Technology

Dinnissen introduces stainless steel lift for pallets, IBCs, and FIBCs

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The stainless stell lift provides an efficient and safe way to move raw materials and products within a hygienic production environment. (Image source: Dinnissen)

This innovative stainless steel lift saves space, accelerates work processes, and minimises safety risks through automated, safe vertical movement of raw materials and goods

Designed to meet strict hygienic standards and made entirely of stainless steel, the lift guarantees full reliability. The idea for the stainless steel lift emerged during a project in the United States. Dinnissen built two mixing lines there for a major multinational in dietary supplements (collagen powder). During this project, Dinnissen specialists Frans Bakker and Melvin van Hilst noticed that the design was not sufficiently safe. Pallets with raw materials had to be placed on a platform at a height of 8 meters, which involved significant risks. Back in the Netherlands, they decided to develop a safer solution together: a lift to safely elevate the pallets with raw materials.

The idea was immediately well received by the client. They searched for a supplier capable of delivering fully stainless steel lifts without hydraulics, due to stringent hygienic requirements. However, the search brought no outcome. When it became clear that no suitable supplier could be found, Dinnissen decided to design and build the lifts themselves, fully tailored to the client’s needs.

The stainless steel lift for pallets, IBCs, and FIBCs provides an efficient and safe way to move raw materials and products within a hygienic production environment. This innovative system meets the strict hygiene standards of the food industry, saves space, ensures safety, and accelerates work processes.

The lift’s design is fully aligned with the highest safety and hygiene standards, with stainless steel as the primary material. Stainless steel is not only corrosion-resistant but also easy to clean, minimizing the risk of contamination. Moreover, the stainless steel lift is highly versatile: it can easily handle various product types, including pallets, drums, big bags, and sack goods.

Dinnissen has further enhanced the lift’s safety by opting for a mechanical belt drive instead of hydraulics. This not only improves hygiene but also makes the system more reliable and durable. Additionally, the lifts comply with safety standards, such as CE certification, thanks to collaboration with the Liftinstituut in The Netherlands. This partnership ensures compliance and safe operation in industrial environments. The fully stainless steel lift features its own control system, including LOTO provisions and fall protection, to ensure maximum safety. Everything is fully compliant with the EN 81-30:2010 regulations.

Dinnissen designs the stainless steel lift entirely according to the specific requirements of the customer. This includes considerations such as height, capacity, or the specific configuration of input and output routes. Dinnissen ensures that the lift seamlessly integrates into the production process. The lifts can be built in various heights and have a lifting capacity ranging from 500 to 2000 kg.

Dinnissen has already built several stainless steel lifts and is currently producing multiple units for various customers.

Fliegl unveils new Top Line Plus vacuum tank line

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The ‘Elefant’ can be equipped with a powerful turbo filler to ensure top suction performance. (Image source: Fliegl)

Fliegl presents the new 'Top Line Plus' vacuum tankline, a vehicle specially developed to meet the requirements of modern operations and sets new standards in efficiency and user-friendliness

The Top Line Plus is a further development of the tried-and-tested VFW MAXX Line Plus series and comes with numerous innovative features. The Maxx-Line Plus vacuum barrels are characterised by their solid construction. Particularly practical are the standard 8 inch blind flanges under the barrel, so it is easy to switch from a 6 inch suction slide to 8 inch. By connecting the suction slide valve located under the barrel, it is possible to prime with a turbo filler, left/right or via the suction nozzle.

When it comes to the new Top Line Plus, one of the outstanding features includes the optional ‘Elefant’ suction arm, which is positioned on the right in the direction of travel. This double-steered suction arm primarily stands for a comfortable filling process, combined with proportional operation via joystick.

The ‘Elefant’ can be equipped with a powerful turbo filler to ensure top suction performance. The flexibility of the turbo filler is also demonstrated by the option of placing it either on the slewing ring or in the centre under the tank. This allows farmers to optimise their filling processes to suit their individual needs. Suction depths of over 4 m are no problem, thanks to a telescopic extension at the end of the second boom. In addition, the “Elefant” can also be used for emptying transport tanks, which increases flexibility.

The optionalPro Cut cutting device from AgrarPro ensures perfect separation of foreign bodies and shredding of the fibres in the slurry during the filling process. The rotating disc blades ensure the best cutting effect. An optional application accelerator is positioned at the top of the tank thanks to the sophisticated design, which avoids conflicts with the four-point hydraulics. This keeps the attachment close to the rear of the tank, which has a favourable effect on the drawbar load of the tractor.

The vacuum tank ‘VFW Top Line Plus’ is available in three versions with a capacity of 16,000l, 18,000 l or 20,000l in order to cater for different farm sizes and requirements. In addition, the customer can choose between other practical equipment options such as the flow rate control Fliegl Flow Control or electronic forced steering.

Desert Control expands Oasis partnership

Desert Control deploys soil-saving tech across 160 acres of Oasis Date's organic Medjool date palms in California. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Desert Control AS, a pioneer in soil and water conservation technology, has secured an agreement through its U.S. subsidiary, Desert Control Americas Inc., with Oasis Date, North America’s largest date grower and processor

The partnership will deploy Desert Control’s Liquid Natural Clay (LNC) solution across 160 acres of organic Medjool date palms at Oasis Date’s Corn Springs Ranch in California.

