that opens and shuts in your greenhouse. Dutch company De Gier is one of the largest manufacturers of high quality Greenhouse Drive Systems in the world. Almost all of their parts are interchangeable with Ridder components, and together they are the world standard.
Do you have poor ventilation in your greenhouse?
Older greenhouses can often be easily ventilated with rollup walls in the sidewalls or in the vertical walls above the gutters in sawtooth’ designs. We can provide Tube-motors that fit inside the rollup tube. For longer walls, we stock the GXP10 from De Gier which can roll up to 100 metre long walls. We can also provide motors and gearboxes that can handle up to 180 metre length walls.
Do you need to increase your yield?
Good climate control requires vent position accuracy of 1%. The most accurate and reliable way to open and close vents is with a Rack & Pinion system. We stock a large range of parts for lifting windows mounted in the roof of the greenhouse. We can help you design and even install them for you. Rack & Pinion Drive ensures stress-free operation of your vents. We also stock parts for direct and indirect vent drive systems.
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Being the largest Thermal Screen installer in Australia, we have all the parts you need to install your own shading systems, from Cable Drive Systems, to the most reliable Rack & Pinion Drive Systems.
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We stock a large range of De Gier drive components and Shading System components at competitive prices. As always, our trained technicians can support you with whatever system you have.
“We have improved our ventilation significantly with the use of De Gier racks, pinions and motors in our glasshouse.” - Billy Van Wyk, Van Wyk & Sons Flower Supply Pty Ltd
Lights
Guarantee the best quality crop all year round with HID Lights High Pressure Sodium lamps are used by growers all around the world for improved bud-set, increased growth, artificial growing environments and in order to guarantee production out of season, usually when prices are highest.
Do you need extra light on cloudy days or at night time?
Plants can be kept actively growing all year round, making out of season crops possible and boosting your income. Dormancy can be prevented in some crops, and winter fruiting can be induced by providing extra light during Autumn.
Need to increase your yield?
In the production of roses, for instance, production decreases substantially in late autumn, winter and early spring. There are fewer buds and many buds don’t flower. This is mainly due to lack of light. Assimilation (photosynthesis) lighting stimulates the growth of young shoots and new buds by higher light levels and the growth of already developed buds by giving more hours per day of light. The chemical reaction of Photosynthesis is:
Climate Systems
6CO2 + 6H2O + Light Energy -> C6H12O6 + 6 O2 (Carbon dioxide + water + light energy gives sugar + oxygen)
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The duration of light and dark periods (photoperiodism) is also important to a plant’s growth and reproduction. Vegetative growth photoperiods are 16-18 hours per day, flowering photoperiods are usually 10-14 hours per day. This kind of lighting can be used to trigger flowering in photoperiod sensitive plants like Chrysanthemum and Poinsettia. Usually growers use fluorescent bulbs to do this, however these lights do not increase growth significantly. High Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting allows growers to increase crop yields, bring crops to market on schedule and produce quality crops out of season. The sun’s spectrum contains visible light in every colour of the
rainbow; blue light appears at one end of the spectrum, red light at the other. Photosynthesis is promoted most strongly by light in the red (600-680nm) and blue (380-480nm) wavelength. Blue light stimulates the hormones that trigger growth and inhibit dormancy. Blue light encourages chlorophyll production more than any colour, which promotes photosynthesis, resulting in thick leaves, solid stems and strong vegetative growth. Blue light controls leaf fall and fruit ripening. Blue light also serves to keep plant growth compact by minimising the distance between internodes (branches). Metal Halide lamps emit light strongly in the white/blue spectrum and are best used as a primary light source if little or no sunlight is available. This type of lamp is ideal during the vegetative growth stage. The MH lamps help to keep plants shorter, with more compact vegetation and the plants will be stronger, better able to resist disease, and are generally more productive. MH lighting systems are best for mostly leafy crops such as lettuce and other vegetative crops.
Lights
Red light is important for plant reproduction. It regulates seed germination, root development, tuber and bulb formation, flowering and fruit production. Red light is also responsible for triggering dormancy in some plants. The red portion of the spectrum is essential to plant growth, and encourages the flowering, fruiting and reproductive stages. High Pressure Sodium lamps emit light in the orange/red spectrum and are best used in conjunction with natural sunlight. This type of lamp produces exaggerated flowering and fruiting during the plants reproductive stage. HPS lighting systems can increase flower production by 20% or more. Both Metal Halide and High Pressure Sodium Bulbs can be used in the same lamp. Powerplants works with leading Dutch light manufacturer Lights Interaction Agro (Liagro) to provide state of the art lighting solutions. Liagro’s reflectors are designed for maximum spread of light, ensuring uniformity and excellent penetration of light into the crop. They feature a light yield of 92%. The 600W and 1000W Lamps feature Philips Electronic Ballasts, which saves approximately 5% power, compared to conventional ballasts. Philips’ World leading Bulbs also feature in our Lamps.
“The Powerplants Growth lights ensure we can produce all season long” - Ben Ellerton, Ball Australia
Coming soon - LED Lamps
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Circulation Fans
Control Disease with Aeromax Circulation Fans Good air movement around plants is vital to their health. Air movement reduces fungal disease on leaves, flowers and fruit, increases transpiration which in turn increases leaf cooling and nutrient uptake, brings fresh CO² to the leaf and improves plant health and vigour. The most efficient way to increase air flow around plants is with Horizontal Air Flow Circulation Fans.
Looking for a way to reduce crop disease?
When the greenhouse cools down at night, the plants and other solid objects cool down faster than the air does. If the air next to the plant is still, it will cool down faster than the surrounding air, then drop excess condensation on the leaves. Fungi can then germinate on the leaves. You can reduce or eliminate this by keeping the air moving and the leaves dry with the Aeromax circulation fans.
Climate Systems
Aeromax Circulation fans mix the air in the greenhouse thoroughly, bringing the warm air to the plants. Uniform temperature and humidity across the greenhouse are vital to ensure even production.
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Want to reduce plant temperature in summer?
Just as people feel cooler when there is a breeze, so do plants. By using Aeromax Circulation fans, plant transpiration will increase, enabling the crop to stay cooler.
Having problems effectively distributing chemical products?
Aeromax fans greatly improve the distribution of chemical applications, especially to the leaves. They enable you to spray the entire greenhouse without being there. Ask us about this labour saving system. If the air is still, oxygen levels near the leaves will be used up, and its continued availability to the plants will be diminished. The solution is to keep the air moving to provide your crop with a continually refreshed supply of CO2 , which is one of the main growth ingredients.
“The Powerplants circulation fans are a great help for keeping my crops healthy!” - Peter Henderson, Henderson Clause Seed Group
We can also supply Nivola Vertical Air Mixing fans
Serial HAF Ventilation
Think you don’t need ventilation fans…think again ‘I don’t need fans because I have good ventilation’ Most vents will be shut or mostly shut in the late afternoon until the next morning, so there is very little ventilation when the plants need it the most. Leaving the vents open at night will only make the problem worse as the air temperature will be much lower, resulting in even more condensation.
‘I don’t need fans because I have good heating’ Crops like tomatoes generate an enormous amount of water vapour during the day. Much of this moisture is retained in the greenhouse at night. A good hydronic heating system can help create an updraught and dry the plants, but this costs a great deal of energy. Much of this energy cost can be saved by using Horizontal Airflow Fans (HAF) in addition to the heat to dry the foliage.
Circulation Fans
Vertical air circulation
Inexpensive to run and quiet: The Aeromax fan runs at 900rpm but due to the superior 6 pole motor, it has more torque, giving similar airflow at lower running cost and also far less noise compared to single speed 1450rpm fans.
High output: Approximately 4,700m3 per hour. Approximately 1 HAF fan per 350m2 of greenhouse area. Maximum throw approximately 45m. Aim for 1.5 to 2 air changes per hour of total greenhouse air volume.
Sulphur Pots are the most economical tool against mildew. We can install them in series with your fans
‘Running fans at night is expensive’
Three speed fan: The fan run at 900rpm. This gives you more control and far less noise compared to single speed 1450rpm fans.
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The capital cost of Circulation Fans is very low - between $0.80 - $2.00 per square metre of greenhouse treated. The running costs are almost negligible compared to the benefits they produce. Each fan draws approximately 150 Watts and based on $0.15 per kWHr, costing only $0.0225 per hour. They are one of the best value investments in the greenhouse.
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Electrical Installations
Powerplants Electrical Installations Due to market forces, the trend in protected horticulture is for ever increasing project sizes with increasing levels of complexity.
This left a big question-mark when going to the bank for a loan for a greenhouse project.
All materials used meet or exceed Australian Standards.
Now we can integrate all your systems with our own licensed electricians and specialised know-how. We can also give you a fixed price for the electrical systems and installation for your project.
What’s more, as a Master Electrician, Powerplants works to the highest possible standard in electrical installations.
Would you like to reduce capital costs?
With any new project, extension or upgrade it is important to know what the overall cost of the work will be and how quickly the work can be completed. Powerplants’ team of electricians, apprentices and technicians are trained to carry out this type of work efficiently and to a high standard. This is possible by utilising many years of experience and by training our staff in the latest technology. Also, as Powerplants has become a major supplier of electrical installations in the protected cropping industry in Australia, we can draw on our purchasing power to reduce the cost of materials to the customer.
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Therefore Powerplants can offer competitive quotes for this type of work.
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Looking for a way to reduce OH & S risk?
Previously, growers have had to rely on local electrical contractors for their installation, and they were not familiar with the complexities of a complete greenhouse operating system. The resulting installations often became unnecessarily expensive and systems installed were often non-standard and integrated poorly with control systems.
Need to optimise your construction timeline?
With many years of experience, Powerplants can carry out electrical installations very efficiently. Also, when working on projects with our partners AIS Greenworks and Van der Hoeven glasshouse builders, we can further minimise any potential delay by working closely with other contractors.
Powerplants are committed to national OH & S safety laws and regulations. The implementation of the Safety Connect site safety management system confirms Powerplants commitment to the regulations.
All work carried out by Powerplants is signed off and certified by our fully qualified electricians.
Need systems which give you peace of mind?
When selecting Powerplants to supply and install your electrical systems, you have the peace of mind that the system features manual override control of all components of the system, where possible. This means that in the unlikely event of a control system failure, you always have manual control of the system. Furthermore, as all Powerplants systems utilise locally available components, your system will not be down for long waiting for parts to arrive as components are available locally. Australia has a wiring standard specifically designed to cope with our extreme climatic conditions. As a Master Electrician, Powerplants complies rigidly to these standards. This virtually eliminates the possibility of failure of a system due to poor design or installation. Overall, our systems and service are designed to ensure that your crop needs will always continue be our concern.
Powerplants Electrical Installation Services Include:
Ask us for a quote today We buy cable direct from the manufacturers. We are very familiar with all greenhouse motors, pumps, boilers and other systems. Cable tray Where necessary, we install cable tray along the main cable runs where cable is required, more cables can easily be added later. Interface panels We manufacture our own interface panels at our facility here in Australia, and use locally available relays, soft-starters, etc. Our electrical panels give you manual control of all equipment. General We can also supply and install lights, powerpoints, and GroSound speakers throughout the greenhouse and the packing shed. Backup Generators & Lightning Protection We can help you with backup generators for the peace of mind you need to know your greenhouse investment is protected. We can also advise on reducing your risk of lightning strike.
