Eqraft® Magazine | Edition 4 by Eqraft®

Eqrader™ installations disrupted onion grading worldwide. Soon they will do the same for potatoes.

Eqraft is growing fast. Discover how we attract tech talent and keep an open company culture.

On the cover

Jake Wardenaar and Jose Madrigal from Blue Sky Onions (Royal City, WA, USA)

Colophon

This magazine is published in 2025 by Proqraft BV, a private limited company under Dutch law, doing business as Eqraft. It provides an overview of our company’s developments, market trends, product portfolio, projects, and team.

None of the content from this publication may be quoted without our prior written consent. When quoting, Eqraft® must be cited as the source. No rights may be derived from the contents of this publication.

All our drawings, o ers, assignments, agreements, and purchases are subject to our general terms and conditions, as published at eqraft.com/terms. Eqraft® and Baxmatic® are registered trademarks of Proqraft Holding BV.

Contact Werktuigenweg 7

8304 AZ Emmeloord

The Netherlands

P +31 527 256 130

E info@eqraft.com

I www.eqraft.com

Marcel Kampes CEO

Embracing the future

In the past five years, Eqraft has grown exponentially. We developed new machinery, worked on projects all over the world, strengthened our teams, and opened new offices in the Netherlands and the US. And we’re not nearly done yet. We will tell you all about it in this magazine. Enjoy!

In de afgelopen jaren is Eqraft sterk gegroeid. We ontwikkelden nieuwe machines, werkten aan projecten over heel de wereld, versterkten onze teams en openden nieuwe kantoren in Nederland en de VS. En we zijn nog lang niet klaar. We vertellen je er alles over in dit magazine. Veel leesplezier!

In den letzten Jahren hat Eqraft ein starkes Wachstum erlebt. Wir haben neue Maschinen entwickelt, weltweit an Projekten gearbeitet, unsere Teams verstärkt und neue Büros in den Niederlanden und den USA erö net. Unsere Pläne gehen aber noch viel weiter – alles Wissenswerte erfahren Sie in diesem Magazin. Viel Spaß beim Lesen!

Ces dernières années, Eqraft a connu une forte croissance. Nous avons développé de nouvelles machines, travaillé sur des projets dans le monde entier, renforcé nos équipes et ouvert de nouveaux bureaux aux Pays-Bas et aux États-Unis. Et nous sommes loin d’avoir terminé. Nous vous racontons tout en détail dans ce magazine. Bonne lecture !

En los últimos años, Eqraft ha crecido considerablemente. Hemos desarrollado nuevas máquinas, trabajado en proyectos en todo el mundo, fortalecido nuestros equipos y abierto nuevas oficinas en los Países Bajos y en Estados Unidos. Y aún queda mucho por hacer. En esta revista se lo contamos todo. Esperamos que le guste.

The Story of Eqraft

With many new projects, employees, and offices, we have been growing rapidly. We’re looking back at the past years with gratitude.

Line control enables efﬁcient operating

Our smart software minimizes the human impact and makes changing between product routings and machine configurations fast and easy.

Our vision of the Factory of the Future

From where the produce comes in to where it leaves the factory, this is our ideal factory lay-out.

From opening a new HQ in the Netherlands and the first branch on American soil to international tradefairs and new clients all over the world: we’ve had a lot to celebrate in the last couple of years.

a joint approach from Eqraft, Modesta, and Symach, the

The story of Eqraft

We design, build and maintain innovative solutions for smart agri factories worldwide. That’s no easy task in an ever-increasingly competitive market. Luckily, we have a four-decade legacy and a futureforward growth strategy for the years to come.

We’ve always prided ourselves on being future-forward – after all, we work on building the ‘Factory of the Future’ on a daily basis. However for the past couple of years, focusing on the future and anticipating it has quite literally been the focus of many of our conversations, plans, and decisions. ‘The nature of our business – we often work on projects that require detailed planning and that take several years from start to finish – forces us to look ahead,’ says CCO Rutger Keurhorst. ‘Where do we want to be in three, five, or ten years time? Which decisions do we have to make now to ensure we get there?’ The answers to these questions are crucial, because they allow us to keep doing what we’ve been doing for the past four decades: enabling clients to meet and exceed expectations when it comes to grading, packing, and delivering their produce.

With our help, they can increase their performance, maximize efficiency and ensure continuity. Also most importantly: thanks to our automated solutions, they save time for the things that matter most.

How we started

Building a strategy based on a future you can only imagine can be a complicated task. Luckily, we have a strong legacy to fall back on. To be precise, Eqraft started out in 1984, when its predecessor Emmeloord Repair and Construction (ERC) was founded in Flevoland, one of the Netherlands’ main agricultural hubs. ERC developed the closed onion topper, a machine that’s still an important part of our portfolio today. Later, we added new machines to the product range: from grading to weighing, packing, and bin handling.

We anticipate the future instead of waiting for it to unfold

Rutger Keurhorst CCO

Over the years, we moved away from solely mechanical solutions towards high-tech systems. Our role gradually evolved to that of an integral supplier for agri factories all over the world. Now we serve clients from Europe to the Americas and Australia, and cater to various sectors, including onions, potatoes, and bulk products. Besides a range of machines for di erent parts of the process, we also o er project management and consultancy services. ‘For factory owners and managers, overseeing the installation of new equipment can be stressful, especially when day-today operations demand attention,’ says Rutger. ‘That’s why we have a team of experienced project managers that ensure every part of the process is meticulously coordinated: from communication with third parties to making sure the equipment is supplied and installed in the right order.’

A new home

‘The past few years have been exciting and were characterized by continuous growth,’ says Rutger. ‘We’ve taken on many new projects, both close to home and abroad, and our team has grown from 40 to 100 people in just a year and a half.’ No wonder the old head office was starting to get a little cramped – or, as Rutger puts it: ‘We were ready for a new location that matched our ambitions.’ That’s why the brand-new premises in Emmeloord, positioned centrally in the Netherlands, were opened in early 2024 (see page 12). The building meets the latest sustainability standards and boasts a spacious warehouse, assembly, and shipping area with multiple cranes, LED lighting, underﬂoor heating, as well as modern workstations and meeting rooms.

Mayor De Groot of the Noordoostpolder, Rutger Keurhorst (CCO), and Marcel Kampes (CEO) opened the new Eqraft HQ in Emmeloord (February 2024)

The Van der Knijff brothers, who founded the company in 1984, in front of two onion toppers ready for transport at Pilotenweg in Emmeloord, the Netherlands (1997)

Foot on American soil

The new main office in the Netherlands wasn’t the only new location Eqraft opened recently: in the summer of 2024, we opened our first branch on American soil.

‘We’ve completed several big projects in the United States in the last couple of years. For instance at Blue Sky Onions, where we developed a complete processing line, including an electronic grader,’ says Rutger (see page 16). ‘We’ve had a strong presence in North America for decades, so founding Eqraft Inc and having permanent representation in the US was a logical next step.’ The American Eqraft office and service center is located in Tri-Cities, Washington, one of the country’s prime agricultural regions. Eqraft Inc’s service center features a warehouse, workshop, office, service truck, and a mix of American and Dutch employees. The branch’s focus will be on proactive maintenance to minimize unexpected downtime. Meanwhile, we’ll continue to grow our parts inventory in the US.

Looking forward

‘We are grateful to all the clients, colleagues, and suppliers who have helped build Eqraft over the past decades, and especially since our fresh start in 2019,’ says Rutger. With several new offices, many new projects all over the world, and a growing team of enthusiastic colleagues, the future has never looked brighter. And we’re not done growing yet: in 2025, we aim to expand the team even more (see page 60). ‘We’re currently looking ahead several years and deciding what we have to put in action now to make sure we get where we want to be in the future,’ says Rutger. ‘Our HR strategy is an important part of that: we need to hire tech-savvy colleagues to execute increasingly ambitious projects with our clients.’ The same goes for logistics, purchasing, and finance: we’re currently building on a long-term vision. As Rutger puts it: ‘We anticipate the future instead of waiting for it to unfold.’

Het verhaal van Eqraft

Eqraft ontwerpt, bouwt en onderhoudt slimme agrarische fabrieken over heel de wereld. Dat doet het Nederlandse techbedrijf al sinds de oprichting in 1984, toen nog onder de naam ERC in Emmeloord. Eqraft maakte naam met de afstaarter, maar gedurende de jaren verschoof de focus van mechanische oplossingen naar overkoepelende, high-tech systemen. Nu bedient Eqraft een breed klantennetwerk in Europa, Noord-Amerika en Australië. Hun klanten zijn actief in de uiensector, aardappelen en bulkproducten.

De afgelopen twee jaar was een periode van aanhoudende groei voor Eqraft: het team breidde uit van 40 naar 100 mensen. Die groei leidde tot twee belangrijke mijlpalen in 2024: de opening van een gloednieuw hoofdkantoor in Emmeloord en de eerste locatie in de VS. Eqraft Inc bedient heel Noord Amerika en richt zich op proactief onderhoud en het leveren van reserveonderdelen. ‘We zijn onze klanten, collega’s en leveranciers erg dankbaar voor het helpen opbouwen van Eqraft de afgelopen jaren – met name na de herstart in 2019,’ zegt CCO Rutger Keurhorst.