The NOK 1.5 million deployment follows a successful pilot project initiated in July 2024, which covered 13 acres of date palms. The pilot showcased notable improvements in water retention, soil health, and overall performance. The expanded 160-acre rollout, scheduled for completion in Q1 2025, marks a significant step in scaling Desert Control’s innovative soil and water conservation technology across Oasis Date’s operations.

“Oasis Date is setting the standard for sustainable and regenerative agriculture, and we are proud to collaborate on this initiative,” stated Ole Kristian Sivertsen, CEO of Desert Control. “By implementing Liquid Natural Clay, we can help Oasis Date conserve water, improve soil health, and enhance yields, reinforcing their position as a leader in environmentally conscious farming.”

Managing over 5,000 acres of date farms and producing over 1 billion dates annually, Oasis Date is the majority supplier for Natural Delights, North America’s top Medjool date brand. As the world’s first and only Regenerative Organic Certified date farm, Oasis Date exemplifies its commitment to environmental sustainability and farmworker welfare.

“Oasis Date is a strong leader in their industry, and their dedication to sustainability and regenerative farming practices aligns perfectly with our vision,” said Marty Weems, managing director of Desert Control Americas. “We are honored to work with Oasis Date utilising our soil and water conservation technology to reduce operational costs and safeguard the long-term prosperity of their ranch and farming operations.”

Desert Control’s LNC technology transforms sandy, fast-draining soils into fertile, water-retentive ground, reducing irrigation needs and promoting healthy plant growth. This collaboration also opens opportunities for broader adoption of LNC technology across Oasis Date’s extensive operations in California and Arizona.

Transformative potential of GenAI in agriculture

E.L.Y. Crop Protection is based on Microsoft’s Phi-3 SLM and is available on the Azure AI model catalog. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

GenAI presents itself as an invaluable tool in modern farming due to its ability to drive innovation and efficiency

With passing years, artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly engrained in our everyday life. This is the case in agriculture too, where the integration of AI technologies is helping to solve real-world challenges through automation. Among the different types of AI technologies available, generative AI, also known as GenAI, presents itself as an invaluable tool in modern farming, due to its ability to drive innovation and efficiency.

Besides automating tasks like crop monitoring and disease detection, GenAI also helps farmers cut costs by optimising resource allocation and reducing waste. It also empowers farmers to make data-driven decisions regarding planting schedules, pest control strategies and harvesting times. GenAI is also capable of predicting climate patterns, allowing farmers to customise their farming practices to suit local conditions. This in turn makes it easy for them to prepare for and adapt to numerous climate change challenges.

Boosting productivity with E.L.Y.

German multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, Bayer’s crop science division in collaboration with Microsoft, recently launched Expert Learning for You (E.L.Y.) Crop Protection, aimed at simplifying crop management and supporting farmers in their success. The GenAI model helps navigate complex agronomic information, while delivering faster and more accurate results to farmers and customers who are seeking detailed information about Bayer’s agricultural products.

Global business lead for GenAI, Dan Kurdys argued against the common misconception that GenAI could inadvertently contribute to unemployment by displacing jobs. "GenAI is not about replacing people or taking away jobs," Kurdys emphasised. "It's about augmenting our everyday work and providing easy access to information that would otherwise be locked away in the minds of a few agronomists and their laptops. It's about saving institutional knowledge when someone retires or leaves the company, and I strongly believe it's a tool that can be used by Bayer and others to better serve farmers."

E.L.Y. Crop Protection is based on Microsoft’s Phi-3 SLM and is available on the Azure AI model catalog. Its ability to offer an affordable, bespoke and scalable foundation for agricultural entities irrespective of their size, makes it a game-changer for farmers. GenAI has a great potential for future growth in the agriculture sector, with its market size projected to reach US$2.19mn by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 30%.

Despite its numerous benefits however, deploying GenAI in agriculture comes with two main challenges that have a restraining effect on market growth. These include high upfront costs and privacy concerns, both of which can be addressed through efficient collaboration among farmers, technology developers and policymakers.

Heliospectra announces launch of MITRA X multi-channel LED solutions

With ease of use being the main focus, this advancement ensures that smart lighting strategies are intuitive and accessible for growers at every level. (Image source: Heliospectra)

Heliospectra AB, a global leader in smart LED lighting for controlled environments, recently announced the launch of its Dynamic MITRA X multi-channel LED solutions

Featuring advanced 3-channel and 4-channel configurations, the new lighting systems bring unmatched precision and customisation in combination with the new Spectrum Design Tool and Dynamic Zoning, allowing growers to optimise crop growth, quality, and operational efficiency.

The new MITRA X C3 and C4 multi-channel systems seamlessly integrate with Heliospectra’s HelioCORE software, which enhances light management capabilities for both professional growers and researchers. The launch of these systems has been a stepping stone for the company to introduce its proven dynamic lighting technology to greenhouses, empowering growers with greater flexibility while maintaining the efficacy that defines their solutions.

With ease of use being the main focus, this advancement ensures that smart lighting strategies are intuitive and accessible for growers at every level.

“The modularity of MITRA X allows growers to customise installations and adapt to their unique needs, whether they require static, flex, or dynamic lighting solutions, said CEO Heliospectra, Bonny Heeren. “As we have supplied the Agtech and research segment with the dynamic spectrum for more than 10 years, it was a natural next step for us to introduce it also in our MITRA X platform to bring control and flexibility also to greenhouse growers.”

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