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Low Voltage Electrical Systems, Sensors and Control With the installation, extension or upgrade of control systems (Minigrow, Omnigrow, Multigrow, Maximizer, IntĂŠgro, Connext), we can supply and run all the sensor wires, which are high quality instrumentation cable. We allow for plenty of spare wires for future expansion. We can also run all the low voltage control wires to motor control boxes, limit switches and solenoid valves, etc.
Electrical installation is a major consideration for your greenhouse to succeed. Find out how Powerplants can provide electrical services and electricians with the expertise you need to get it done right.
Electrical Installations
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NutriJet
Priva NutriJet – for fast recipe changes and field applications The Priva NutriJet is a compact, reliable, direct injection fertiliser dosing unit. Unlike other direct injection systems on the market, the Priva NutriJet features a unique mixing chamber with built in fertiliser injectors. The Priva-designed patented Mixing Chamber contains baffles and provides a turbulent mixing of the nutrients and acid/alkali. Designed to interface with the Priva range of controllers, the Priva NutriJet is supplied as standard with pump, one or two mixing chambers, 4 dosing injectors, filter, water meter and control interface.
Looking for a more efficient way of using water and fertiliser?
A significant advantage with direct injection is the ability to quickly change recipes to suit the requirements of different crops or crops at different stages of growth. Unlike mixing tank systems, the NutriJet unit contains a relatively small quantity of water and dissolved fertiliser which means that recipe changes can be effected very quickly as there is no need to empty a tank mix first. This not only ensures that each irrigation zone receives the required nutrition but also provides significant savings in water.
Water Systems
The Priva NutriJet can also be configured to include a blending valve and pre-EC sensor to blend fresh and recycled drain water prior to the unit. By recycling drain water, the grower not only significantly saves on water but also fertiliser.
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Want to save energy?
Because the Priva NutriJet is a direct injection system it only features one pump. Compared to mixing tank based systems which feature a fill and an irrigation pump, the NutriJet is significantly more economic unit to operate. In situations where there is an existing pump, the NutriJet can be configured and delivered as a ByPass unit. This is particularly applicable in high flow applications such as field irrigation. In these applications the NutriJet can accurately dose fertiliser and adjust pH directly into the existing irrigation main line.
Need to improve plant yield and health?
By being able to quickly effect a recipe change, the NutriJet ensures each irrigation zone receives the desired nutrition to optimise plant growth. Because of the unique mixing chamber design, the NutriJet is able to thoroughly mix water and dissolved fertiliser. This provides a much improved control of nutrition, EC and pH compared to other direct injection systems on the market today.
Specifications • Capacity range 5 - 80 m³/hr. • Up to 10 individual and adjustable fertiliser dosing channels per unit. • Single Grundfos pump sized to suit requirements. • Disc filters for A & B solution. • Rotameter Flowgauges on nutrient channels. • High quality Priva sensors & controls. • Available in two configurations: InLine injection system or Bypass system for larger system applications such as field production. • Water recycling using the optional water blending valve and pre-EC sensor. The Priva NutriJet is ideally suited to nurseries, flower production and field production of vegetables, fruit or flowers.
NutriFit
Priva NutriFit Fertiliser Dosing System Although there are a number of fertiliser dosing units on the market, the Priva NutriFit is unique. The NutriFit is a mixing tank based dosing unit. The NutriFit works by injecting water soluble fertilisers into the on-board mixing tank and thoroughly mixing the fertiliser with water. The result is a stable, homogeneous solution with the desired fertiliser concentration. The system is equipped with dual EC and pH sensors to measure the concentration of the nutrient solution accurately. The ingenious design of the NutriFit includes a moulded base and tank design which incorporates features which allow for easy handling of the unit for transport but also minimises pipe support and fixing. The NutriFit can be configured to inject up to 4 different fertiliser solutions simultaneously, or 3 fertiliser solutions and acid/alkali. The Priva NutriFit can also be configured to draw from different sets of A & B tanks, or recipes. Up to 4 recipes (4 x A & B tanks) can be connected and controlled. Powerplants supplies the Priva NutriFit with: fill and irrigation pumps, float actuated fill valve, dosing channels, dual EC and pH sensors, filter, water meter and electrical panel.
How can I improve my crop yield?
Want to save water and fertiliser?
By being able to accurately control water and fertiliser dosing there is no need to irrigate to excess which saves both water and fertiliser. The NutriFit can be configured to include an actuator controlled blend valve and pre-EC sensor. With these the Priva controllers can accurately control the blending of recycled irrigation drain water with fresh water. By recycling drain water the grower can significantly reduce water consumption and fertiliser use. For more information on drain water disinfection please refer to the Powerplants EcoLux and Priva Vialux.
How do I reduce my capital costs?
The new generation NutriFit is designed to offer accurate and reliable fertigation at a more affordable price. It is modular and made of durable materials with a minimum number of moving parts. This helps to reduce cost of the system without sacrificing performance, reliability or durability. The NutriFit can be integrated with new or existing Priva systems.
One of the most important aspects of crop yield is ensuring accurate irrigation and plant nutrition.
The NutriFit has been specifically designed to complement the complete range of Priva controllers to provide the most accurate dosing of dissolved fertiliser with water.
Water Systems
Although there are a number of control systems available to control irrigation and dosing, these systems are of little use if the hardware does not match the control specifications.
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DirectJet
Powerplants’ DirectJet Fertigation Fast Changes and Economical Powerplants’ DirectJet is an ideal solution for growers with different crops and crops at different stages, where smaller applications of different nutrients need to be made. As with all other fertiliser dosing systems, the DirectJet is connected to A and B fertiliser stock solution tanks filled with fertiliser concentrate (usually 100:1 concentration). These tanks contain soluble fertilisers dissolved in water. The dissolved fertilisers are sucked through dosing valves and fertiliser injectors, then they are mixed with water through the pump and filter before being pumped to the crop.
Are you constantly worried about your crop quality and yield?
Water Systems
As any grower knows, optimum production is achieved by balancing the ideal plant environment with the ideal irrigation and nutrition.
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In production systems where there are a range of different species or varieties of crops, such as nursery and flower production, it is important that each crop receives the ideal irrigation and nutrition. Unlike mixing tank systems, eg. Powerplants NutriMix, Priva NutriFit, and Priva NutriFlex, the Powerplants DirectJet does not feature a mixing tank but the nutrient is mixed directly in line with the water for irrigation. Without a tank of mixed nutrient that needs to be emptied before changing nutrient mixes, the DirectJet has almost no delay when changing from one mix to another therefore ensuring each valve, and therefore crop, receives the ideal irrigation quantity and nutrition.
DirectJet
Left: The importance of pH - Having the right nutrient balance available to plants is only possible if the pH in the plant root zone is also in the correct range. This figure clearly shows that micro-nutrients are mostly available at a lower pH, while macronutrients are generally more available at a higher pH. For this reason, to achieve the best balance, most plants prefer a pH of 5.6 to 5.8.
Want to make sure your fertiliser is easily mixed and always stays in solution? Add Powerplants stock solution tanks and motorised stirrers to your DirectJet
Do you need assistance to reduce plant nutrition deficiencies?
The DirectJet can mix a maximum of five solutions simultaneously, eg. four fertiliser solutions and one acid/alkaline solution. The entire process is controlled via a process controller, for example the Priva Maximizer, Intégro, Connext or Multigrow. Because there is no mixing tank, the changes in recipes are almost instant. The DirectJet can also be fitted with recipe selection to allow the selection of up to 4 different A & B solutions. These features allow the grower to select, with each irrigation cycle, the appropriate feed for each crop while being able to set the system to vary the irrigation volume and EC from one cycle to the next depending on the climatic conditions at the time of the day.
Do you want to reduce your capital costs?
The simpler construction of the DirectJet with only one pump, no mixing tank, and tank fill control makes the system more economical than equivalent mixing tank systems without compromising on control or reliability.
Do you need a reliable fertiliser dosing system?
Proudly made by Powerplants’ in Melbourne, the DirectJet is made for Australian growers in Australian conditions.
Features of the DirectJet include: • A long lasting corrosion resistant and durable frame. • Durable stainless steel pump with fertiliser resistant Viton seals. • Manual over-ride switches to provide manual control of the DirectJet in the unlikely event of a controller malfunction. • Easy to clean and service irrigation filter and dosing channel filters. • Dual EC and pH sensors to provide maximum protection and reliability by continuously monitoring the EC and pH of the water/ fertiliser mix going to the crop. • Accurate flow meter with electronic output connected to the controller. This measures the flow rate and volume of irrigation being applied. The DirectJet is available in standard capacities ranging from 6 - 24 m3/hr (6,000 - 24,000 litres per hour). Special capacity units and options are also available on request.
Water Systems
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NutriMix
Powerplants NutriMix Accurate and Reliable Fertigation The Powerplants NutriMix MT series fertiliser dosing systems are designed and built by Powerplants to local regulations and using locally available materials. The NutriMix MT series is designed around the mixing tank system principle and is available in a range of capacities and with a range of options.
Need an effective way to increase your yield and the quality of the crop?
The crop environment has a significant effect on plant health and crop yield. However, water and nutrition have a more immediate and dramatic effect on the aspects of crop production. Therefore the accurate delivery of water and nutrient are vital to ensure optimum yield and quality. To achieve this requires a combination of a good control system with the most optimum settings and a dosing system to match. The controller measures the EC and pH then, based on what has been set by the grower, controls the dosing channels on the NutriMix to achieve the desired EC and pH.
Water Systems
Because the NutriMix has been designed to match the range of controllers available from Powerplants and to suit Australian conditions, this is an ideal dosing system for hydroponic production.
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The NutriMix MT series is also available in a wide range of capacities with several options to suit almost every application. A popular option with growers is chemical injection. This option includes a chemical injector which is controlled by the controller and injects prior to the filter to ensure accurate dosing with minimum froth build-up.
Want to minimise risk?
The MT series fertiliser dosing system is supplied complete, requiring only minimal connections on site. This means your fertiliser dosing system can be installed and operating in the minimum of time. Moreover as systems are made to order, they are designed and constructed to best match your application. Many parts of Australia can endure extreme climatic conditions compared to many parts of the world. During these challenging conditions it is vital that the plants continue to receive the required level of irrigation and nutrition without interruption.
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Furthermore, in the very unlikely event that a part of the system fails, the grower has the assurance that parts are readily available in Australia as the system is constructed using locally available materials.
The standard NutriMix is delivered complete with:
Also, if an issue arises where the controller is no longer able to control the NutriMix system automatically the system features a wide range of manual controls which allow the grower to easily continue operating the unit manually until automatic control is restored.
“The NutriMix is great because it feeds when required and knows how much is needed without me having to intervene.” - Anthony Lam, Lamato Farms
Other special features to minimise risk include:
• High grade rust resistant frame. • Stainless steel fill pump matched in capacity to the stainless steel irrigation pump. • Fill rate control valve. • Mixing tank with high and low level sensors and float controlled inlet valve. • Stainless steel irrigation pump designed to provide both the required flow rate for irrigation and drive the dosing channels. • Dosing injectors with flow indicators, diaphragm adjustment valves, and quick action dosing valves. • Stock tank suction lines, filters and isolation valves are supplied with each system. • Dual high quality EC and pH sensors in a sensor loop. • EC and pH interfaces to specifically suit a range of Powerplants controllers . • Easy to clean filter. • Water meter. • Manual override control.
Options for the NutriMix MT series include: • Blend valve with actuator and pre-EC sensor for blending fresh and recycled drain water. • Multiple dosing channels. • Auto stock tank balancing. • Tank selection valves for multiple recipes.