Die Geschichte von Eqraft

Eqraft entwirft, baut und wartet intelligente Fabriken für die Verarbeitung landwirtschaftlicher Erzeugnisse. Und zwar schon seit seiner Gründung im Jahr 1984, damals noch in Emmeloord unter dem Namen ERC. Eqraft war vor allem für seine Wurzelschneidemaschine für Zwiebeln bekannt, aber im Laufe der Jahre verlagerte sich der Schwerpunkt von mechanischen Lösungen auf produktübergreifende Hightech-Systeme. Heute bedient das Unternehmen ein breites Netz von Kunden in Europa, Nordamerika und Australien. Viele davon sind im Zwiebelanbau tätig, andere sind in der Karto el- und Schüttgutbranche aktiv.

In den letzten zwei Jahren wuchs das Team von 40 auf 100 Beschäftigte an. Dieses Wachstum führte dazu, dass 2024 zwei Meilensteine erreicht werden konnten: die Erö nung einer neuen Hauptniederlassung in Emmeloord und die erste Fabrik in den USA. Der amerikanische Zweig bedient die gesamte Region und befasst sich vor allem mit proaktiver Wartung und der Lieferung von Ersatzteilen.

Eqraft wil het team in de toekomst nog verder uitbreiden, met een focus op slimme techneuten die de groeiambities kunnen helpen waarmaken. Een langetermijnplanning is daarbij onmisbaar. Rutger Keurhorst zegt daarover: ‘We anticiperen op de toekomst in plaats van te wachten totdat die zich ontvouwt.’

In der Zukunft will Eqraft das Team noch erweitern, insbesondere mit cleveren Technikprofis, die zur Realisierung der Wachstumspläne beitragen können. Das erfordert eine langfristige Planung. CCO Rutger Keurhorst: „Wir warten nicht, bis die Zukunft da ist, sondern greifen ihr vor.“

L’histoire d’Eqraft

La historia de Eqraft

Eqraft conçoit, construit et entretient des installations agricoles intelligentes partout dans le monde. Elle le fait depuis sa création en 1984, alors sous le nom d’ERC à Emmeloord. Eqraft s’est fait un nom avec la machine à équeuter les oignons, mais au fil des ans, son objectif est passé des solutions mécaniques à des systèmes globaux high tech. Aujourd’hui, l’entreprise dessert un vaste réseau de clients en Europe, en Amérique du Nord et en Australie. Ses clients opèrent dans le secteur des oignons, des pommes de terre et des produits en vrac.

Au cours des deux dernières années, l’équipe est passée de 40 à 100 collaborateurs. Cette croissance a conduit à deux étapes majeures en 2024 : l’ouverture d’un nouveau siège à Emmeloord et la première implantation sur le sol américain. La succursale américaine dessert l’ensemble de la région et se concentre sur la maintenance proactive et la fourniture de pièces détachées.

Eqraft prévoit d’élargir davantage son équipe à l’avenir, en mettant l’accent sur les techniciens intelligents qui peuvent l’aider à réaliser ses ambitions de croissance. Une planification à long terme est indispensable. Rutger Keurhorst, directeur général de l’entreprise, déclare : « Nous façonnons l’avenir au lieu de le subir. »

Desde su fundación en 1984, Eqraft, cuyo nombre era entonces ERC en Emmeloord, diseña, construye y mantiene fábricas agrícolas inteligentes en todo el mundo. Eqraft se dio a conocer con la cortadora de rabos, pero con los años trasladó su atención de las soluciones mecánicas a los sistemas integrales de alta tecnología. Actualmente, la empresa cuenta con una amplia red de clientes en Europa, Norteamérica y Australia. Sus clientes operan en el sector de las cebollas, las patatas y los productos a granel.

En los dos últimos años, el equipo ha experimentado un crecimiento de 40 a 100 personas. Esto dio lugar a dos grandes hitos en 2024: la apertura de una nueva sede en Emmeloord y de la primera sede en suelo estadounidense. La rama estadounidense cubre toda la región y se centra en el mantenimiento proactivo y en el suministro de piezas de repuesto.

Eqraft prevé ampliar aún más su plantilla en el futuro, centrándose en técnicos inteligentes que contribuyan a hacer realidad nuestras metas de crecimiento. Para ello es esencial una planificación a largo plazo. El director de operaciones Rutger Keurhorst señala al respecto: «Nos anticipamos al futuro en lugar de esperar a que este se produzca».

Eqraft Highlights

Opening our new HQ with clients, suppliers, colleagues, and family

Celebrating an important milestone with a pizza truck

Kids having fun during the opening of our new headquarters

Christmas drinks & buffet with 100+ colleagues

Assembling the evenﬂow for consistent supply of produce

Our brand new ofﬁce is light, modern, and comfortable

Assembling an Eqrader™ optical onion sorting machine

Exhibiting at Interpom tradefair in Belgium

Eqraft stand at Fruit Logista in Berlin

Eqraft Highlights

Performing a factory acceptance test

One of our mechanics at work in Emmeloord

Our spacious Emmeloord assembly area

All control panels are designed and assembled in-house

The service van of our new American branch

Mechanical engineering

Software engineering

A scene from our warehouse

A peak inside our Emmeloord head ofﬁce

Realizing a turn-key agri factory in the US with the OTA partners

Investing in tomorrow with Blue Sky Onions

Blue Sky Onions in eastern Washington features the first fully automated electronic grader from Eqraft on the American West Coast. Next to the Eqrader™ line, they are also the first to adopt the European method of grading and packing, enhancing both ﬂ exibility and efficiency.

What started out as a rather simple order for an electronic grader, turned out to be one of Eqraft’s largest collaborations in the last couple of years. Blue Sky Onions took a leap of faith when they decided to skip the half measures and invest in automation across the board. Opting for a new onion grader as well as a newly built packing shed containing several weighing and packing machines, they now are one of Eqraft’s examplary projects on the West Coast. We sat down with Jake Wardenaar of Blue Sky Onions and asked him how and why he made that decision.

A career in agriculture was quite a logical choice for Jake: Blue Sky Onions is a family business, founded in the seventies by his parents. Originating from Whidbey Island in northwestern Washington, they both came from Dutch heritage – hence the last name. They moved to Royal City (WA) over fifty years ago and have been building up a stable business ever since, growing and packing onions and shipping them to clients in the retail grocery and food service industry.

With the Eqrader ™ optical sorter, we’ve added 50% capacity and we can do a much better job

Our project approach

1. Quick Scan & Concept

Before getting to work, Eqraft’s team wants to know everything about the client: what is their ambition, what output would they like? This information is needed for a first sketch, to weigh wishes against possibilities, and examine threats and opportunities.

2. Engineering Services & Action Plan

This is the time for meetings, drawings and calculations, to make sure all parties involved clearly understand the plan’s costs, benefits, impact, and feasibility with maximum efficiency, ﬂexibility, and quality. All this is included in a design brief with process description.

Realisation & Project Support

Eqraft’s systems are manufactured and assembled in the Netherlands. An experienced project manager will be the point of contact for all subcontractors: from architects to utility installers. He monitors the schedule and streamlines communication between all parties.

4. Installation &

Service

Eqraft’s team installs, tests, and commissions the new equipment on site. They make sure the operators know how to operate the machinery. The easily accessible After Sales Department and local service hubs provide (remote) support, maintenance and spare parts.

Thanks to the level of automation, there are no jobs that require heavy lifting anymore

Customer Case

Name Jake Wardenaar

Company name Blue Sky Onions

Location Royal City, Washington, United States

Company type Grower and packer of fresh market onions

Besides onions, the family business also grows potatoes, apples, cherries, alfalfa, green peas, corn, and wheat. Blue Sky Onions supplies their produce to the Basin Gold Cooperative, a group of growers and shippers who take care of the marketing of the onions. Jake grew up on a farm but gained experience at another company for about eight years after college, before joining his older brother Joel in the family business. ‘I’m responsible for the onions from grading to packing and selling - that also includes making strategic decisions such as investing in new equipment. My brother runs the farm operations of the onions and other crops,’ Jake tells us.

Clear vision

The decision to go for Eqraft’s electronic grader was years in the making, according to Jake. Having a personal connection to the Netherlands, he has been visiting the country for years – both for pleasure and business. Around seven years ago, he received an invitation from Eqraft for the first demonstration of the Eqrader™ optical onion sorting machine at HOZA in the Netherlands. ‘I went and spoke to Eqraft about what I thought had to be done to make the technology work for our US onions as well.’

Jake is referring to the di erence in onion size. Onions on the American West Coast are much larger than their European counterparts, requiring machinery and technology to be adapted. In the years after that, he kept following the development of the onion grader. He even visited several reference projects in the Netherlands: at MSP Onions, the world’s largest automated onion processing line, and Go Products, a smaller family business. ‘During those trips, I got a good sense of what the Eqrader could do and how I wished to implement it in my own business,’ he says. ‘When the time came to invest, I already had a clear vision on how we would do things, so the decisions were made fairly fast.’

Against the grain

Besides investing in an optical grader, Blue Sky also decided to build a brand-new shed for their new Eqraft packing line. That’s where the second scoop of this project comes in: besides boasting the first Eqrader installation on this side of the US, they’re also the first North-American factory that adopts the European standard when it comes to packing. This means graded onions go into storage before they’re packed, instead of sending them directly from the grader to the packing line, as is common in the US.

