21
THECOMMERCIAL GREENHOUSEGROWER • MARCH 2018
TRA$E SHOW RE6IEW •
1iffy showed a range of degradablepots and trays
finished in a coating that allows them to last longer to the
customer stage. This includes the new 1iffypot R2 range.
Designed for useswhere thepot is expected to survive for
an extendedperiod, peat andwoodpulp are used as the
main ingredients. Available inmore than 30different round
and square versions up to a capacity of one-litre, the
company says theR2 retainsmost of the original 1iffypot
characteristics. TheR2degrades in the gardenor canbe
recycled alongwithother greenwaste.
French firmFertil showed a new 100%wood-fibremade
pot calledFertilPot NT NewTechnology . Claimed as a
morewater resistant and longer lastingpot onepot from
grower to consumer , the firm says it is better suited to
handlingwithmachinery, retains its shapewithplant roots
not growing tooquickly through the sidewalls.
Available inpot siaes of 10.5cm, 12cm and 14cm, the
FertilPot NT ismade using a newprocess and special
machines havebeen installed at the French factory
tomake it. The company continues tomanufacture
traditional pots, but sees the FertilPot as interesting
technology for the future. The next stage is todevelop
abiodegradable tray, although the company admits it is
not so easy todevelop an affordablewater-resistant one
made fromwoodpulp. Thedetails are under wraps, but
the company is using another fibre, and the first trays are
expected tobreak cover this summer.
German firmMayer showed its first paper potmachine
at IPM. Available now, the company reckons it has
developed an interesting anddifferent approach that
differs to currently-available technology in that the 270kg
machine offersmore compact with transport dimensions
length xwidth x height of 2.10m x 0.70cm x 1.65m.
Maximumpaper pot diameter is up to 70mm, and
capacity is up to 10,000/hr withone cuttingblade andup
to 15,000/hr with two cuttingblades.
Pots and planters
Mayer showed an advanced versionof aprototype of a
high-speed stainless-steel madepottingmachine. Called
2040, anddesigned tohandle up to 2,000pots/hr, one
of themain features is the lower design, which ismuch
easier whenworkingwithbigheavy pots. Also new is
thePot1et dispenser, which allows for easier and faster
changebetweendifferent pot siaes up to adiameter of
40cm. The stainless-steel design is said tobe useful when
workingwithoutdoor stored andoftenwet compost.
The company is currently fine-tuning the electronics, and
expects tohave the 2040 ready for saleby the summer.
Visitors to 1avo’s stand could seeproduction versions of
all machines shown inpre-production form at last year’s
show. This included the redesignedPPU 2.0, whichoffers
a solution for automaticplacingof round and squarepots
onto transport wagons.
Plus, therewas the upgraded versionof theStandard
2.0pottingmachine, which features a new and faster
drive system, increasing the capacity to up to 8,000pots/
hour. Suitable for nearly all pot siaes from5.5 to25cm,
thewidened soil elevating system ensures a constant
compost supply from the 1,000-litre capacity hopper.
1avo alsoused IPM to unveil its new logo. Effective from
1anuary, themove follows the recent openingof a new
Already available inNorthAmerica, IPMwas theEuropean
launch venue of Visser Horti SystemsAutoStix.
01295 688422www.hortec.co.uk
JavoPlusM2
PottingMachine