Also available from Powerplants: • • • •
Stock Solution Tanks with conical, cleanable bases and flush valves. Acid Alkali Tanks with graduated markings. Electric Stirrers with stainless steel shaft and blade. Stirrer Timer Boxes with easy-to-set timers, automatically switch stirrer motors. This saves power while ensuring the stock is always evenly mixed.
Water Systems
• Outlet pressure regulation to ensure the pressure from the system never exceeds the maximum pressure allowed in the irrigation system. • 3 pressure gauges showing the fill pressure, discharge pressure and post filter pressure. The operator can see at a glance whether the system is operating correctly and when the filter needs cleaning. • Fill pump bypass which allows the grower to irrigate using the fill pump in the unlikely event the irrigation pump fails. • High quality serviceable venturi injectors are used in the dosing channels. Venturis fail shut in case of irrigation pump failure which protects the system from fertiliser and/or acid/alkali overdose. • Flow indicators and diaphragm adjustment valves on each dosing channel accurately control injection flow rate. This ensures the fertiliser injection rate can be accurately controlled. • Auto stock tank balancing option ensures each dosing channel delivers fertiliser equally. This ensures the fertiliser balance remains optimum.
Dual EC and pH sensors - the second sensor allows the control system to check one sensor against the other, thereby preventing the possibility of crop damage due to poorly calibrated sensors.
NutriMix
The Powerplants NutriMix MT series has been specifically designed for these conditions. The unit has proven to be able to cope with the harshest of conditions with the highest level of reliability.
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Ecolux
Powerplants Ecolux UV Water Disinfection Unit As many growers know, plants need a reliable source of water and fertiliser for optimum growth. With reliable water sources becoming increasingly difficult to find and fertiliser prices increasing all the time, it is more important now than ever to use water and fertiliser efficiently.
Need to ensure your water is safe to use?
Although there are many different technologies available for fresh water disinfection, few have been independently tested and even fewer feature built in checking mechanisms which ensure that water is treated to the desired level. Even more importantly, few technologies have no residual effects after treatment which could affect plant growth.
Water Systems
UV disinfection is proven technology which has been independently verified, by research stations in The Netherlands - world leaders in protected cropping technology - to be effective against bacteria, fungi, nematodes and viruses. This concept has been in use particularly in Europe but also other parts of the world for a number of decades. This allows growers to reliably recycle their runoff water saving on fertiliser and water costs.
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After looking at all different technologies available, Powerplants is pleased to bring you the Ecolux, an economical and highly effective Low Pressure UV water disinfection system designed specifically for the protected cropping and nursery industries. The system has been developed based on principles developed by manufacturers in The Netherlands.
Need to save around 50% on your fertiliser costs every year?
As well as treating fresh water only, the EcoLux has also been developed by Powerplants to treat recycled irrigation water by being able to treat blended fresh and drain irrigation water. Typically this water has low UV transmission compared to rain water, town water or bore water. Apart from ensuring the water is safe to use this is a true benefit to growers by saving water and fertiliser and therefore money. Tests have proven that fertiliser savings of 50% or more are achievable, along with similar savings in water use.
Ecolux
Worried about high maintenance costs?
The fact that the EcoLux unit is manufactured in Australia using locally available materials is a huge advantage, meaning the unit is compatible with locally available fittings. The unit can be tailored to each grower’s specific requirements. Servicing can be carried out quickly and easily when required, and there is less chance of necessary parts being out of stock. As the name suggests, the EcoLux is an economical alternative to other UV water disinfection systems, mostly manufactured in Europe.
“The Ecolux has helped our farm significantly save on fertiliser cost and reduce our town water usage by around 30%” - Hok Lam, Austral Hydroponics
How can I reduce the company OH & S risk?
Do you want to decrease your running costs? The only inputs required for the EcoLux are power, some acid, and maintenance. • The power requirement is low as the lamps used in the EcoLux are only 300 Watts each. • Acid is only required to clean the quartz tube. The amount of acid used is regulated by the EcoLux and is only injected when necessary. • The lamps need to be replaced after 9,000 hours of operation. This is almost twice as long as high pressure UV lamps used in High Pressure UV systems.
Water Systems
Some popular forms of water treatment rely on the injection of chemicals which although effective against certain plant health risks are also potentially hazardous to the user. These include forms of liquid chlorine, chlorine dioxide, and hydrogen peroxide. The EcoLux only uses UV light and does not rely on chemical treatment. Only a small amount of acid is used for cleaning of the quartz tube. The acid can be used in undiluted form so the only time the operator is potentially exposed to the chemical is the few times when swapping the suction tube from one drum to another.
Compared to Heat Treatment the EcoLux has a low running cost. For example, the pasteurisation process involves pre-filtering the water to 50 – 70 micron, then pH adjusting the water to 4.5 to avoid calcium deposits, then heating the water to 95ºC for a minimum of 30 seconds. Finally the water is cooled and stored. 1 to 1.5m3 of gas is needed to treat each m3 (1,000 litres) of water. The cost of energy is high, the water temperature is increased which is not desirable during summer months, and the pH is too low for crop production.
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Vialux
Priva Vialux UV Water Disinfection Unit As water becomes an increasingly scarce resource, growers are affected in a number of ways including: increased cost of water, poor water quality, greater expense in securing a good water supply (eg. deeper bores and/or longer pipelines). Independently tested by the research station Do you want to reduce in Naaldwijk, the Netherlands, the Priva Vialux disease in your crops ? As many growers know, to grow a good crop you need to start with a reliable high quality water source. This means water with low mineral content and without disease. Growers are increasingly facing more water supply issues. These include: decreasing water availability, higher cost of water and deteriorating water quality. To still maintain good production levels and quality, growers look at ways to treat their water supply to ensure it is safe to use with their crops.
Water Systems
A good way to ensure the water source is safe to use is by disinfecting the water supply with a suitable method of disinfection. Although there are a number of disinfection methods that have been tried, one that has proven particularly reliable is UV disinfection.
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has proven effective against all major threats to plant health including bacterial disease, fungal infections, nematodes and even viruses. The level of treatment can be set by the operator and because the system is self regulating and self-monitoring, the grower can be rest assured the water is safe to use.
Are your water and fertilising costs too high?
To reduce salt build-up in the media, growers know that it is important to irrigate to excess. The amount of drain will vary with crop and time of year but can be as much as 60%. Traditionally growers did not re-use the drain water because of the risk of spreading any disease that may be present in the crop. Moreover with the drain water the grower also loses the fertiliser that forms part of the drain.
Vialux
The Priva Vialux has been specifically designed to treat recirculated drain water. One of the greatest benefits of the Vialux is that it has little effect on the nutrients present in the drain water. This means that the grower gets the full benefit of the nutrients so the grower can not only save on water use but also fertiliser use. This can save up to 60% of the fertiliser use. Typical fertiliser saving is $37,500 per ha per year. What is important is that the drain water is tested on a regular basis and the A and B stock tank fertiliser mixes are adjusted to ensure the nutrient balance for the crop remains consistent.
Do you need a way to save on energy costs ?
The Priva Vialux automatically varies not only the flow rate of water being treated but also
Other UV treatment systems use an array of Low Pressure lamps which typically cannot vary lamp power level. Priva Vialux systems offer the best total solution for supply water disinfection. The system demands little energy and minimum maintenance and ensures pathogen-free water.
Do you want to protect yourself against potential crop disease?
Unlike other UV systems that pump water past a UV lamp and hope for the best, the Priva Vialux measures the light transmission of the water and adjusts the radiation dose accordingly. It has a sophisticated self-diagnosis system that ensures that if the water is not properly disinfected, it will be returned to the water supply and an alarm will be triggered. The system also cleans itself. Then when transmission drops further the system frequently back-flushes the lamp with acid to clean it
Water Systems
UV disinfection is also energy efficient compared to some other types of water disinfection, such as heat treatment. Heat treatment involves lowering the pH of the water to be treated to 4.5. Typical energy use ranges between 20 m3 and 40 m3 of natural gas per m3 water treated.
the lamp power level. This is to ensure that the minimum amount of energy is used to achieve the desired level of treatment.
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Vialux
Priva Vialux UV Disinfection Water Unit (a motorised wiper automatically cleans the lamp). You can be sure that your treated water is completely free of disease.
Specifications of Vialux High Pressure UV • The high pressure (HP/UV) system produces UV-C radiation between 200-300nm. • No reduction in pH levels. • No change in the nutrient levels of the water*, therefore, no nutrients are wasted. • Automatic cleaning during use - including automatic lamp wiping and acid backwash of lamp. • Power level control for reduced power consumption. • Process control and safeguarding by Priva process computer. • Automatic T10 (UV transmission through water) calculation and continuous monitoring of UV transmission. • Computer-controlled disinfection process. • Transmission values can be as low as 20%, allowing disinfection of unmixed drain water. • Simple design, low maintenance, stand-alone unit - one exposure chamber, one UV lamp and one UV-C measurement. • Fast, safe and pollution-free treatment of micro-organisms Includes tank control software. • Multiple flow rates available. • Full system design is recommended - contact us in the early stages of planning.
Water Systems
* Note: UV treatment has a small effect on chelated nutrients. This effect can be minimised by careful selection of the chelate. Please contact us for more information.
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“We recycle all of our water and don’t want to take chances with water quality. The Vialux makes sure all the water we use is safe for our crops” - Tony Bundock, Chisholm Institute of Tafe
How Priva UV disinfection works Dirt particles are always present in drain water. Particles suspended in the water cause shadows and may allow disease through. Before the Vialux process begins, the water must be filtered, using for example, a slow-acting sand filter, very fine screen or disc filter(s). The water to be disinfected is pumped through the radiation chamber with significant turbulence, ensuring that all the water is exposed to the UV radiation for the same amount of time, and at the same level of intensity. The single lamp in the Vialux is enclosed in a quartz tube, and irradiates the water passed through the chamber with UV-C light. The UV-C intensity used to irradiate the water is measured by a built in calibrated UV-C sensor. The UV disinfection system works by using active UV-C radiation. This has a wavelength of approximately 250 nanometers, and alters the DNA of micro-organisms, such as microbes, bacteria and moulds, thereby destroying them. UV-C light can also kill viruses. The permeability of UV-C light depends on the transmission level of the water. The Vialux automatically calculates and operates at the optimum radiation level by continuously monitoring the water being treated. For selective disinfection (microbes, bacteria and moulds) the UV-C intensity is 80 - 100mJ/ cm2 is used, and for total disinfection (including all viruses), the minimum UV-C dose is 250mJ/ cm2 is standard. These lethal doses render pathogens completely inactive. The disinfected water is then pumped into a ‘treated water’ tank for irrigation using the Fertiliser Dosing System.
The Powerplants Minigrow is a simple, inexpensive and easy to use climate controller. The Minigrow is a compact controller that has four relay outputs and can switch 24V AC or DC. It can accept signals from a number of different sensors; has a large backlit display and is easy to understand.
Minigrow
Automation and Control with a Minigrow computer Need to increase crop quality?
The Powerplants Minigrow provides you with the possibility to control some of the most important environmental features in your greenhouse. The Powerplants Minigrow measures temperature, humidity, wind speed and rain (optional). It uses these measurements to proportionally open the vents. Minigrow Screen Controller controls one to two sets of screens. It can be configured for indoor or outdoor use. The accurate control you will have over your greenhouse will result in better quality crop!
Looking for a way to decrease the chance for crop disease?
Minigrow Fog Controller controls one or two separate fogging zones independently. It measures temperature and humidity in each zone and maintains a set humidity, with temperature overrides. By controlling the humidity in your greenhouse with the Minigrow, the chance for crop disease is drastically reduced!