Many US-based factories think it’s best to avoid the extra step of putting produce in storage first, but it’s actually the opposite, says Mike Kooijman, technical sales executive at Eqraft. ‘By putting the onions in bins and leaving them in storage for a little while, they are given time to heal before being packed and transported. We take gentle handling very seriously at every step of the process.’

More importantly, having a storage with already graded onions in di erent categories benefits efficient packing. ‘Before grading the onions, you don’t know exactly what you’re going to get out of a batch: you might need category A onions but end up with predominantly category B,’ says Mike. ‘Taking fewer onions out of a batch than you anticipated means your packing machine can’t perform at full capacity, slowing the process down.’

And there’s more: ‘By packing a batch of onions you haven’t sold yet, you risk having to pack the batch again because the client prefers a di erent type of bag.’ In short, having graded onions in storage allows the packing line to use its full capacity and increases ﬂexibility. And that makes a di erence on the factory ﬂoor, says Jake: ‘We’re really happy with how quickly we are able to react to client orders now.’

No more heavy lifting

After a trip to the Netherlands in the spring of 2022, Jake signed the project in the summer of that same year. Just before Christmas 2023, the new lines were up and running. ‘We had to build the new packing shed, take care of the permitting process, install the new lines, get everything up and running, and learn how to work with the new equipment,’ he remembers about that challenging first year.

Blue Sky took a leap of faith on us and we’re grateful for that

Being the first Eqrader installation that processes West Coast onions, the machinery and technology had to be tweaked to fit a larger-sized product. ‘Blue Sky took a leap of faith on us and we’re grateful for that,’ says Mike. After having worked with the new line for over a year, Jake can say with certainty he’s glad he did it. ‘With the Eqrader, we’ve added fifty per cent more capacity compared to the previous situation. We’re very pleased with it, as we can now do a much better job in sorting out onions with skin discoloration and internal rot, and grade them accurately based on sizing.’ His team is also happy with the new setup. ‘Thanks to the level of automation, there are no jobs that require heavy lifting anymore. What’s left, is just some light manual work, such as hanging bags onto the Baxmatic® bagging machine. It’s a nice working environment for our crew.’

Jake is glad he ultimately decided to opt for a complete new grading and packing line, investing in a new building as well as several machines that will help him face daily challenges for the years to come. ‘It was a risky endeavor because a large sum of money was involved,’ he admits, ‘but I think these types of long-term investments ultimately pay o .’ Like Eqraft, he believes in looking ahead and securing future-proof equipment for the coming decades. ‘Instead of trying to solve an individual problem we’re facing today, I try to anticipate the problems we will encounter further down the line, investing in comprehensive solutions that will set us up for long-term success.’

Investeren in de toekomst met Blue Sky Onions

Voor het Amerikaanse familiebedrijf Blue Sky Onions betekende het in gebruik nemen van hun nieuwe Eqrader™ een primeur: ze zijn de eerste fabriek met een Eqrader aan de Amerikaanse westkust. Ook waren ze de eersten die het Europese model volgen wat betreft verpakken: in plaats van de uien direct na het sorteren naar de verpakkingslijn te sturen, gaan ze eerst de opslag in, wat zorgt voor meer efficiëntie en flexibiliteit bij het inpakken.

Eigenaar Jake Wardenaar, die zelf Nederlandse roots heeft, nam de beslissing om te investeren in een complete sorteer- en verpakkingslijn inclusief splinternieuw fabrieksgebouw na meerdere bezoeken aan Nederland. ‘Ik geloof in een langetermijnvisie: liever een totaalaanpak dan snelle oplossingen,’ zegt hij over die keuze.

In die Zukunft investieren mit Blue Sky Onions

De nieuwe lijn bij Blue Sky heeft de sorteercapaciteit met 50% verhoogd ten opzichte van de oude situatie. ‘We zijn nu beter in staat om verkleurde uien en uien die van binnen rot zijn uit een partij te halen. Ook kunnen we nauwkeurig op grootte sorteren,’ aldus Jake. Bovendien hoeft zijn personeel nu geen zwaar lichamelijk werk meer te verrichten: een fijnere werkomgeving voor iedereen dus.

Mit der Inbetriebnahme des Eqrader™ war das Familienunternehmen Blue Sky Onions die erste Fabrik an der amerikanischen Westküste, die eine solche Zwiebelsortiermaschine besaß. Damit waren sie auch die ersten, die das europäische Verfahren übernahmen: die sortierten Zwiebeln werden nicht mehr sofort verpackt, sondern erst eingelagert, was mehr Effizienz und Flexibilität bei der Verpackung bietet.

Firmenchef Jake Wardenaar, der selbst holländische Wurzeln hat, entschloss sich nach mehreren Besuchen in den Niederlanden zur Anschaffung einer kompletten Sortier- und Verpackungsstraße, installiert in einem nagelneuen Fabrikgebäude. „Ich denke am liebsten weit voraus; Komplettlösungen sind mir lieber als schnelle Erfolge“, erklärt er.

Mit der neuen Anlage hat sich die Sortierkapazität bei Blue Sky um 50 % erhöht. „Wir können jetzt Zwiebeln mit Verfärbungen oder Fäulnis viel besser aussortieren, und auch die Größensortierung verläuft viel präziser“, so Jake. Darüber hinaus ist die Arbeit der Beschäftigten jetzt leichter und angenehmer.

Investir dans l’avenir avec Blue Sky Onions

Pour l’entreprise familiale américaine Blue Sky Onions, la mise en service de son nouvel Eqrader™ a marqué une première : il s’agit de la première usine équipée d’un Eqrader sur la côte ouest des États-Unis. Ils ont également été les premiers à suivre le modèle européen en matière d’emballage : au lieu d’envoyer les oignons sur la ligne d’emballage immédiatement après le tri, ils sont d’abord stockés, ce qui permet d’améliorer l’efficacité et la ﬂexibilité de l’emballage.

Le propriétaire, Jake Wardenaar, qui est lui-même d’origine néerlandaise, a pris la décision d’investir dans une ligne complète de tri et d’emballage, y compris dans un tout nouveau bâtiment d’usine, après plusieurs visites aux Pays-Bas. « Je crois en une vision à long terme, en une approche globale plutôt qu’à des solutions rapides », explique-t-il à propos de ce choix.

Invertir en el futuro con Blue Sky Onions

La nouvelle ligne de Blue Sky a permis d’augmenter la capacité de tri de 50 % par rapport à l’ancienne situation. « Nous sommes désormais mieux à même d’éliminer les oignons décolorés et les oignons pourris à l’intérieur d’un lot. Nous pouvons également e ectuer un tri précis par taille », a déclaré Jake. En outre, son personnel n’a plus à e ectuer de travaux physiques lourds : un environnement de travail plus agréable pour tous.

Para la empresa familiar estadounidense Blue Sky Onions, la inauguración de su nueva Eqrader™ supuso una primicia: se trata de la primera fábrica con una Eqrader en la costa oeste de Estados Unidos. También fueron los primeros en seguir el modelo europeo en cuanto a envasado: en lugar de enviar las cebollas a la línea de envasado nada más ser clasificadas, van primero al almacén, lo que aumenta la eficacia y ﬂexibilidad en el envasado.

Tras varias visitas a los Países Bajos, el propietario con raíces neerlandesas, Jake Wardenaar, decidió invertir en una línea completa de clasificación y envasado, incluida una nueva nave industrial. Sobre su elección dice: «creo en una visión a largo plazo: mejor un planteamiento global que soluciones rápidas».

La nueva línea de Blue Sky ha aumentado la capacidad de clasificación en un 50 % en comparación con la situación anterior. «Actualmente, estamos en mejores condiciones para detectar y retirar de una partida las cebollas manchadas o podridas por dentro. La selección por tamaño también es más precisa», afirma Jake. Además, sus empleados ya no necesitan hacer trabajos físicos pesados: un entorno laboral más agradable para todos.

Bin Tipper – Mono

Gently transfers produce, such as potatoes and onions, into a grading or packing installation.

Roller Sizer

Bin Tipper – Bunker

Protects the produce when tipping bins into a grading or packing installation.

Evenﬂow

Creates a product-friendly ‘bu er zone’ between two processes, e.g. grading and packing, ensuring a continuous ﬂow.

Sorts field crops with soil, long roots, and weeds. Possibility of placing a cleaning and sorting section in one frame.

Belt Sizer

Separates smaller from bigger sized products in a product friendly manner.

Brushing Machine

Simple and e ective machine for brushing or polishing agricultural products.

Vibrating Pre-CleanerWaste Scraper

Separates the produce from undersized products, loose skin, and soil.

Heavy duty waste scraper system designed for onion waste such as loose skins, dust, and whole onions.

Large volume topper that removes foliage and roots in a clean and safe manner using rotating knives.

Onion Topper – KS85-3

Removes foliage and roots in a clean and safe manner using rotating knives. Compact set-up.

Onion Topper – KS85-1Onion Topper – KR85-3

Onion topper with walk-in enclosure, which makes cleaning and servicing easy and safe.

Onion Shaver

Removes the foliage remnants and cuts the roots. Prepares the product for luxurious packaging.

Bin Filler – Drop break

Efficient and simple filler that uses a sensorcontrolled drop breaker inside the bin to break the product’s fall. Once the bin is more than half full, the drop breaker rises.

Bin Filler – Channel

Bin Filler – Finger

Uses a tube that gets filled with product, sinks down into the bin and empties itself, ensuring gentle product handling.

