Keeping the roofs of greenhouses clean is important for multiple reasons, but not in the least to allow light to penetrate with ease and help the produce grow. Making the process of cleaning the roofs of greenhouses easier and more accessible is one of the goals of Van der Waay. Their Top Cleaners can now be controlled from a distance via a smartphone app, and they have a new model that is suited for use on F-clean film.
Version for F-clean film
Glasshouses have had mechanical roof cleaners to help with the process of cleaning the roof, but these solutions are not suitable for foil based greenhouses, as they might damage the film. Van der Waay now also offer a Top Cleaner that is suited for use on F-clean film. “This Top Cleaner features sprinklers instead of brushes, so that it won’t damage the foil as it makes a pass across the greenhouse,” says Tom Zwanenburg with Van der Waay.
Controlling it at a distance with an app
Another new development for Van der Waay cleaners is the possibility to control them from a distance through the use of an application. “We put a piece of hardware into each of our new machines that allows customers to connect through an app supplied by a router manufacturer,” says Tom. “The customer will get an account to log in and will be able to fully control the machine through their phone or computer without having to be near the machine. If it is done cleaning or there is an issue it will send a notification alerting the customer.”
Another advantage of this new technology is that it allows Van der Waay to run diagnostics on the machine from a distance. “Say someone calls us and they say that they are having issues, we can just connect to the machine and see what is going on,” says Tom. “Someone could call, for instance, and tell us the machine is not working as it should, and we connect to see that one of the sensors is active when it shouldn’t be. We could then tell them the sensor might be dirty, and after cleaning it the machine works as intended again.”
Export
Van der Waay is delivering their Top Cleaners all over the world. “The machines are ready for export to larger markets of Europe, Russia, Canada, and the U.S., but also countries like Chile and Brazil,” says Tom. “We travel a lot in a year, last year I spent about a hundred nights outside of the country. But you have to build a good relationship with customers, to show that they can trust you.”
For more information:
Van der Waay
tel +31 (0) 172 21 03 11
Tom Zwanenburg
M +31(0) 613 005 273
www.vdwaay.nl