Want to spend less time at work and more time at home?
The Minigrow gives you the opportunity to automatically control your greenhouse! The Minigrow removes the need for constant manual control; this will give you more time to spend at home!
Getting frustrated with the increasing energy costs?
The Minigrow helps saving unnecessary costs by providing accurate control over temperature, humidity, wind speed and rain. By switching from several unintegrated control systems to the Minigrow your greenhouse will be managed in a more efficient way, resulting in significant energy savings.
Minigrow Mist and Irrigation Controller (Solar) controls up to four misting or irrigation valves independently. It measures solar radiation and sets off misting or irrigation when the accumulated solar energy reaches a set target (in Joules), for a set on-time, then starts accumulating again. It therefore mists or irrigates more often on sunny days than cloudy days and has time based backups. There are software versions with combinations of the above applications.
Control Systems
Make sure you never miss a mist!
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Omnigrow
Automate Your Greenhouse with an Omnigrow Computer The Omnigrow climate controller provides the user with a simple, inexpensive and easy to use system for controlling your greenhouse.
Do you want to spend more time at home and less time at work?
With the Omnigrow System all options for controlling greenhouse equipment are accessed via descriptive prompts such as: ‘Screens close if light is greater than’ [set-point] w/m2. You simply use the up and down arrows to change the set-point, then press the Accept button. Moreover, the computer can run automatically at night and while you are away on holiday, giving you peace of mind.
Want your Greenhouse climate being automatically controlled with high accuracy?
Control Systems
Rather than having separate controllers running climate control equipment according to different sensors, this controller gives integrated control of the greenhouse climate. Vents are opened gradually in small steps, resulting in less wasted heat, effective humidity control and more stable conditions for the plants. The integrated automatic controls improves planning, making your operation more efficient.
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Looking for a cost effective way to control your greenhouse?
At less than half of the price of imported controllers, the Omnigrow range of controllers offers you great value for money. With years of development, the Omnigrow is a proven greenhouse controller.
Australian Made The Omnigrow is made entirely in Australia. Not only are you supporting Australian jobs, you are receiving local support superior to the imported controllers, because the person who makes the controllers can also service them. The Omnigrow can be configured to control a combination of greenhouse equipment. It can open or close vents and shade screens, it can turn fans on or off (circulation and exhaust), fogging systems, irrigation, heating and cooling, depending on the input received from a variety of sensors. You can alter all of your set-points for acceptable levels of light, humidity, temperature, rain and wind.
Do you need to ensure your plants are protected from rain damage? The moisture/rain sensor responds continuously to the amount of water on its sensing element. The reading is not affected by the salinity/conductivity of the water. It is largely used where vents or walls need to be shut when it rains.
Omnigrow
Research glasshouse at AgriBioScience Research Centre at Latrobe University
Increase yield and quality, reduce disease and costs and save water and energy!! Put your mind at rest knowing your Greenhouse is protected from high winds!
“The Omnigrow allows the environmental flexibility and control we require “ -Steve Eggleton, Plant Growers Australia
The relative humidity/temperature sensor is the most important sensor used in the Omnigrow’s control. It is used to control vent/ wall openings, fogging, heating, cooling and retractable screens and is housed in our Climasense. Suspended in the centre of the greenhouse, the Climasense has a small fan which increases accuracy. Temperature measurement is necessary to control vent/wall opening, heating, cooling and fogging, to maintain a more constant environment for your crop. The relative humidity sensor is an electronic sensor that measures the percentage of water vapour in the air, a critical tool to control fogging systems and vents. This unique sensor is easily interchangeable and, if replaced, does not require re-calibration.
Outputs The Omnigrow has ten switching outputs that can switch various types of devices.
Control Systems
The wind speed sensor’s main application is for climate control situations that require the vents/wall openings to be modified according to wind strength. At moderate wind speeds the wall/vent openings can be reduced in proportion to the wind speed. Above critical wind speeds will prompt the vent/wall openings to shut completely to avoid damage. The wind direction sensor is used only in combination with the wind speed sensor. A climate controller that measures wind speed and wind direction can perform more sophisticated control of the vents and/or wall openings. For example vents/walls facing into the wind can have openings reduced, whereas vents/walls facing away from the wind can have openings increased.
Do you struggle with controlling plant disease?
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Multigrow
The Multigrow control system The Multigrow is a revolutionary control system that has been specifically designed to deliver class leading control while being built around a user friendly interface. The Multigrow features both a modular network structure and a modular software configuration. Each Multigrow System can be configured to exactly suit the client’s requirements. What’s more, the Multigrow network can be extended and software modules added to allow the system to grow with the client’s operational requirements.
Want to increase the quality of your crop?
Control Systems
The Multigrow is available with extensive hardware and software options to provide advanced control over the grower’s climate systems (ventilation, screens, fans, fog, heating, irrigation, fertigation, etc.). The Multigrow offers the opportunity to set up sophisticated systems with ease and understanding. The Multigrow will perform anywhere from a small single irrigation only application to a complex system featuring control for multiple compartments, heating, fertigation systems, and irrigation. Using the data it receives from the environment; it will assess and affect the best strategy to ensure its targets are met to provide the optimum growing environment for any crop. As climate systems are continually developing and often becoming more and more complex, the Multigrow software is also continually being developed and updated to meet the demands of modern climate systems.
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Looking for a better work-life balance?
As well as it’s built in large colour touch panel interface, the Multigrow is also designed to allow you access to your system through any web browser locally or remotely. This means the system can be accessed and controlled from any device that can display web pages. This removes annoying compatibility issues that can occur with other systems which require specific software to run on devices with specific setups. With readings, graphs and settings right at your fingertips this gives you complete control of your greenhouse and irrigation from any computer, smartphone or tablet anywhere around the world. The Multigrow’s inbuilt WebTxt means you will know the second anything unexpected occurs. This gives you the peace of mind to relax, knowing exactly what your system is doing even while you are not there.
Looking for a cost effective way to control your greenhouse?
Since the Multigrow is an integrated controller capable of controlling a wide range of parameters in your irrigation and greenhouse systems, the Multigrow removes the need for multiple controllers which not only improves the overall level of control by integrating systems better together, but can also significantly reduce the cost of control. By using a single system, the Multigrow gives a better overview and therefore better overall control of the systems. As each Multigrow system is configured for each application, you never pay for something you don’t use, but the system always has the flexibility to grow with your operation. No matter what the requirements are the Multigrow has the ability to ensure the right environment for your crop.
Multigrow
Easy to use while giving excellent results – how is this possible? A very large colour touch panel interface allows for a very comprehensive user friendly layout. The power of modern computer hardware allows for much more descriptive settings with an intuitive design. On screen help tells you exactly what each setting does helping you to truly understand your control system. The Multigrow allows the user to not only name each compartment, vent, screen, valve, etc. but also to name each period of the day. The Multigrow features expander modules to control climate systems such as screen motors, vent motors, valves, etc. These smart expander modules feature manual override switches which allow you to locally control each device. The central Multigrow controller will indicate any switches which are left in manual mode (this may be on purpose or accidental) as well as any error conditions such as a blown fuse in an expander module. This unique level of system overview significantly helps the user to assess any issues with the system locally and remotely. Every Multigrow system needs an internet connection. This not only allows
local and remote access to the system for the user but also allows for remote support and any software updates can be installed automatically. Many of the modern techniques recommended by top horticulturalists are built-in to the Multigrow software and come preset. This allows the Multigrow to provide some control “straight out of the box” – you don’t need to be a scientist! By separating settings into environmental and configuration it allows the grower to deal with the setting they understand and know, without having to delve into the technical side of things with the risk of errors. The Multigrow has several different levels of access which can be controlled by the administrator. This means that each user has access rights relevant to his/her position.
“The Multigrow is the easiest way to control my greenhouse environment and watering “ -Dan Patience, JD Propagation
Control Systems
• • • • •
• • •
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Maximizer
Priva Maximizer - Integrated Environmental Control Systems Priva is the largest and most successful climate control manufacturer in the world. The company has been developing climate control computers for over 50 years and their knowledge is distilled in the Maximizer. The greenhouse environment is a very complex and dynamic climate - it heats up and cools down very quickly and changes in humidity are very rapid. The outside conditions such as wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, light level and rainfall can all have dramatic effects on the greenhouse environment.
Looking for a way to increase crop yield and quality?
Control Systems
Every grower knows that crop yield is directly linked to the plant environment, irrigation and nutrition. With more accurate control of the environment, irrigation and nutrition higher yields and better quality are possible. The Maximizer is a PID (Proportional, Integral, and Differential) controller. This means that the controller adapts it’s measure of control to the conditions at the time. The PID settings are also adjustable so the control can be fine-tuned to each application.
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Need help to reduce costs? By measuring and controlling the environment, water and nutrition more closely, the Maximizer is able to proportion the amount of control required to optimise conditions to the grower’s set requirements accurately and efficiently. This reduces wastage in energy, water and fertiliser. Each compartment control in the Maximizer comes with the full complement of software for that compartment. This eliminates the need to purchase additional software for that compartment if or when extra equipment is added in a compartment that needs to be controlled. With the ability to control hydro only (irrigation and fertiliser dosing), or up to 4 compartments on a Maximizer, or up to 40 compartments in a Maximizer network, a Maximizer based system can be implemented economically for many applications including vegetable production, flower production, nurseries and research.
Want to effectively save water and fertiliser?
The Maximizer software provides accurate irrigation and fertiliser dosing control. By being able to accurately control these, there is no need to irrigate to excess therefore reducing water and fertiliser use. The Maximizer irrigation software also includes the ability to vary EC with light intensity. This means that during periods of high light, when the crop has a higher water requirement for cooling but a lower nutritional requirement, the Maximizer automatically reduces the EC with each cycle until light levels again reduce to a level where the crop water requirement for cooling is reduced. The Maximizer software also includes the ability to control blending of drain water with fresh water. This allows a system to be configured to include recycling of irrigation drain water presenting significant savings in both water and fertiliser use while improving the environment around the greenhouse. For more information on disinfection of both fresh and drain water please refer to the Powerplants EcoLux and the Priva Vialux.
Is your work/life balance not how you want it to be?
Many growers struggle increasingly with balancing lifestyle with work. Worrying about the state of their crops causes a lot of stress. The Priva Maximizer system is able to relieve some of the worry and stress by reliably controlling the environment, irrigation and nutrition on a continuous basis day and night, 365 days a year. The system will also alarm if any conditions occur which fall outside desired parameters. The alarm can be connected to an auto-dialler which will either call the grower or send a TXT message in case of an alarm. Using a PC with Priva Office software installed and a broadband connection, the grower is able to remotely check all compartments in the system anytime and from anywhere using either a suitable laptop, tablet or smartphone. Now the grower can enjoy time away from the greenhouse while confident that the system is looking after the crops and he/she will be notified if any alarms are activated. Priva Office can be configured with user interface screens specific to each site which allows for simple control without the user having to learn special codes or commands.
“The more accurate control over my greenhouse has increased my yield significantly.” - Gippsland Greenhouse Produce
How can I optimise my time while reducing risk?
Options Additional options of control include but are not limited to: a complete weather station including measurement of light, wind speed, wind direction, outside temperature, rain and humidity; and other sensors including electronic temperature and humidity, CO2 , plant temperature (infra-red), soil moisture, vent position, EC, pH, water flow, tank water levels etc. Light can be measured using 3 different sensor types including: global radiation, photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) and visible light. Selection of the light sensor determines the measurement.