Storage Bunker

Storage bunker that minimizes damage during filling and emptying with produce. Very gentle filling through a moving lowerator conveyor. Optional fans for air circulation.

Best choice when gentle product handling is crucial. The conveyor positions the product directly into the bin.

Combination Scale + Baxmatic® + Sewing Lane

The combination of our multi-head scale and Baxmatic system guarantees high output and minimum e ort through the combination of big buckets and the accuracy of the scale.

Combination Scale – Lion

Quickly calculates optimal output weight through 12 buckets. Gentle handling of delicate products.

Combination Scale – Exigo

Quickly calculates optimal output weight through 16 buckets. Di erent options for delivering the product.

Baxmatic® + Sewing Lane

Automatically fills various bag types at high speed and sews the bags closed. Integrates perfectly with our combination weigher.

Rollstock Bagger

Cratematic Master Filler

Perfect solution for filling many types of crates and boxes with consumer packs. Gentle product handling, consistent filling patterns and high speed.

Checkweigher

Checks weight and rejects products when over or underweight.

Crateﬁller

Fills rollstock bags with either loose product or a counted quantity of consumer bags.

Big Bag Filler – Duo

Automatic filling of big bags after manual attachment of bags. The machine is semiautomatic, covered, and can be delivered with built in load cells to fill bags to a set target weight.

Gentle filling of loose product into an RPC or carton. The filling head lowers before releasing the product.

Bulk Scale + Baxmatic®

High speed weighing and bagging free-ﬂowing produce.

Bin Handling

Eqraft’s bin handling solutions improve a factory’s internal logistics. Limiting forklift movements, these machines enable a continuous production process with fewer errors. Eqraft’s portfolio includes several solutions for bin handling, which can be combined into several levels of automation.

Forklift movements can lead to mistakes, damaged bins, accidents, and a dusty factory ﬂoor. That’s why fully automated bin handling is the next step in automation. Replacing forklifts with automated solutions will result in better internal logistics, because it minimizes errors and enables a continuous, more efficient production process.

Eqraft’s bin handling portfolio consists of several machines: roller tracks, fully automatic (de)stackers, turn tables, crossings, and shuttles. They’re suitable for most common US and European bins and boxes up to 2200 lbs / 1500 kg. These solutions form the building blocks for fully automated internal factory solutions: they can be combined to automate a specific part of the production process or to create a fully integrated and automated production process from reception, topping, and grading, to packing and warehouse.

Line control enables efﬁ cient operating

Without an overarching software layer, controlling a production line becomes a labor-intensive process.

Using line control, Eqraft minimizes the human impact on the production process and makes changing between configurations fast and easy.

State-of-the-art machinery alone is not enough to make a factory run smoothly and efficiently: an overarching software layer is a crucial component to a competitive agri business. Without it, operators can lose a lot of time setting up machines separately, especially in environments where many di erent types of products, packaging, and quantities are processed. That’s why Eqraft pays a great deal of attention to optimizing the software that controls machines and production lines. As a result, changeover times become a thing of the past while plant managers and operators can respond quickly to changing demands.

‘As a software programmer, I design tailor-made software for integrated machinery control,’ explains Mattijs Wekema from Eqraft. ‘This way several

machines and processes can be managed at the same time. Machines are interlinked, making it very easy to change settings and product routings.’ To ensure easy operation, all Eqraft equipment is set up with programmable logic controllers (PLCs). A factory can be divided into several zones, each with their own PLC. These can all be controlled remotely and from one central location by the operator through an HMI (human machine interface). Third-party products can be easily integrated as well.

To minimize the possibility of unplanned downtime, Eqraft’s service and support department can access the PLCs in real time through a protected network, allowing them to quickly solve any problems that may arise. This way being physically far away from clients poses no issues anywhere in the world.

Machines are interlinked, making it very easy to change settings and product routings

Omsteltijd behoort tot het verleden dankzij Eqraft’s lijnsturing. Doordat machines onderling zijn gekoppeld, kunnen gebruikers snel en eenvoudig inspelen op veranderende vraag. De machines zijn uitgerust met Programmable Logic Controllers. Een operator kan vanuit de controlekamer zowel de productielijn als afzonderlijke machines besturen. Ons service- en supportteam heeft via een beveiligd netwerk op afstand toegang tot de PLC’s, waardoor ze problemen snel en efficiënt kunnen oplossen.

Avec le contrôle de ligne d’Eqraft, les temps de préparation appartiennent au passé. Étant donné que les machines sont interconnectées, il est possible de répondre rapidement et facilement aux demandes de changement. L’opérateur peut contrôler la ligne de production ainsi que des machines séparées depuis une salle de contrôle. Notre équipe de service et de support peut accéder aux PLC à distance via un réseau sécurisé, ce qui leur permet de résoudre les problèmes rapidement et efficacement.

Mit der Liniensteuerung von Eqraft gehören Umstellzeiten der Vergangenheit an. Die Maschinen sind miteinander verbunden. Daher kann schnell und mühelos auf sich verändernde Anforderungen reagiert werden. Das Bedienpersonal kann die Produktionslinie sowie separate Maschinen von einem Kontrollraum aus steuern. Unser Service- und Supportteam kann über ein geschütztes Netzwerk auf die SPS zugreifen und so Probleme schnell und effizient lösen.

Con el control de línea de Eqraft, los tiempos de cambio son cosa del pasado. Gracias a la interconexión de las máquinas, la respuesta a las demandas cambiantes es rápida y sencilla. Nuestros equipos están configurados con controladores lógicos programables. Un operario puede controlar la línea de producción, así como máquinas independientes, desde una sala de control. Nuestro equipo de servicio y asistencia técnica puede acceder a los PLC en remoto a través de una red protegida, lo que les permite solucionar problemas rápida y eficazmente.

Our vision of the Factory of the Future

Palletizing

13. Automated palletizing

Packing

12. Weighing and packing

A manual selection of the produce can be done right before weighing. The weigher makes sure the exact amount of produce is passed on to the packing machines.

The bags, boxes and crates are stacked onto pallets in stable patterns, wrapped, and labeled.

14. Dispatching

After palletizing, the pallets are transported to the dispatch area, where they are bu ered, ready to be loaded onto a truck.

Di erent types of packaging are possible: from prepack, individual bags, and rollstock bags, to boxes, crates, and big bags.

Several packing lines can be configured for either big volumes at high speed or retail packing with optional singulators and sticker applicators.

Bin handling

9. Closed circuit bin handling

After gently placing the produce in bins, several handling solutions transport the bins from grader to warehouse, packing line and back. Solutions for bin handling include roller tracks, fully automatic (de) stackers, turn tables, crossings, and shuttles.

10. Automated storage and retrieval system

The bins go into a conditioned storage space where full traceability is guaranteed, ready to be brought to the designated packing line and gentle evenﬂow.

Cleaning & Grading

11. Bypass

Alternatively, produce can be introduced to the packing line directly from big bags or bins.

Reception

5. Pre-grading and sizing

Undersized produce and waste are taken out by rollers, and smaller produce is separated from the rest. This increases topping and grading capacity.

6. Topping

Big and small onions are topped separately to increase capacity.

7. Waste handling

Waste is transported in a closed circuit. The dust is removed by a filter installation and the produce is actively cleaned by using air technology.

8. Grading

Produce is graded into various categories and programmable exits according to the client’s needs. Produce can either go to storage or directly to the packing line.

1. Unloading belt trailers

Belt trailers can be emptied on reception belts for direct processing or temporary storage of the produce.

2. Automatic bin tipping

The fast automatic destacker, bin tipper, and stacker provide an alternative way to start cleaning or prepare the produce for storage.

3. Transportation

Conveyors transport the produce to the preferred infeed or storage location.

4. Bunker storage

The produce goes into a fully traceable bunker storage, which enables the grader to run a night shift automatically.

Redeﬁ ning the classiﬁ cation of potatoes with the Eqrader ™ optical sorting machine

Eqrader installations disrupted onion grading from Europe to North America. Soon after its launch, potato companies began showing interest.

This is where the story of Eqraft’s optical grading machine for potatoes starts.

The Eqrader for onions uses internal and external scanners for classification by size, weight, shape, color, and quality in virtually unlimited classes and exits. Soon after the launch of the grader in 2017, potato companies inquired about a comparable solution. Eqraft partnered again with BIOMETiC, a leading Italian company specializing in quality control scanning solutions and advanced machine learning for the agri-food sector. The new Eqrader for potatoes will assess, select, and sort potatoes based on configurable classifications. It examines both the outside and inside, just like the successful, jointly developed Eqrader for onions.

Eqraft’s R&D team, led by Leon Vaandrager and Jouke Aalvanger, are the masterminds behind the new machine. Despite their experience with onions, they faced unique challenges with potatoes. Leon: ‘We had to start from scratch again.’ Potato sizes and shapes di er significantly within the same variety or harvest. Not to mention heart shapes, twins, and dents. Unlike onions, potatoes don’t roll easily, requiring significant design adaptations.

This will be the best grading machine in the potato industry

Jouke Aalvanger

Manager

Leon Vaandrager

Redeﬁning the classiﬁcation of potatoes with the Eqrader™ optical sorting machine

Eqrader ™ optical sorting principles

Advanced infeed for maximum results

To maximize grading capacity, undersized products and waste are removed beforehand. An Evenﬂow ensures a consistent supply of produce. Potatoes and onions are singulated for individual assessment and classification. Dust extraction ensures optimal inspection and protects the scanners and mechanical components.