The Priva Maximizer features the following: • • • • • • • • • • • •
40 Digital outputs for controlling equipment Optional up to 8 Analogue outputs to control equipment like variable speed fans or pumps). 20 Analogue inputs to connect to sensors eg. temperature, humidity, EC, pH etc. 8 High-speed digital inputs for accurate pulse sensors such as water volume. Full Climate Control Software suite, including control for ventilation, screens, fans, fog, lights, heating and boiler control. Full irrigation, fertiliser dosing and tank control. Environmental status, reports and historical data. Custom control programs. Up to 3 alarms per zone for problem notification. Control of Hydro only or up to four (compartments) per Maximizer. Ability to network up to 10 Maximizers together. Ability to connect to a PC for monitoring and control of the Maximizer network.
Control Systems
Successful growers have special skills which are best used to optimise crop yield and quality. These growers cannot afford for their time to be wasted on continually manually adjusting climate and irrigation systems to improve crop health and yield. Using a suitable controller with the ability to set a wide range of parameters to fine-tune control of the crop environment, irrigation and nutrition will relieve the grower from these manual tasks and allow him/her to focus more on the crop.
Also, because the climate and irrigation systems are continuously and automatically controlled by the Maximizer there is less chance of human error compromising the environmental control or plant nutritional requirements.
Maximizer
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Connext
Priva Connext - Advanced Environmental Control As advancements in the greenhouse industry continue to be developed, the Connext system by Priva provides a process control system network to integrate all control in one system. And more importantly the Priva Connext network can be monitored and accessed both locally and remotely through a broadband connection.
Do you need to increase crop yield and quality?
Control Systems
The Priva Connext integrated process control system is the latest generation in control systems developed by Priva. With more than 50 years of experience, Priva have further developed and fine-tuned the process control system software to best optimise the control of climate, heating, irrigation, fertiliser application and water treatment in a greenhouse production operation. In combination with the latest innovations in greenhouse and climate systems, the Priva Connext control provides the operator with all the tools necessary to tune the greenhouse crop environment to achieve the best possible results in both crop quality and yield.
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Some of the system features include: • The ability to optimise climate, irrigation and fertiliser application control for any crop. • Six periods per 24 hours, provides extensive control over the greenhouse environment and allows customisation for all possible indoor or outdoor variables. • Extensive controls for a wide variety of greenhouse designs (plastic and glass) from the simplest, traditional design to the most advanced, complex modern designs. • Communication between all peripheral hardware such as intelligent motors, shading systems and different types of sensors from a reliable base, so all systems are connected and monitored at all times. • Optional integration with the new Priva Fusion Information Management System.
Do you want to increase reliability while reducing risk?
With many growers worldwide facing continually higher production costs, Priva have been paying particular attention in ways to improve the efficiency of greenhouse operation. An area that has had a lot of attention is energy management. To this end, Priva have incorporated a number of particular features in the Priva Connext process control system to optimise energy efficiency. These features include advanced boiler control (in combination with the industry standard Fidu-face), heat buffer management, heating zone management, energy screen management, vent control, etc.
“The Connext connects all the processes in my greenhouse, making my life a lot easier” - Peter Petsios, SA Tomatoes
Are you looking for a better balance between work and leisure time?
With the wide range of complex systems that run simultaneously in a modern greenhouse today, it is important for greenhouse production managers to be able to view the big picture, and the Priva Connext process computer, in combination with the latest generation Priva Office Direct PC software, offers a concise and comprehensive overview of their operation at a glance. With the Priva Connext system, greenhouse growers are able to take their operations to the next level, with easy integration into their existing systems. Furthermore, Powerplants are able to further customise the Priva Office Direct user interface to the project. This provides a more user friendly interface to make the system easier to manage. Powerplants uses the latest network technologies such as high speed Ethernet, fibre optic, WiFi and broadband to provide the user with both local and remote access to the process control system while still retaining security to prevent unauthorised access.
Control Systems
Many growers see the process control system as the heart of their production facility. When the “heart” stops, production potentially suffers. Although Priva systems were already world renowned for their reliability, with the Priva Connext process control system, Priva have paid even more attention to system reliability by incorporating the concept of a “robust network”. This smarter network has built in redundancy, built in self-checking, greater ability for diagnostics, and quicker and easier servicing from Powerplants Australia. Due to its innovative design, any existing Priva Intégro or Maximizer process computer can be upgraded and expanded into a Priva Connext system. This extends the service life of Priva’s earlier models. Customers don’t have to worry that they might need all-new systems and can benefit from the ability to upgrade and expand easily using their existing equipment. Due to its greater capacity for larger greenhouse sites, the Connext offers expandability on a very large scale. In addition to existing controls offered with the standard models, bespoke solutions can also be provided. Powerplants understands the significance of being able to provide local support for the complex control systems installed throughout Australia. As a licensed Priva dealer, Powerplants’ technicians receive regular extensive training in the installation and servicing of all Priva systems, including the Priva Connext system. We are experts in electro-technical and water engineering.
Are your energy costs rising year by year?
Connext
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The GroSound system has been developed by Powerplants to provide clear, evenly distributed sound and music throughout the greenhouse and service buildings.
Looking for new ways to keep your staff motivated?
GroSound
GroSound System
As many growers are aware, it is difficult to attract good staff and even harder to retain staff. On the other hand staff enjoy a pleasant working environment. Research has shown that providing background music at a comfortable level will lead to a nicer work environment and therefore more motivated staff. The GroSound system includes several music sources - an AM/FM tuner, CD player and a USB/ MP3 player allowing you to select the most desirable music for your staff. The system also provides an alert for break times so all staff are clear when breaks start and finish.
Do you want to increase productivity?
Research has shown that when undertaking repetitive work, evenly distributed music in the background with a good beat improves productivity as employees work to a rhythm.
A distributed sound system benefits all those working in your greenhouse and improves productivity.
“The Powerplants GroSound is a great way to motivate my staff and increase production” -Russell Murphy, R&JL Murphy
Need to improve OH&S in your operation?
Although portable radios or MP3 players work well, it is difficult to communicate with staff and these can also be dangerous in case of an emergency. The GroSound system doubles as a Public Address (PA) system allowing you to make announcements to staff (including breaks or alerts) and most importantly it can be used as an emergency alarm warning system as well. The GroSound system features: • High Power distributed sound Amplifier. providing high voltage output. • Radio Tuner. • CD/MP3/USB player. • Input for iPod. • Microphone. • Water resistant speakers suitable for high voltage signal. • High voltage speaker cable.
Automation and Labour Systems
Also, with suitable background music staff are less likely to distract each other with talking, allowing them instead to focus on the required tasks.
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PrivAssist
PrivAssist Smartline – Crop and Labour Management One of virtually every business owner’s biggest challenges is labour. Finding and keeping good staff, training, managing productivity, managing staff politics and the rising cost of labour are common challenges to all businesses. This is even more difficult for the Horticultural Industry as conditions are often uncomfortable and the wages are often relatively low. Priva has been supplying the PrivAssist system Are your staff not as efficient for over a decade. The traditional PrivAssist as you would like them to be? system relied on “Terminals” which could be placed on “Consoles” located throughout the greenhouse (16m to 20m apart). All activity was recorded via the terminal by entering data via “Terminal Programs”. This system is still in use today but a more recent variant of the system is the PrivAssist Smartline. The PrivAssist Smartline makes labour management much easier and makes everyone accountable. The old adage goes “If it can be measured, it can be improved.“ The Smartline RFID system makes registration a breeze.
Automation and Labour Systems
Easy to use - use the Smartline Reader to scan a (Radio Frequency IDentification) Tag to record a process - no data entry by logbooks or keypads is needed. RFID is becoming the leading data gathering system in factories and other industries.
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With the PrivAssist Smartline system, all data is registered by the workers themselves using the Smartline Readers. The readers are designed to remove any language barriers when registering operations. What’s more, as the workers are registering their own tasks, this makes them accountable for the data collected. The data can be analysed later by the supervisor, manager or owner to determine labour performance. It can then be determined which tasks are best suited to which individuals. Furthermore, clear performance standards can easily be set and monitored. This ensures that not only the most suitable individual is selected for each required task, but also that all individuals continue to work at an optimum pace.
Are you having problems avoiding or containing crop disease?
The PrivAssist system also includes the ability to register pest and disease incidence. This way your workers also become your scouts! You can even automatically provide a small reward to your workers for each incident they register. The registered pest and disease incidents can be displayed on a clear plan of the property which highlights the severity of the incidence in different shades of different colours (each type of pest and disease can be colour coded).
“The PrivAssist is a great tool for labour registration, making management of staff more effective” - Tony Bundock, Chisholm Institute of Tafe
PrivAssist
How do you increase production, improve quality and increase profit?
Because workers are working to their optimum and individuals are selected to perform the tasks they are best suited to, production is automatically lifted.
The benefit to the company of improved production and quality is a clear improvement in profit.
One of Australia’s leading strawberry growers is Berry Sweet. The owner, Anthony Yewers, crops 100 acres in W.A. including 8,000 sqm hydroponically grown strawberries in greenhouses. Anthony installed a PrivAssist Smartline system in late 2006. When asked how the workers find the new system at Berry Sweet, Anthony said that they have become more conscientious, and that the “good workers are getting rewarded for their efforts instead of being dragged down by others, and they know that the harder they work, the more that they will be paid”. Anthony said that managing his staff is now much easier, productivity is much higher and quality is also improving because his workers are now accountable. Anthony was very pleased that he could now quickly and easily identify each individual worker’s production and quality. He is making significant savings in wages as everyone is now pulling their weight. Quality has also improved considerably. The payback on the system was of 4-6 months. He said that he is saving around $1,000 per DAY and highly recommends the system to other growers.
Automation and Labour Systems
The PrivAssist system allows each “container” (bucket, tray, trolley, etc) to be tracked between the greenhouse/field and the packing/handling area. This allows the supervisor to easily determine who is responsible for any substandard produce, flowers or plants that arrive in the packing/handling area. This makes each worker accountable for what they do and as a result improve their standards. The effect on overall quality can be significant.
Case study
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Crop Trolleys
Berg Pipe Rail Trolleys Many modern greenhouses use the heating pipes as part of their crop-work system. Pipe rail trolleys are used in crop picking, transportation, crop management and spraying. Using the rails to transport trolleys throughout the greenhouse will result in a huge increase in productivity and improvement in labour conditions.
Need to better optimise spend on crop management tasks?
Many growers are familiar with platform trolleys which use a winch or a manual scissor with locking pins to adjust the platform height. The operator of the trolley then climbs on to the platform using a ladder. Today all successful greenhouse vegetable growers use a form of hydraulic trolley to carry out crop management tasks. The Berg Hortimotive Benomic hydraulic 2 scissor trolleys are very easy to use and reliable. The Benomic is the latest generation of Berg Hortimotive trolleys.
Automation and Labour Systems
The Benomic pipe rail trolleys have electronic speed control with smooth speed control of 0 to 60m per minute. This allows the user to quickly get to the back of each row then set the exact speed required for the operation.
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The floor pedal can be used as a driving pedal (“push to drive”) or as braking pedal (“push to brake”). Push to drive is used for operations which require frequent stops, such as de-leafing. Push to stop is used for operations which don’t require frequent stopping, such as layering. The trolley display shows each function clearly. The trolley also has a battery condition meter, which warns when the batteries are getting low. For tomato or capsicum operations, a 12VDC outlet is fitted to power truss pollinators. All trolleys are equipped with a special charging plug. Batteries recharge during braking, resulting in increased lifetime. Moving from path to path is done with help of hydraulically operated, lifting wheels. Trolleys are typically set up for 60cm pipe spacing for Australian greenhouses.
Crop Trolleys
Need to reduce OH&S risks in your operation?
Having difficulty reducing your labour costs?
The Pipe Rail Trolleys are easily operated, money saving solutions. The Pipe Rail Trolley will allow you to reduce the amount of time spent on crop handling, decreasing your labour costs.
Therefore, not only will your employees be happy because their work is a lot more comfortable, you will directly notice the financial benefits when looking at your bottom line! The Benomic range is also available in 3 and 4 scissor versions. These versions lift to a maximum platform height of 440cm and 570cm respectively and are therefore also used for maintenance. These trolleys feature mechanical stabilizers which need to be deployed before the trolley platform can be raised above 350cm.
Automation and Labour Systems
The complete trolley with hydraulic scissors is designed to create a safe working platform in combination with a stable pipe rail system. Each trolley has features to help meet Australian Health and Safety regulations. These features include: • Heavy duty safety rail with self-closing gate. • Built-in tilt alarm which alerts before the trolley risks falling over. • Hose-break safety device which helps prevent the platform from crashing down in case of a hose burst. • Emergency lowering valve which allows the platform to be lowered without power. • A 300kg lifting capacity for the double scissor trolley and 120kg lifting capacity for the 3 and 4 scissor trolleys.
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Transport Trolleys
Powerplants Transport 190/250 Trolley Most modern greenhouses feature heating systems using pipe rail. This type of heating not only allows optimum climate control, but also forms part of the internal logistics required to manage the crop in the greenhouse. Powerplants has been specialising in supplying internal logistics systems for over a decade.
Do you need to reduce costs?
To maintain crop hygiene, many growers need to spray their trolleys with disinfectant. Some disinfectants can be relatively corrosive towards metal. With traditional powder coated trolleys this can quickly lead to corrosion under the powder coating which will eventually lead to failure of part of the trolley structure. The Powerplants Trans range of trolleys feature a corrosion resistant design to dramatically extend the trolley life and allow the grower to maintain important hygiene standards. Because the high quality transport trolleys last longer, future capital costs are avoided.
Automation and Labour Systems
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Need to increase efficiency at your company?
Many processes carried out during crop production require the ability to either carry material into the greenhouse and down the rows (for example planting out), or material from the rows out of the greenhouse (for example de-leafing). A cost effective and efficient way to help carry out these tasks is with a suitable transport trolley. The Powerplants Trans 190 and Trans 250 transport trolleys have been designed specifically to run smoothly on the Australian standard pipe rail spacing. The trolleys feature a very durable construction with a push up triangle hitch so trolleys can be linked together to form a trolley train. This allows one person to simultaneously move a number of trolleys with a suitable electric tractor or forklift. The trolleys can also be fitted with suitable bins for either collection of bulk material such as plant leaves or for harvesting of cucumbers or capsicums.
A commonly used trolley in the greenhouse is the basic transport trolley. This trolley features: • Two 200mm centre wheels. • Four flanged wheels to suit the pipe rail. • Suited to a standard pipe rail spacing of 600mm centre to centre (other spacings available on request). • Four swivel wheels with wheel protectors . • Flip-up triangle trolley hitch. • Two push handles. • Two available trolley lengths: 190cm long and 250cm long. Traditionally these trolleys have been delivered with a powder coated finish. Powerplants now offer this trolley with a hot dipped galvanised finish.
The Powerplants Truss 190 and Truss 250 trolleys are extensions of the Trans 190 and Trans 250 trolleys, but fitted with a roller rack and slideable top rack especially designed for tomato harvesting.
Need help to reduce your OH & S risk?
The Truss 190 and Truss 250 trolleys feature a top rack that is stacked with empty boxes. The middle roller rack is where the picker places an empty box to pick in to. When this box is full, the next box is placed on top and filled as well. Once there is a stack of boxes, the stack is pushed forward by the picker along the roller rack. This process is repeated until the roller rack is full. The top rack and roller rack are set at a height that is comfortable for the picker. The roller rack also ensures that the picker does not need to strain his or her back to move full boxes with fruit. Trolleys with full boxes of fruit can be linked together and towed to the pack-house as a trolley train towed by an electric tractor or suitable forklift. This removes the need to manually push every trolley individually to the packing area, again reducing muscle strain.
- Godfrey Dol, Blush Tomatoes
Also available from Powerplants are standard manual electric tractors, as well as semi-automatic and fully automatic electric tractors to suit the Powerplants Trans and Truss range of trolleys.
Longing for a better balanced lifestyle?
In the drive to improve efficiency, many growers are considering automatic fruit handling systems as part of their crop production operation. The Powerplants Truss 190 and Truss 250 trolleys have been specifically designed to suit common fruit handling systems. These systems often feature semi-automatic or fully automatic push off units to remove boxes full of fruit from the trolley. The trolley must match the design of the push off unit to avoid potential damage to either the trolley, the system and/or fruit damage. With matched trolleys, the processing efficiency of fruit can be dramatically improved. Therefore, you will have more time left for the more important things in life.
Automation and Labour Systems
“The Powerplants trolleys are a great asset to our facility, they save time and make the job easier for our staff.�
Picking Trolleys
Powerplants Picking 190/250 Trolley
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Spraying Trolleys
Crop Spraying Solutions Although not an enjoyable task, spraying is a very important job and must be done safely and with precision. Most importantly, it must be easy to do. Powerplants Spraying Systems offer you all this with the modular ‘Georgia’ Mobile Spray Tank, combined with either a push along spray boom, ride-on Sprayer or a fully automated ‘Meto’ Sprayer with optional Meto-Trans transporter unit.
Looking for an effective method to reduce pest and disease ?
Powerplants specialises in supplying equipment and systems that ensure that the task of spraying is simple to carry out, effective and consistent. This guarantees that crop protection is carried out when it needs to be done and at the correct strength and uniformity. The result is a crop that is well looked after in terms of pest and disease control limiting the potential damage that pests and disease can cause.
Need to increase yield and improve quality?
Automation and Labour Systems
With good pest and disease control, there is less stress on the crop. Without this stress, the plants are not only able to yield better, but the quality can also be potentially improved.
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Do you have efficiency problems?
Increasing levels of automation provide for increased level of efficiency. For example, one operator can operate two Meto automatic spray trolleys simultaneously. With a centre path greenhouse this means that plant rows on both sides of the path can be sprayed simultaneously dramatically reducing the time is takes to spray. The grower also has the confidence that the spraying process is timely, uniform, and at the desired spray density.
Want to reduce OH & S risk?
With the Meto automatic spray trolleys, the operator remains on the path while the trolley automatically travels to the back of the row then sprays the crop on its return to the path. Because the operator is not riding on the trolley there is minimal exposure to the chemical being sprayed. There are several spraying system options to choose from, which are: the Georgia mobile spray tank, the Manual spray boom, the Mini-Boom Pipe Rail Spray Trolley, the Semi-Automatic Pipe Rail Spray Trolley and the Fully Automatic Pipe Rail Spray Trolley.
The new EMP-300 grafting machine is able to graft plants at high speed, while staying reliable and ensuring quality by using flexible clips to support the completed graft. The design is specifically focussed on allowing the grafting to be efficient and simple, with simple mechanical features allowing easy adjustments to be made to the grafting machine. This simple, user friendly grafting machine is able to graft between 400 to 600 plants per hour!
Looking for a way to increase the quality of your plants from the starting phase of growing?
The best method of ensuring the quality of your crops is by handling your plants with care from the beginning. By using the best of both worlds, namely by using strong rootstock from one species and the scion of the vegetable you want to grow, the best results will be achieved.
Looking for an investment with a great return?
The grafting machine ensures faster production, a better quality crop and therefore an increase in profits. If you already apply grafting to your production process, the newest EMP-300 model will definitely increase your performance, therefore increasing your profits. If you have never applied grafting to your crop before, you will be amazed by the benefits you will experience from the day you will start using the grafting machine in your greenhouse.
Need to decrease costs?
The grafting machine decreases the chance of your crop not growing successfully, therefore reducing costs associated with crop failure. Moreover, if you are still grafting the old fashioned, hands on way the EMP-300 will cut labour costs drastically since the plants that can be grafted per hour will increase significantly. Therefore, the grafting machine is a great way to decrease unnecessary costs. The grafting machine can work with different configurations (30ยบ-40ยบ), and with simple adjustments different varieties of plant scions and rootstock can be grafted. The grafting clips are made of flexible material, especially designed for a solid fix around the graft. Moreover, there are different settings to graft the plants to suit your specific application.
Knives The knives to cut the stem are very easy to change. The cutting unit can be replaced to cut with different angles.
Design Accurate design and simple mechanical features ensure maximum accuracy and reliability in every grafted plant.
Adaptability Clips for grafting plants are available in different diameters, and are pre-packed in rolls. The machine is automatically supplied with the clip roller, individually cutting the clip when the plant is grafted. The actual cutting units have a disinfectant application. Disinfection cycle can be adjusted following the work patterns, ensuring the possibility for infection is reduced effectively.
Automation and Labour Systems
Grafting Equipment
EMP-300 Grafting Machine
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Ebb and Flood Benches
Ebb & Flood Benches Ebb & Flood Benches offer the greatest and most uniform watering system available while improving ergonomics and OH&S compliance. Ebb & Flood Benches are very common in Europe and could be of great benefit to your bottom line.
Want to save precious time?
A large portion of a grower’s labour budget can be attributed to the cost of irrigating by hand. With the use of Ebb & Flood benches, irrigation can be fully automated, watering efficiency increased and labour costs reduced. An entire bench of plants can be watered simultaneously and evenly. At regular intervals set by the grower, nutrient solution is automatically pumped from a dosing tank to flood the bench, and then is allowed to ebb away. This provides the crop with a continually refreshed nutrient source, that never becomes stale, precipitated or over concentrated. The runoff water is easily collected, then treated for re-use.
Do you need help reducing plant disease?
Automation and Labour Systems
If you want to greatly improve plant health, the ebb & flood system of watering plants is the way to go. Plant leaves and flowers stay dry, so overall greenhouse humidity is lowered and
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“The Ebb & Flood benches definitely decreased my water costs and helped eliminate disease in my crop� - Jason Smith, Triffid Park Nursery fungal diseases are virtually eliminated. Vast amounts of essential oxygen is forced in and distributed around the roots. This invigorates the root system, reducing root disease and, most importantly, increasing crop growth.
Do you want to reduce employee labour and improve safety?
Your employees will also benefit by having Ebb & Flood benches, as having the plants at the correct working height reduces the strain on their backs from constantly picking plants off the ground. Paths stay dry, eliminating slippery algae thus reducing accidents.
Ebb and Flood Benches Benches can increase your effective growing area by up to 30%, reduce your water use by up to 70% and reduce fertiliser use by up to 30%.
Looking for an effective way to save water?
By using Ebb & Flood benches, wasteful runoff is minimised and the high costs of fertilisers can be reduced as all the water is collected and can easily be recycled. Typical bench widths are 1.5, 1.6, 1.7 and 1.8m. Any length is available in multiples of 100mm. Our benches are normally concreted into the ground as a permanent fixture, or dyna-bolted to the edge of a concrete path. A new option is the Floor Plate design which offers flexibility not available with the conventional concrete method. It can be installed on almost any surface, such as concrete, gravel or weed mat. The Floor Plate system can be easily relocated when you are upgrading or moving your greenhouse. Leg heights are fully adjustable.