Comprehensive internal and external scan

Size, weight, shape, color, and quality are determined by internal and external scanners. Each product is rotated 360 degrees for a comprehensive scan. Classifications and associated exits are fully configurable by operator.

Easy operation and thoroughly trained AI

The grader is equipped with a user-friendly interface for setting classification characteristics and operating the line. It can be controlled remotely and connected to other machines and manufacturing execution software. The AI is thoroughly trained and tested by our R&D team and with clients, with updates available periodically.

Tailored exits and gentle handling

A ﬂexible number of exits, tailored to client needs, allows the produce to either be conveyed elsewhere or gently deposited into bins. Bin handling can be fully automated with roller tracks, shuttles, and (de)stackers.

We developed the optical potato grader together from the ground up to provide an optimal view

Head

Giancarlo Zane

of Sales & Engineering at BIOMETiC

The Eqraft and BIOMETiC teams devised a smart solution: the potato goes sideways through the machine, reducing size deviation. Each potato is rotated 360 degrees for a comprehensive external scan. The engineers learned from the optical grader for onions and started collecting potato data immediately. They train AI by demonstrating defects, with tens of thousands of potatoes already photographed as input.

The new grader focuses on both table potatoes and potatoes for french fries. The clients can configure the machine to their specific criteria. Leon: ‘Skin defects might be ignored if potatoes are peeled, but the same ﬂaws could lead to rejection, depending on the specific demands.’ The machine has a variable amount of exits and is modular. As always with Eqraft, ﬂexibility is paramount.

Eqraft sets the bar high. ‘This will be the best grader in the potato industry,’ says Jouke. Big words, but the development of this machine was necessary. Potatoes are extremely sensitive, much more so than onions.

That’s why the Eqrader for potatoes features advanced newly developed internal scanners and software for internal quality scanning, like the detection of diseases, parasites, and fungi.

A new standard for potato classiﬁcation

New technology allows the detection of hollow spaces. Giancarlo Zane, head of sales & engineering at BIOMETiC: ‘This was only possible because we developed the optical potato grader together from the ground up. It led to specific choices in material, in order to minimize interference with the scanners, and provide an optimal view.’ Jouke adds: ‘We are true pioneers together.’

The Eqrader for potatoes is an allround solution: from the detection of foreign objects, the sorting by size and weight, and the recognition of external defects such as cracks, sprouts, or deformities, to internal classification. All this at high capacity, just like the Eqrader for onions. The first Eqraders for potatoes are expected to be operational next year. This innovation may just redefine sorting standards in the potato industry.

Een nieuwe standaard in aardappelclassificatie

Eqraft’s optische sorteermachine voor uien, wordt doorontwikkeld tot een innovatieve machine die aardappelen classificeert. De Eqrader™ voor aardappelen gebruikt interne en externe scanners met kunstmatige intelligentie om te sorteren op grootte, gewicht, vorm, kleur en kwaliteit. Eqraft werkt hiervoor nauw samen met het Italiaanse BIOMETiC, specialist in geavanceerde AI voor voedselkwaliteitscontrole.

Aardappelen kunnen flink verschillen qua vorm en grootte, wat invloed had op het ontwerp. Elke aardappel beweegt zijwaarts door de machine en wordt 360 graden gedraaid voor een volledige externe scan. De Eqrader, uitgerust met AI die is getraind met tienduizenden foto’s, herkent externe defecten zoals scheuren, spruiten en misvormingen, maar ook interne defecten zoals ziekten, parasieten, schimmels en zelfs holle ruimtes. De machine richt zich vooral op tafelaardappelen en frietaardappelen.

Klanten kunnen de Eqrader configureren op basis van eigen criteria. De machine heeft een variabel aantal uitgangen en is modulair, wat flexibiliteit garandeert. Leon Vaandrager en Jouke Aalvanger van Eqraft’s R&D team: ‘Dit wordt de beste sorteerder in de aardappelindustrie.’

Ein neuer Standard in der Kartoffelsortierung

Eqrafts optische Sortiermaschine für Zwiebeln wird nun zu einer innovativen Anlage für die Sortierung von Kartoffeln weiterentwickelt. Die Maschine arbeitet mit internen und externen Scannern, unterstützt von künstlicher Intelligenz (KI), die die Kartoffeln nach Größe, Gewicht, Form, Farbe und Qualität sortieren. Hierbei arbeitet Eqraft eng mit der italienischen Firma BIOMETiC zusammen, die auf KI-Lösungen für die Lebensmittelkontrolle spezialisiert ist.

Kartoffeln haben sehr unterschiedliche Formen und Größen, was den Entwurf anspruchsvoll machte. Die Kartoffeln werden einzeln seitlich durch die Maschine geführt und um 360 Grad gedreht, sodass sie komplett gescannt werden können. Die KI des Eqrader™, trainiert mit Zehntausenden von Fotos, erkennt nicht nur äußerlich Risse, Triebe und Missbildungen, sondern auch innere Defekte wie Krankheiten, Parasiten, Pilzbefall und Hohlräume. Die Maschine eignet sich vor allem für Speise- und Pommes-frites-Kartoffeln.

Die Kunden können den Eqrader dank der variablen ahl von Ausgängen und des modularen Aufbaus nach ihren eigenen Bedürfnissen flexibel konfigurieren. Leon Vaandrager und Jouke Aalvanger vom Forschungsund Entwicklungsteam von Eqraft: „Dies wird die beste Sortiermaschine, die die Kartoffelindustrie je gesehen hat.“

Une nouvelle norme pour la classiﬁcation des pommes de terre

La machine de tri optique d’oignons d’Eqraft est en train d’être développé pour devenir une machine innovante qui classe les pommes de terre. L’Eqrader™ pour les pommes de terre utilise des scanners internes et externes dotés d’une intelligence artificielle pour trier par taille, poids, forme, couleur et qualité. Pour ce faire, Eqraft travaille en étroite collaboration avec l’entreprise italienne BIOMETiC, spécialiste de l’IA avancée pour le contrôle de la qualité des aliments.

Les pommes de terre ont des formes et des tailles di érentes, ce qui a inﬂuencé le design. Chaque pomme de terre se déplace latéralement dans la machine et se tourne à 360 degrés pour un balayage externe complet. L’Eqrader, doté d’une IA entraînée à partir de dizaines de milliers de photos, reconnaît les défauts externes tels que les fissures, les pousses et les déformations, ainsi que les défauts internes tels que les maladies, les parasites, les champignons et même les cavités. Il cible principalement les pommes de terre de table et les frites.

Les clients peuvent configurer l’Eqrader en fonction de leurs propres critères. Il dispose d’un nombre variable de sorties et est modulaire, ce qui lui confère une grande ﬂexibilité. Leon Vaandrager et Jouke Aalvanger de l’équipe R&D d’Eqraft : « Ce sera la meilleure calibreuse de l’industrie de la pomme de terre. »

Un nuevo estándar en la clasiﬁcación de patatas

La clasificadora óptica para cebollas de Eqraft continúa evolucionando hasta convertirse en una innovadora clasificadora de patatas. El Eqrader™ para patatas utiliza escáneres internos y externos con inteligencia artificial para clasificar por tamaño, peso, forma, color y calidad. Para ello, Eqraft colabora estrechamente con la empresa italiana BIOMETiC, especialista en IA avanzada para el control de calidad de alimentos.

Las patatas tienen formas y tamaños diferentes, algo que se tuvo en cuenta en el diseño. Las patatas se desplazan lateralmente por la máquina girando 360 grados para poder hacer una exploración externa completa. El Eqrader, equipado con una IA entrenada con decenas de miles de fotos, reconoce defectos externos como grietas, brotes y deformaciones, así como defectos internos como enfermedades, parásitos, hongos e incluso cavidades. La máquina está principalmente pensada para patatas de mesa y para freír.

Los clientes pueden configurar el Eqrader de acuerdo a sus propios criterios. Tiene un número variable de salidas y es modular, lo que garantiza su ﬂexibilidad. Leon Vaandrager y Jouke Aalvanger, del equipo I+D de Eqraft: «Esta será la mejor clasificadora en la industria de patatas».

Joining forces for factory efﬁ ciency

A factory is more than the sum of its parts: an integrated approach is important during installation phases as well as day-to-day operations. Looking at projects from a wider perspective, the Onion Tech Alliance takes efficiency to the next level.

The Onion Tech Alliance consists of three Dutch companies that are perfectly attuned to each other, each bringing their own specialization. Eqraft develops grading, weighing, and packing solutions and o ers their consultancy services. Modesta takes care of dust extraction, ensuring a clean working environment and contributing to a cleaner product with a higher market value. Thanks to their dust extraction solutions, the machines in the factory perform better. Lastly, Symach provides custom-built palletizing and load securing solutions with great stacking quality.

Together the OTA members take on the responsibility for the total performance, project management, and service. That’s a great added value for any agri factory, but especially those far away. When working together remotely with di erent suppliers for each component in the process,

piecing together the puzzle can be a challenge. Thanks to OTA, all suppliers work together. Their integrated approach starts with making sure the machines fit into the available space and everything is assembled and installed in the right order. Using highly-detailed 3D drawings in which all components are included – from the equipment to electricity supply and fire extinguishers – they make sure the factory manager doesn’t have to deal with unpleasant surprises. The OTA members also ensure inter-machine compatibility and linking of IT systems, allowing the machines to communicate. Thanks to their joined approach, factory owners benefit from specialized expertise for each part of the process as well as – and most importantly –peace of mind.