Bench tops - Ebb & Flood Our Ebb & Flood bench tops are made from highly resistant, horticultural chemical-proof, ultra-violet light stable plastic, ensuring a long
Ebb & flood benches are ideal for fast growing high value crops Crops like cyclamen, poinsettia, potted colour and tomato seedlings benefit enormously from Ebb & Flood watering. The fast turnaround of the crop makes the payback period very short.
Quick-Valve Our Ebb & Flood Benches use the patented Quick-Valve. The Quick-Valve floods the bench to a depth of approximately 20mm, and then quickly drains it. The Quick-Valve also provides automatic oxygenation of the nutrient solution during filling, and filling time can be varied according to the inside hole size. It is fast, reliable and labour saving.
Automation and Labour Systems
Benches tailored to your needs.
lifetime, even under constant daily wear. The benches have an in-built channel system, ensuring that the bench drains away quickly after irrigation so the plant roots aren’t sitting in water.
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Side-Shifting/Multi-Move Benches Automation and Labour Systems 58
Side-Shifting, Floor-Rolling and Multi-Move Benches Mobile Benches are commonly used in professional Horticulture. There are three different mobile benches, the Side-Shifting benches, Floor-Rolling benches and the Multi-Move Benches. In the last 30 years, the basic principles of mobile benches have evolved to a well-tested and proven concept. The mobile benches have progressed to a perfect stepping stone in upgrading a nursery for multiple reasons. Do you need to increase Looking for an effective method your production area? for increasing your profits? A mobile benching system is the system you are looking for. The mobile benches ensure the optimisation of the space used in your greenhouse, since every greenhouse in limited by its size. The benches can be moved in order to take advantage of all the space you have. Moreover, many components are standardised and which can be built together to specific requirements of every unique situation, regardless of scale and complexity. This ensures your greenhouse is arranged in the most efficient way possible. Finally, the modular components ensure smooth implementation, efficient operation, long lifetime and of course very competitive pricing.
Since the mobile benching system gives you the possibility to optimise the space utilised in your greenhouse, it also ensures an increase in profits. The mobile benches increase your production capacity, thus increasing the profits to be made!
Do you need to decrease labour costs?
Apart from above reasons a significant reduction of labour costs can be achieved when the movement of benches and plants is improved or even automated with the Multi-Move Benches. The automisation decreases the amount of
Side-Shifting Benches
labour involved, therefore logically decreasing labour costs. Because of the modular parts the system is perfectly suitable for step-by-step expansion and/or automation over time.
Want to decrease the amount of water used in your greenhouse?
The mobile benches can also dramatically decrease the amount of water used in your greenhouse. The mobile benches can have mesh tops or Ebb & Flood Liners which, when you recycle water at the same time, can decrease the amount of water used by up to 50%. Products to effectively recycle the water used in your greenhouse are featured earlier in the catalogue.
The most common benches used in greenhouses are the Side-Shift Benches. The legs of the SideShifting Benches are fixed to the floor, and the bench tops roll side to side. Therefore it gives you the opportunity to create paths in between different rows of benches to access your plants. Floor-Rolling Benches are on wheels; therefore you can move them from one side of your greenhouse to the other, optimising growing space. Multi-Move Benches, in addition to optimising growing space, are able to move plants throughout the whole nursery, also making it a transportation system.
• Mobile benches (ebb-flood and open structure bottoms, welded, self-assembly). • Watering equipment (water supply and discharge, static watering booms). • Multi-Move Lateral Transport (MMLT) sections (with pneumatic lift). • Support and rail pipe components.
The automation components are: • Bench transport robots. • Bench automation (push, pull and lifting equipment). • Plant handling (robots, grading equipment). • Overhead transport (stacker, crane). • Cleaning/disinfecting equipment. • Control and visualisation software (PLC or PC based).
Save money with self-assembly! The fully mobile benches are specially designed to combine high quality components with extremely competitive pricing. How? By further standardisation and allowing you to selfassemble the entire system without the need of costly staff such as aluminium welders or a specialized installation crew. Besides easy to assemble components, a clear installation manual will be provided to ensure smooth assembly by yourself. Of course the selfassembled components are a solid base for future expansions and upgrades.
Automation and Labour Systems
While most of the benefits between the Side-Shifting Benches, Floor-Rolling and MultiMoving Benches are alike, the design and functions differ:
The basic components of the mobile benches consist of:
Side-Shifting/Multi-Move Benches
Multi Move Benches
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Conveyors
Conveyors By implementing conveyors in your greenhouse you will experience a wide range of new opportunities and cost reduction in your day-to-day operations. On top of that, the conveyors help you move around your greenhouse as they can he used as elevated walkways.
Looking for a way to increase staff efficiency in your greenhouse?
The conveyor is the helping hand you are looking for. Your employees will save time because they will no longer have to manually transport the growing containers or crops through the greenhouse, making your operation more efficient! Moreover, the conveyors have the ability to instantly switch between growing beds.
Want to make your employees happy by making their work easier and safer?
Automation and Labour Systems
It is well known that conveyors are an effective aid in day-to-day nursery operations. Not only do the conveyors make your greenhouse operations more efficient, they at the same time reduce strain on your employees! Therefore the work of your employees is not only easier; it is also safer since the growing containers or crop do not have to be moved through the greenhouse manually.
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Do you need to decrease costs in your greenhouse?
Imagine the possibilities with a high quality, affordable conveyor in every bay of the greenhouse! This could create an unprecedented array of new possibilities and savings in your operation. Since your operation will be more efficient, therefore the costs per product will decrease. Moreover, the conveyors are designed to have low maintenance, due to minimal amount of moving parts. You will directly notice the benefits on your bottom line!
Do you think time is wasted during your daily greenhouse operations?
Time is money, as every greenhouse grower will know. One of the biggest advantages of using the conveyors is that you can respond to orders much faster! The efficient way of working makes you able to process the orders much faster, making you a better supplier to your customers.
Conveyors
High quality modular components
Basic components: • Drive section. • Extension sections.
Add-ons:
Save money with self-assembly!
• • • • • • • •
The conveyor systems are specially designed to combine high quality components with extremely competitive pricing. How? By further standardisation and allowing you to self-assemble the entire system without the need of costly staff such as aluminium welders or a specialised installation crew. Besides easy to assemble components, a clear installation manual will be provided to ensure smooth assembly by yourself. Of course the self-assembled components are a solid base for future expansions and upgrades.
Corner guidance (mechanical, electrical). Remote controls. Frequency drives for speed variation. Graphical user interfaces. Pot-forks. Pot placing robots. Grading units. Harvesting belts.
Automation and Labour Systems
The design of the conveyors is based on standardised components to ensure smooth implementation, efficient operation, long lifetime and of course very competitive pricing! The conveyor can be used both as a fixed main conveyor along the pathway/gable and as a fixed conveyor in every bay. There are several add-ons available that help to maximize the operational efficiency of the conveyors.
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Potspacer Twin
Potspacer TWIN The Potspacer Twin is the most effective tool to space one row of plants into two rows of plants using an exceptionally simple mechanism. This tool provides the greenhouse staff with the convenience they need to effectively do their jobs.
Want your staff to be more efficient?
The easy-to-use ‘Twinspacer’ gives your staff the ability to be 30 to 50% faster than your competitors staff while making the work more comfortable at the same time. You can expect that your staff will not have to pick up one plant at a time, making this part of the job manageable. Moreover, the calibration is simple to allow spacing a pot thick, half or final distances.
Automation and Labour Systems
The Twinspacer is therefore an easy solution to a backbreaking problem.
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Do you want your employees to be motivated?
The Twinspacer will not only relieve some of your worries, it will also make your employees happier. The more efficient way of working will keep money in your pocket and will relieve some of the strain your employees can experience in the greenhouse.
Want to decrease the risk of even the smallest accidents happening? The Twinspacer also helps to reduce the chance of accidents happening, no matter how small they are. The ‘Twinspacer’ is totally safe, and eliminates trapped hands and fingers. It has adjustable height settings and is constructed entirely of aluminium, weighing only 2.5 kg.
Pot sizes The Twinspacer is highly suited to taking pots directly from the potting conveyor and spacing at preset distances. Eg. pot thick, half spacing, final spacing. The pots always have identical settings, which allows space producing optimum growing and better working conditions. • 9 cm. pots: Twinspacer takes 14 together which can be extended to 18. • 10,5 cm. pots: Twinspacer takes 12 together which can be extended to 16. • 12 cm. pots: Twinspacer takes 10 together which can be extended to 14. • 13 cm. pots: Twinspacer takes 10 together which can be extended to 14. • 14 cm. pots: Twinspacer takes 9 together which can be extended to 11. • 15 cm. pots: Twinspacer takes 8 together which can be extended to 10. • 17 cm. pots: Twinspacer takes 7 together which can be extended to 9.
Powerplants Australia Terms & Conditions
1. Definitions In these conditions: “Agreement” means any agreement or contract entered into for the provision of goods by the Supplier to the Customer; “Conditions” means these Terms and Conditions of Trade; “Customer” means a person, firm or corporation, jointly and severally if there is more than one, acquiring goods or services from the Supplier; “Goods” means goods supplied by the Supplier to the Customer; “GST” means the Goods and Services tax as defined in A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999 as amended; “Services” means services supplied by the Supplier to the Customer; and “Supplier” means Powerplants Australia & associated entities companies supplying goods or services to the Customer. “Powerplants Australia” will be referred to as PPA in this document. 2. Basis of Contract 2.1 Unless otherwise agreed by the Supplier in writing, the Conditions apply exclusively to every contract for the sale of goods or services by the Supplier to the Customer and cannot be varied or supplanted by any other condition, including the Customer’s terms and conditions of purchase (if any). 2.2 Any written quotation provided by the Supplier to the Customer concerning the proposed supply of goods or services is valid for 30 days and is an invitation only to the Customer to place an order based upon that quotation. 2.3 The Agreement is accepted by the Supplier when the Supplier confirms its acceptance of an offer from the Customer in writing or electronic means or provides the Customer with the goods. 2.4 The Supplier in its absolute discretion may refuse to accept any offer. 2.5 The Supplier may vary or amend these Conditions by notice in writing to the Customer at any time. Any variations or amendments will apply to orders made by the Customer after the date of notice. 3. Placing an Order 3.1 The Customer must comply with the procedure prescribed by the Supplier for the placing of orders. 3.2 Any order placed by the Customer or any variation or cancellation of an order placed by the Customer is an offer. An order will not be accepted until the Customer communicates acceptance to the Supplier in writing or by electronic means or it has provided the goods or services. 3.3 Where the particular model of a product ordered is no longer available and has been replaced by a new model, the Supplier may substitute the new model. 4. Payment 4.1 Payment for goods and services must be made when goods are collected or delivered/supplied or, in accordance of the terms of the invoice or quotation. Notwithstanding any previously agreed credit terms, PPA reserves the right to vary credit terms and to demand of any customer, at any time payment in advance, if PPA so requires. 4.2 Payment by cheque is not deemed made until the proceeds of the cheque have cleared. 5. Payment Default 5.1 If the Customer defaults in payment by the due date of any amount payable to the Supplier, then all money which would become payable by the Customer to the Supplier at a later date on any account, becomes immediately due and payable without the requirement of any notice to the Customer, and the Supplier may, without prejudice to any other remedy available to it: (a) charge the Customer interest on any sum due at the prevailing rate pursuant to the Penalty Interest Rates Act 1983 (Vic) plus 2 per cent for the period from the due date until the date of payment in full; (b) charge the Customer for, and the Customer must indemnify the Supplier from, all costs and expenses (including without limitation all legal costs and disbursements on an indemnity basis) incurred by it resulting from the default or in taking action to enforce compliance with the Terms or to recover any goods; (c) cease or suspend for such period as the Supplier thinks fit, supply of any further goods or services to the Customer; (d) by notice in writing to the Customer, terminate any contract with the Customer so far as unperformed by the
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Supplier; without effect on the accrued rights of the Supplier under any contract. 5.2 Clauses 5.1(c) and (d) may also be relied upon, at the option of the Supplier: (a) where the Customer is an individual and becomes bankrupt or enters into any scheme of arrangement or any assignment or composition with or for the benefit of his or her creditors or any class of his or her creditors generally; or (b) where the Customer is a corporation and, it enters into any scheme of arrangement or any assignment or composition with or for the benefit of its creditors or any class of its creditors generally, or has a liquidator, provisional liquidator, administrator, receiver or receiver and manager appointed, or any action is taken for, or with the view to, the liquidation (including provisional liquidation), winding up or dissolution without winding up of the Customer. 6. Passing of Property 6.1 Until full payment in cleared funds is received by the Supplier for all goods and services supplied by it to the Customer, as well as all other amounts owing to the Supplier by the Customer: (a) title and property in all goods remain vested in the Supplier and do not pass to the Customer; (b) the Customer must hold the goods as fiduciary bailee and agent for the Supplier; and must keep the goods fully insured, secure, and in a good and merchantable condition. (c) the Customer must keep the goods separate from its own goods and maintain the labelling and packaging of the Supplier; (d) the Customer is required to hold the proceeds of any sale of the goods on trust for the Supplier in a separate account however failure to do so will not affect the Customer’s obligation to deal with the proceeds as trustee; (e) the Supplier may without notice, enter any premises where it suspects the goods may be and remove them, not withstanding that they may have been attached to other goods not the property of the Supplier, and for this purpose the Customer irrevocably licences the Supplier to enter such premises and also indemnifies the Supplier from and against all costs, claims, demands or actions by any party arising from such action. 7. Pricing 7.1 Prices for the supply of goods and services exclude: (a) GST, sales tax, consumption, and any other taxes, duties or imposts imposed on or in relation to the goods and services, whether at point of supply or at some other specified occurrence, by whatever name; and (b) the cost of freight, insurance and other charges arising from the point of dispatch of the goods to the Customer to the point of delivery. 7.2 Where there is any change in the costs incurred by the Supplier in relation to the goods or services, the Supplier may vary its price for goods or services on order to take account of any such change. 8. Intellectual Property 8.1 The Customer acknowledges the supplier’s title to the copyright, trademark, patent or design rights (Intellectual Property) in or related to any of its goods and shall not claim any right title or interest in the Intellectual Property nor use any of the Intellectual Property other than necessary for the proper use of the goods. 9. Risk and Insurance 9.1 The risk in the goods and all insurance responsibility for theft, damage or otherwise in respect of the goods will pass to the Customer immediately on the goods being despatched from the Supplier’s premises. 9.2 The Customer assumes all risk and liability for loss, damage or injury to persons or to property of the Customer, or third parties arising out of the use or possession of any of the goods sold by the Supplier, whether such goods are used singularly, or in combination with other goods, substances, or any process. 10. Performance of contract 10.1 Any period or date for delivery of goods or provision of services stated by the Supplier is intended as an estimate only and is not a contractual commitment. The Supplier will use its best reasonable endeavours to meet any estimated dates for delivery of the goods or completion of the services.
10.2 A completed drivers manifest or delivery docket whether signed by the driver or by the Customer or its employee or agent will be proof of delivery of goods invoiced. 11. Delivery Where PPA is required to make delivery, It is agreed that PPA is not a common carrier and in the event of loss or damage to goods in transit which is attributable to PPA shall be limited solely to the repair or replacement of lost or damaged goods. The Customer shall be responsible for all costs associated with delivery, including freight, insurance and other charges arising from the point of dispatch of the goods to the Customer to the point of delivery. 11.3 The Customer shall provide reasonable and proper access to the location specified for delivery. 11.4 The Customer authorises the Supplier to subcontract delivery in its absolute discretion. 11.5 Each supply of goods or part thereof is a separate contract and the customer is bound to accept and make payment for partial or progressive supply. 12. Returns and Warranty Returns 12.1 Goods returned to PPA warehouse premises will at the expense of the customer and must be merchantable and in the original unbroken packaging. 12.2 No credit will be given on goods returned after 7 days of delivery, except with the written consent of the supplier. 12.3 Goods will only be accepted for return and credit to the account of the Customer with the written consent of the Supplier. PPA reserves the right to apply a re-stocking fee. 12.4 The Supplier will not accept return or give credit for any specially procured parts. 12.5 The Customer must comply with any return procedures of the Supplier. 12.6 The customer warrants that all drawings and specifications and other design information supplied by it to PPA are accurate in all respects. Goods manufactured or supplied to order of the customer or any goods damaged or altered in any way by the customer shall not be returnable to PPA nor shall the customer be entitled to claim any rebate or refund of the price not-withstanding that the same may not comply precisely with the customers specification. 13 Warranty 13.1 PPA warrants the proper execution of the designed performance of the goods for a period of 12 months after delivery or completion or any other date agreed to by the supplier, provided the goods are installed and/ or operated to their designed specifications. 13.2 Goods supplied which are not of PPA manufacture shall be subject to the warranties of the manufacturer only. 13.3 The Customer must advise the Supplier within 7 days of delivery if goods supplied were not ordered, are not of merchantable quality or not fit for the purpose required (“defective goods”). 13.4 The customer shall in all cases offer the supplier the opportunity to repair any defect or carry out any re-work. 13.5 The Customer must comply with any return procedures of the Supplier, subsequently the Supplier will at its discretion, upon return of proven defective goods, replace, repair or provide a credit to the Customer for their invoice price 13.6 If the Supplier reasonably considers that goods returned by the Customer are not defective goods, the Customer must pay for their return to the supplier less any re-stocking fee applied by PPA. 13.7 If the designed performance consists in part or in whole of the installation and/or assembly of a delivered item, the supplier warrants the installation or assembly for the period stated in clause 13.1. If such installation or assembly fails then the supplier shall repair it. Any travel or accommodation costs shall be borne by the customer. 13.8 Description of Goods - Any description of goods contained in any quote, invoice or other documentation provided by PPA is provided by way of identification only and does not constitute the contract of sale by description. 13.9 Any warranty provided by PPA may only be invoked after the customer has complied with all of his obligations to the supplier. 13.10 Service and warranty support is subject to PPA’s “Guidelines for Service “ procedures – a copy of which is available from PPA. PPA reserves the right to change these ‘Guidelines’ form time to time without notice. 14. Liability 14.1 Except as specifically set out herein, or contained in any warranty statement provided with the goods or services, any term, condition or warranty in respect of the quality, merchantability, fitness for purpose, condition, description, assembly, manufacture, design or performance of the goods or services, whether implied by statute, common law, trade usage, custom or otherwise, is hereby expressly excluded.
14.2 Replacement or repair of the goods or resupply of the services is the absolute limit of the Supplier’s liability howsoever arising under or in connection with the sale, use of, storage or any other dealings with the goods or service by the Customer or any third party. 14.3 The Supplier is not liable for any indirect or consequential losses or expenses suffered by the Customer or any third party, howsoever caused, including but not limited to loss of turnover, profits, business or goodwill or any liability to any other party. 14.4 The Supplier will not be liable for any loss or damage suffered by the Customer where the Supplier has failed to meet any delivery date or cancels or suspends the supply of goods or services. 14.5 Any advice, recommendation, assistance, information, provided by the supplier in relation to the goods or their use or application is provided in good faith and without liability or responsibility on the part of PPA, unless expressly agreed to in writing. 14.6 Nothing in the Conditions is to be interpreted as excluding, restricting or modifying or having the effect of excluding, restricting or modifying the application of any State or Federal legislation applicable to the sale of goods or supply of services which cannot be excluded, restricted or modified. 15. Cancellation 15.1 If, through circumstances beyond the control of the Supplier, the Supplier is unable to effect delivery or provision of goods or services, then the Supplier may cancel the Customer’s order (even if it has already been accepted) by notice in writing to the Customer. 15.2 No purported cancellation or suspension of an order or any part by the Customer is binding on the Supplier after that order has been accepted by the Supplier. 16. Miscellaneous 16.1 The law of Victoria from time to time governs the Conditions and the parties agree to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Victoria, the Federal Court of Australia, and of courts entitled to hear appeals from those Courts. 16.2 Failure by the Supplier to enforce any of these Terms shall not be construed as a waiver of any of the Supplier’s rights. 16.3 If any of the Terms are unenforceable it shall be read down so as to be enforceable or, if it cannot be so read down, the term shall be severed from these Terms without affecting the enforceability of the remaining terms. 16.4 A notice must be in writing and handed personally or sent by facsimile or prepaid mail to the last known address of the addressee. Notices sent by pre-paid post are deemed to be received upon posting. Notices sent by facsimile are deemed received on the facsimile machine confirming transmission. No notice or payment transmitted to PPA shall be deemed to be have been given until it is actually received by PPA. 16.5 PPA reserves the right to sub-contract manufacture, supply or installation of any/all part of the goods, materials or services contracted or quoted for. 17. Privacy 17.1 The Supplier is bound by the Privacy Act 1988 and takes steps to ensure that all personal information obtained in connection with the Customer will be appropriately collected, stored, used, disclosed and transferred in accordance with the National Privacy Principles. Such information may be accessed by request to the Supplier in accordance with the Privacy Act. 17.2 The Supplier requires that the Customer comply with the National Privacy Principles in connection with any personal information supplied to it by the Supplier in connection with this Agreement. 18. Patents 18.1 Where PPA has followed a design or instruction furnished by the customer, the customer will indemnify PPA against all damages, penalties, costs and expenses to which PPA may become liable through any work required to be done in accordance with those instructions involving an infringement of any patent, trademark, registered design, copyright or common law right. 19. Time of Delivery and Delay / Storage and Handling: PPA reserves the right to invoice the Customer and receive payment for the products even though Delivery has not occurred due to Customers failure and or Council, Bankers or any other external bodies influencing the project schedule. Any goods held by Powerplants on behalf of the customer may incur a storage and handling fee of 3% per month.
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Powerplants timeline
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The Powerplants team providing solutions...
‘We have some of the best people in the industry and are always attracting new talent, with some staff relocating from overseas. Our staff are hand-picked to ensure the Powerplants brand moving forward is the best it can be’ Carl van Loon, Director It’s been a long road to where Powerplants are today. Over the past 19 years, Carl van Loon and the team have grown Powerplants Australia from a business that started with only himself, a ute and a fax machine, into a successful company that now employs over 30 people. Carl’s expertise and hard work has shaped the company into an industry leader specialising in horticultural technical systems, greenhouse equipment and greenhouse supplies. With the support of Co-Director Simon Gomme in the role of General Manager, Carl can focus on his passion: research and development of new products and designing greenhouse projects with Growers. Simon Gomme is a well-known identity in the horticulture industry. Joining Powerplants in 2011 as Co-Director, Simon oversees the day to day operations of the company. Simon’s main goal has been to identify new business opportunities including expanding into other countries. Since Simon joined Carl at Powerplants, the team has made it their mission to make customer solutions the company’s focal point. By listening to their clients, they have been able to design new products and promote existing products in previously un-entered markets that are in need of advanced technology for nurseries, hydroponics and horticulture as a whole.
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