Empowering clean air with Modesta

Dust extraction is often underestimated, but it’s the key to running a successful agricultural business. Not just because it keeps factory ﬂ oors clean and the working environment healthy, but also because it actively helps enhance product quality.

Dutch family business Modesta knows a thing or two about dust extraction: currently managed by the third generation, they’ve built their expertise over the past 75 years. Now, they don’t just o er state of the art installations that keep agricultural factories clean and safe, but they also provide their clients with a 360 degree vision. This includes the ideal layout of the production line, considering compartmentalization and waste management to prevent contamination by extracted dust and waste. Their smart, modular technology with cascading fans is energy-efficient, reliable and requires little maintenance.

With health and safety regulations getting increasingly strict, a clean factory ﬂoor is more important than ever, but that’s not the only reason to invest in dust extraction.

‘It’s often underestimated, but dust extraction can make a huge di erence in the day-to-day operation of your business,’ says Sjoerd van Diepen, technical sales advisor at Modesta. ‘A dirty factory ﬂoor forces workers to spend time cleaning, but it also causes wear and tear on the equipment.’ Modesta’s installations ensure longer machine life, benefitting not just the mechanical parts, but also the software: sensors of modern machinery can be quite sensitive, so they must remain dust free. Lastly, Modesta’s ‘active cleaning strategy’ ensures a higherquality product. By actively removing dust and onion skins, the onions come out cleaner and can be sold at a premium. In other words, smart dust extraction is more than just cleaning: it’s an investment in quality and efficiency.

Symach: perfect pallets every time

After produce is graded and packed, it needs to be palletized and secured before it can be loaded onto a truck. For the onions to be transported safely and damage-free, it’s crucial that bags, boxes, and crates are palletized properly and stably. That’s where Symach comes in.

Dutch machine builder Symach provides the same high quality solutions in all their modular designs, whether the client needs to hit rates of 15 bags per minute or up to 50 bags per minute. With their gripper options, they have the ability to create the perfect solution for all palletizing needs. Symach knows how to build the perfect solution for any agricultural processing line, whether it’s with 50 lb (25 kilo) paper bags stacked to the height of a shipping container, crates, cartons, octabins, or display bins with gentle handling capabilities.

Combining a worldwide network with a human touch, Symach belongs to the Barry-Wehmiller Group: a global leader in engineering services and manufacturing technology with its headquarters in North America. Part of the packaging division of the group, Symach has

roots in the Dutch province of Zeeland, in the south of the Netherlands. Their turn-key solutions include palletizers, wrappers, corner board applicators, and more, laying the foundation for a modular, efficient, and ﬂexible logistics process. Their machines are used in di erent industries, from agriculture to pet food and bakery products.

Having worked together with Eqraft and Modesta for many years, Symach is very much in tune with the other OTA members. Their machines can be connected to those of the other companies, giving the client the possibility to control the whole line centrally. Like the other OTA members, Symach values innovation, committing to building the Factory of the Future on a daily basis.

Eqraft® combination scale and Baxmatic® autobagger ensure ﬂexibility at Schuiling

There is one thing that Schuiling has always looked for in their seed potato business: ﬂ exibility. Finding personnel was a problem and it limited growth. A packing line from Eqraft solved this.

The entrepreneurial ‘Grandfather Schuiling’ started his first farm in the 40’s. Thanks to e ective acquisitions, the company expanded rapidly. ‘My grandfather was quite a visionary,’ says Wietze. He and his brother Gosse - the third generation - are now at the helm, keeping the progressive spirit alive. After ventures in lettuce and even windmills, the focus is now mainly on arable farming. Wietze is in charge of the seed potatoes.

Automation is a priority

Grandfather Schuiling encountered a problem that is still relevant today: finding sta is challenging, especially year-round. Moreover, scaling up has become increasingly important in the modern agricultural industry. Seed potatoes require agility: orders are relatively small, each with a di erent weight, packaging material, and potato variety. Orders for jute bags of 25 and 50 kg (50 and 100 lbs) are the most common, but smaller bags and other materials are also requested occasionally.

To stay competitive, timely automation is crucial

Customer Case

Name Wietze Schuiling

Company name Maatschap Schuiling

Location Minnertsga, the Netherlands

Company type Growing seed potatoes, onions, sugar beets, and wheat

Eqraft® combination scale and Baxmatic® autobagger ensure ﬂexibility at Schuiling

Weighing and packing with Eqraft®

Accurate and reliable weighing

Our multi-head scales come with 12 or 16 large weighing buckets in a circular arrangement. The system quickly drops the optimal combination of buckets, ensuring minimal give-away and thereby protecting your margins.

Quickly and gently ﬁlling bags, crates and cartons

The Baxmatic® autobagger automatically opens, fills, and closes bags weighing up to 50 kg (100 lbs). It is suitable for use with woven net, jute, hessian, and polypropylene bags. Our rollstock bagger and crate fillers are also ideal for gently and efficiently packing loose products or consumer packs.

Flexible and easy to operate

Eqraft’s combination scales are the perfect match for our baggers and crate fillers. With an intuitive interface, preset recipes, and seamless integration, changeover time between orders is minimized.

Unparalleled uptime and easily accessible support

Our weighing and packing equipment is renowned for its accuracy and reliability over long periods of time, requiring little maintenance. Support is easily accessible, and technicians are ready to assist you both remotely and on-site, with well-stocked local service hubs.

If you have a packing line like that, you just want for it to run without issues

Wietze Schuiling Owner Maatschap Schuiling

To ensure ﬂexibility, Schuiling purchased an Eqraft combination scale and Baxmatic autobagger. According to Wietze, ‘Timely automation is crucial to stay competitive.’ A major advantage of these machines is their interconnectivity, enabling seamless communication, which is essential in such a dynamic environment. This played a key role in selecting Eqraft’s packing line. While exploring machinery options, Schuiling also built a new packing shed. Not long ago, they completed their first full harvest season with the new Eqraft equipment.

Get it right the ﬁrst time

Choosing Eqraft aligns with the company’s philosophy: if you do something, get it right the first time. Also: be true to your word. Wietze says: ‘Eqraft is not the low-cost option, but in the end, it is a solid investment.’ He is also pleased with the company’s service. In Wietze’s opinion there are no ‘plug-and-play’ options. The exact settings of these machines have to be configured. Jute, for example, works di erently than polyprop consumer packs.

‘If you have a packing line like that, you just want for it to run without issues.’ Eqraft made sure of that. A smart thing to do, because fellow farmers from the area regularly visit Schuiling to observe the machines in action. The autobagger is placed slightly higher, to allow sufficient fall height for the 50 kg (100 lbs) bags. Emptying the packing line into a box is also possible. This allows for quick switching between orders with di erent potato varieties. After filling the bags, they’re o to the sewing lane where the bags are labeled and closed automatically. Subsequently, Symach takes care of palletizing and wrapping the potato bags.

The line now operates at full capacity. After the first season, the weighing and packing settings have been fully optimized, and Wietze aims to process around 15 to 20 tons per hour. ‘An Eqraft setup like that can handle big volumes. That helps with our objective: becoming more ﬂexible in our business operations.’ Grandfather Schuiling would have been proud.

Eqraft® combination scale and Baxmatic® autobagger ensure ﬂexibility

Eqraft® combinatieweger en Baxmatic® verpakkingsmachine maken Schuiling ﬂexibel

Om de flexibiliteit bij het verpakken van pootaardappelen te vergroten, investeerde agrobedrijf Schuiling in een combinatieweger en een Baxmatic. Het familiebedrijf kampte met personeelsproblemen, terwijl het juist groeide. Automatisering bleek de oplossing. Flexibiliteit was nodig vanwege variërende gewichten, verpakkingsmaterialen en aardappelrassen in de orders. De communicatie tussen de twee Eqraft-machines maakt dit mogelijk.

Schuiling koos voor Eqraft vanwege hun gedeelde waarden: kwaliteit en betrouwbaarheid. Wietze Schuiling, die het bedrijf met zijn broer leidt, zegt: ‘Als je iets doet, doe het dan goed.’ Hoewel Eqraft niet de goedkoopste optie is, ziet hij het als een goede investering. De verpakkingslijn is aangepast aan Schuilings behoeften, met extra hoogte voor de 50-kilozakken en de mogelijkheid om de lijn snel te legen voor wisselingen tussen aardappelrassen.

Na een succesvol eerste seizoen draaien de machines op volle capaciteit. Wietze verwacht 15 tot 20 ton aardappelen per uur te kunnen verwerken. Dankzij de machines kan Schuiling meebewegen met de markt. Wietze: ‘Dat helpt bij onze doelstelling: flexibeler worden in onze bedrijfsvoering.’

Eqraft®-Kombinationswaage und Baxmatic®-Verpackungsmaschine machen Schuiling ﬂexibel

Um Saatkartoffeln flexibler verpacken zu können, investierte das Agrarunternehmen Schuiling in eine Kombinationswaage und eine Baxmatic-Absackanlage. Der expandierende Familienbetrieb hatte mit Personalmangel zu kämpfen, und so bot sich die Automatisierung als Lösung an. Die von Auftrag zu Auftrag variierenden Gewichte, Verpackungen und Kartoffelsorten erforderten Flexibilität, die dank der Kommunikation zwischen den beiden Eqraft-Maschinen gewährleistet werden konnte.

Dass sich Schuiling für Eqraft entschied, lag an den gemeinsamen Werten: Qualität und Zuverlässigkeit. Wietze Schuiling, der die Firma gemeinsam mit seinem Bruder führt, bringt es auf den Punkt: „Was immer man tut – mach es gut.“ Eqraft betrachtet er als gute Investition, auch wenn es nicht die preisgünstigste Option war. Die Verpackungsstraße wurde genau auf die Bedürfnisse von Schuiling abgestimmt: mit mehr Höhe für die 50-kg-Säcke und schneller Entleerungsfunktion für den Wechsel zwischen Kartoffelsorten.

Nach einer erfolgreichen ersten Saison laufen die Maschinen jetzt mit voller Kapazität. Wietze erwartet, stündlich 15 bis 20 Tonnen Kartoffeln verarbeiten zu können. So kann Schuiling gut auf die variable Marktnachfrage reagieren. Wietze: „Das hilft uns dabei, unsere Betriebsführung flexibler zu machen.“

La peseuse combinée Eqraft® et la machine d’emballage Baxmatic® assurent la ﬂexibilité chez Schuiling

Pour accroître la ﬂexibilité de l’emballage des pommes de terre de semence, l’entreprise Schuiling a investi dans une peseuse combinée et un Baxmatic. L’entreprise familiale était confrontée à des problèmes de personnel alors qu’elle était en pleine croissance. L’automatisation s’est avérée être la solution. La ﬂexibilité était nécessaire en raison des di érences de poids, de matériaux d’emballage et de variétés de pommes de terre : la communication entre les deux machines Eqraft rend cela possible.

Schuiling a opté pour Eqraft en raison des valeurs qu’ils partagent : qualité et fiabilité. Wietze Schuiling, qui dirige l’entreprise avec son frère, dit : « Si vous faites quelque chose, alors faites-le bien. » Bien qu’Eqraft ne soit pas l’option la moins chère, il considère qu’il s’agit d’un bon investissement. La ligne d’emballage a été adaptée aux besoins de Schuilings, avec une hauteur supplémentaire pour les sacs de 50 kilos et la possibilité de vider rapidement la ligne pour changer de variété de pommes de terre.

Après une première saison réussie, les machines tournent à plein régime. Wietze prévoit de traiter 15 à 20 tonnes de pommes de terre par heure. Les machines permettent à Schuiling d’évoluer avec le marché. Wietze : « Cela nous aide à atteindre notre objectif qui est celui de rendre nos opérations plus ﬂexibles. »

La báscula combinada Eqraft® y la envasadora Baxmatic® garantizan la ﬂexibilidad en Schuiling

Para aumentar la ﬂexibilidad en el envasado de patatas de siembra, la empresa agrícola Schuiling invirtió en una báscula combinada y una Baxmatic. Los problemas de personal aumentaron a medida que la empresa familiar crecía. La solución fue la automatización. Debido a los diferentes pesos, materiales de envasado y variedades de patatas en los pedidos era necesario contar con ﬂexibilidad y la comunicación entre las dos máquinas Eqraft lo hizo posible.

Schuiling eligió Eqraft por sus valores en común: calidad y fiabilidad. Wietze Schuiling, que dirige la empresa junto con su hermano, comenta: «Si haces algo, hazlo bien». Aunque Eqraft no es la opción más barata, considera que es una buena inversión. La línea de envasado se ha adaptado a las necesidades de Schuiling, incorporando una altura adicional para los sacos de 50 kilos y la posibilidad de vaciar rápidamente la línea para cambiar a otra variedad de patata.

Tras una exitosa primera temporada, las máquinas funcionan a plena capacidad. Wietze espera procesar entre 15 y 20 toneladas de patatas por hora. Las máquinas permiten a Schuiling evolucionar con el mercado. Wietze: «Eso favorece nuestro objetivo: ser más ﬂexibles en nuestras operaciones».

After Sales Department enabling next level service

Eqraft is undergoing a quiet revolution: customer support is evolving into a core component of the growth strategy. Led by Wouter Beldman, the After Sales Department is becoming an increasingly proactive partner for clients.

Wouter Beldman, whose career began in the Navy, has an impressive track record in developing service strategies for major machine builders. His expertise in establishing, optimizing, and internationalizing service departments has proven invaluable. Wouter’s vision is clear: the After Sales Department, as the voice of the client, should be an integral part of the entire customer journey.

Worldwide coverage

‘We are gradually gaining a stronger voice within the organization,’ Wouter says. After a year at Eqraft, he has solidified the department’s foundations. This shift enhances service efficiency and quality, for example by opening multiple service hubs and expanding the service network. A fully equipped warehouse has been established in the US, manned by native Bradley Day as parts and service manager, supported by a team of skilled field service engineers. A well-stocked warehouse in Goes once again underlines the intention of being close to the clients.

After Sales gradually gains a stronger voice within the organization

Wouter Beldman Manager After Sales

After Sales Department enabling next

Eqraft’s After Sales pillars

Installation, commissioning and training

Installation is scheduled with the client, then carried out independently by Eqraft’s installation engineers. The machine is fully commissioned. The final step is training the client in how to operate the machine and configure its settings.

Support desk

An easily accessible support department, available by telephone and email across multiple time zones, staffed with experienced colleagues who are well-versed in the machines. Many software-related issues can be resolved through remote access.

Maintenance and service

Eqraft’s After Sales aims for proactive maintenance to prevent unexpected downtime. Service is provided by skilled engineers who are also experienced in assembly and installation. If necessary, they can be on-site within one day.

Spare parts

Clients are encouraged to keep relevant spare parts on-site for quick solutions. Eqraft service hubs also o er spare parts in close proximity, while a large inventory at Eqraft HQ ensures fast shipping of other parts.

The After Sales department is an integral part of our clients’ success

Hans Mol Field Service Engineer

Improvements are also made on the organizational level. Small service projects are now handled directly by the department, without the sales team’s involvement. The communication is more streamlined, resulting in faster workable solutions for clients. This requires a versatile team, with broad knowledge. Therefore, the After Sales team will be multiplying across the board in the coming years, from service desk and spare parts specialists to mechanics.

Tasks are defined clearly within the team. Mechanics specialize in installation, commissioning, training, or field service. In the office there’s dedicated sta for spare parts and support. This clarifies responsibilities, provides opportunities for internal growth, and improves overall efficiency. Hans Mol, one of Eqraft’s field service engineers, explains: ‘You need both mechanical and electronic expertise, because you often have to solve a problem by yourself. On top of that, you’re the face of Eqraft. I take pride in helping clients when they encounter unexpected challenges.’

Proactive service

The After Sales Department is becoming increasingly proactive and wouter plans to continue this way of working. Eqraft will start scheduling proactive inspections of equipment and reviewing the findings with the client. Maintenance can be scheduled timely. ‘Planned downtime for maintenance is sometimes unavoidable, as many agribusinesses have increasingly shorter o -seasons,’ Wouter explains. All this to prevent unexpected downtime.

The future vision for After Sales at Eqraft is ambitious. Plans include setting up an online support portal for clients and mechanics to streamline the service process and enhance transparency. Wouter envisions easily accessible support for customers worldwide. Standardization of Eqraft machinery should help reduce the number of spare parts needed and multiple service hubs will ensure that parts can be delivered quickly. Wouter: ‘The After Sales Department is there for the client and therefore works intensively with every Eqraft department. That balance is now established, and we’re building on its solid foundation.’

Aftersales zorgt voor nog betere service bij Eqraft

De aftersalesafdeling van Eqraft wordt een steeds belangrijkere partner voor klanten. Wouter Beldman leidt het team sinds een jaar. Zijn visie is duidelijk: aftersales moet integraal deel uitmaken van de klantreis.

Wouter zet in op internationale servicedekking door de opening van meerdere servicehubs en de uitbreiding van het servicenetwerk. Het volledig uitgeruste magazijn in de VS, bemand door de Amerikaanse Bradley Day, onderstreept die ambitie, net als de nieuwe servicevestiging in Goes. Ook op organisatorisch niveau wordt de aftersalesafdeling volwassener. Kleine serviceaanvragen worden nu door het team opgepakt, wat de lijntjes korter maakt en klanten sneller een oplossing biedt. Dat team groeit ook. Intussen worden taken duidelijk gedefinieerd, met specialisaties voor zowel de monteurs als de servicemedewerkers op kantoor.

Eqraft bietet mit Aftersales optimalen Service

Die Aftersales-Abteilung von Eqraft wird für die Kunden ein immer wichtigerer Partner. Seit einem Jahr leitet Wouter Beldman das Team. Sein Ziel ist klar: Aftersales muss integrierter Bestandteil der gesamten Kundenreise sein.

Unter anderem durch mehrere neue Service-Zentralen will er international ein flächendeckendes Serviceangebot realisieren. Mit einem komplett ausgestatteten Lager in den USA, geführt vom Amerikaner Bradley Day, und einer neuen Service-Niederlassung in Goes kam man diesem Ziel bereits ein gutes Stück näher. Auch auf organisatorischer Ebene hat sich die Aftersales-Abteilung entwickelt. Kleine Serviceanfragen werden nun direkt vom Team erledigt, wodurch den Kunden schneller geholfen werden kann. Auch dieses Team wurde vergrößert. Die Aufgaben sind nun klar definiert, wobei die Techniker und die Servicemitarbeiter im Büro jeweils für ihre eigenen Spezialgebiete zuständig sind.

De focus verschuift daarnaast naar proactieve service, met geplande inspecties om onverwachte stilstand te voorkomen. De toekomstvisie is ambitieus, met plannen voor een klantportaal, standaardisatie van machines en meerdere servicehubs voor snelle levering van onderdelen en service. Wouter: ‘Aftersales staat echt voor de klant.’

Der Fokus hat sich auf den proaktiven Service verlagert; so werden mit geplanten Inspektionen unerwartete Stillstände vermieden. Das Zukunftsbild ist ehrgeizig: Pläne für ein Kundenportal, Standardisierung von Maschinen und Einrichtung mehrerer Servicezentralen, die eine schnelle Unterstützung und Ersatzteillieferung gewährleisten.

Wouter: „Aftersales ist wirklich für die Kunden da.“

Le service après-vente assure un meilleur service à Eqraft

Le service après-vente d’Eqraft devient un partenaire de plus en plus important pour les clients. Wouter Beldman dirige l’équipe depuis un an. Sa vision est claire : le service après-vente doit faire partie intégrante du parcours du client.

Wouter s’est engagé à assurer une couverture internationale en ouvrant plusieurs centres de services et en développant le réseau de services. L’entrepôt entièrement équipé aux États-Unis, dirigé par l’Américain Bradley Day, souligne cette ambition, tout comme le nouveau site de service à Goes. Sur le plan organisationnel, le service après-vente est également en train de passer à l’étape supérieure. Les petites demandes de service sont désormais prises en charge par l’équipe, ce qui raccourcit les lignes de communication et permet aux clients d’obtenir des solutions plus rapidement. Cette équipe s’agrandit également. Par ailleurs, les tâches sont clairement définies, avec des spécialisations pour les mécaniciens et les techniciens au bureau.

L’accent est également mis sur un service proactif, avec des inspections programmées pour éviter les temps d’arrêt imprévus. La vision d’avenir est ambitieuse, avec un projet de portail pour les clients, de standardisation des machines et de centres de service multiples pour une livraison rapide des pièces et des services. Wouter : « Le service après-vente est vraiment là pour les clients. »

El servicio posventa ofrece un servicio aún mejor en Eqraft

El departamento posventa de Eqraft se está convirtiendo en un socio cada vez más importante para los clientes. Wouter Beldman dirige el equipo desde hace un año. Su visión es clara: la posventa debe ser parte integral de todo el trayecto del cliente.

Wouter apuesta por una cobertura de servicio internacional, abriendo varios centros y ampliando la red de servicio. El completísimo almacén de EE. UU., dirigido por el estadounidense Bradley Day, subraya esa ambición, al igual que la nueva sucursal de servicio en Goes, Países Bajos. El departamento posventa también se está desarrollando a nivel organizativo. Actualmente, las pequeñas solicitudes de servicio son atendidas por el equipo, lo que reduce las líneas de comunicación y ofrece a los clientes soluciones más rápidas. Ese equipo también está creciendo. Mientras tanto, las tareas están claramente definidas, con especializaciones tanto para los mecánicos como para el personal de servicio en la oficina.

La prioridad también se está desplazando hacia un servicio proactivo, con inspecciones programadas para evitar paradas imprevistas. La visión de futuro es ambiciosa, con planes para un portal del cliente, estandarización de máquinas y múltiples centros de servicio para una entrega rápida de piezas y servicio. Wouter: «El servicio posventa gira en torno al cliente».

Eqraft puts people ﬁ rst in strategic growth

Big projects, the development of advanced grading lines for onions and potatoes, and three new offices, including one in the US: Eqraft is growing fast. Consequently, HR has become a strategic game. The company culture remains open and personal development is much encouraged.

Rianne and Linda from HR set the personnel strategy, alongside the management team. ‘We have grown from 40 to 100 colleagues in a year and a half. That number will continue to rise for a while,’ says Rianne. This rapid expansion meant their department needed to step up it’s game. Rianne handles recruitment and HR for office roles, as well as the legal aspects of employment. Linda manages staffing for the warehouse, assembly, and installation teams, along with absenteeism. She proudly notes that Eqraft’s sick leave is well below the national average.

When it comes to hiring, Rianne and Linda are assisted by Pieter. He’s been with Eqraft for almost 15 years and managed production, installation and service. He knows exactly what Eqraft is looking for: ‘Candidates with a positive outlook and a drive to constantly improve, to look for smarter and more efficient ways of working. We need team players, as all our departments are interconnected and are working closely with both clients and suppliers. Because we do everything in-house, from design to installation and from software to panel building, we are looking for a wide range of people.’

With our open culture, we grow together at Eqraft

Rianne Popken

HR & Recruitment

Linda Rijpkema - ten Brummelhuis

HR & Recruitment

Strategic workforce planning

Eqraft has major projects lined up, often spanning several years. In order to have a team up and running in time for these projects, strategic thinking is essential. HR evaluates the capacity needs of each team for the coming years. Recruitment starts well in advance to meet personnel needs, keeping notice periods and onboarding time in mind. ‘We plan up to two years ahead,’ Rianne says.

Both Linda and Rianne appreciate this proactive way of working. They also make a point of involving relevant departments in the hiring process. A good fit benefits everyone in the team. An extensive tour for each applicant is part of that process. Linda adds: ‘That’s typical Eqraft, a transparent organization. Doors are always open.’

Investing in knowledge

With such explosive growth, personal development is very important. That means investing in knowledge. Tailored courses are developed so sta can continuously improve their skills. ‘No position is out of reach. But you have to take the initiative yourself,’ Rianne explains.

HR also organizes company-wide activities for the sta and facilitates team outings. Rianne notes: ‘We recently had food trucks on site to celebrate landing a major project.’ Ultimately, it’s about people. To demonstrate employee satisfaction, Linda points to the high retention rate and the increase in referral bonuses, an incentive for colleagues who refer successful candidates. ‘It shows that people feel at home at Eqraft.’

Romkes Assembly & Installation Engineer Rose Visser

‘After a few years as a car mechanic, I worked in the seafood industry. There, I started resolving technical issues to avoid waiting for the technical team. In 2011, I joined Eqraft (ERC at the time). My journey here has led me from assembly to service and installation.

In my early days I mostly welded conveyor belts. Soon, the first combination scale was created. I contributed to its development and assembly, which I really enjoyed. After that I assembled many of them, I know that machine like the back of my hand. Later I visited nearly all clients in the Netherlands and the US, as an installation engineer.

When I started, mechatronics as such didn’t exist yet. Eqraft gave me the opportunity to learn by experience, and my colleagues were always willing to help. Now I’m the one supporting others. I’m also still eager to learn about control technology, which is why I’m assembling again. Besides that, it’s nice to be able to spend more time with my family. I was away from home a lot, but luckily work has always felt more like a hobby. My son is now an intern at Eqraft: my journey has come full circle.’

‘I recently joined Eqraft and immediately felt at home. The open-door policy, the positive mindset that my colleagues share, and the monthly kickoff meetings with other locations create a sense of connection across the company. The culture is informal, you never feel the need to tiptoe around anyone.

Soon there will be six of us on the service team. I’m still learning the technical side, but everything is welldocumented in our systems, with detailed descriptions and drawings. My colleagues are always willing to help, too. Eqraft is a ﬂexible employer. That’s helpful since I have young children. It sometimes requires some adaptability, especially in the mornings. Fortunately, our team’s peak performance is later in the day because of the time di erence with the US.

Being a woman in a technical field isn’t an issue for me at all. It’s true that there are still more men working in this industry, but more and more women are joining! I’ve settled in nicely now, I’m already quite busy. That gives me energy. I certainly see a bright future for myself at Eqraft.’

Pieter

Account Manager Spare

Mensen staan centraal bij groei van Eqraft

Eqraft groeit snel. Dat betekent dat het personeelsbeleid een nieuwe, meer strategische aanpak vereist. Rianne en Linda van HR ontwikkelden deze strategie, geassisteerd door Pieter. Rianne richt zich op werving voor kantoorfuncties en de juridische aspecten van HR, terwijl Linda de werving voor magazijn-, assemblage- en installatieteams beheert, naast het verzuim.

Het werven van nieuwe teamleden gebeurt in overleg met de betreffende afdeling, om de juiste persoon op de juiste plek te krijgen. Teamspelers zijn sowieso belangrijk, omdat alle afdelingen nauw met elkaar samenwerken. Verder past een positieve en flexibele instelling bij het DNA van Eqraft. Als werkgever is Eqraft transparant en laagdrempelig.

Om ervoor te zorgen dat er een sterk team staat bij aanvang van grote projecten, werft HR soms wel twee jaar vooruit. Het bedrijf investeert ook in persoonlijke ontwikkeling, bijvoorbeeld door middel van cursussen. Bovendien is er ruimte voor groei. Rianne: ‘Als je zelf het initiatief neemt, is geen ambitie te gek.’ HR organiseert ook activiteiten en teamuitjes voor het bedrijf. Linda: ‘Het lage verloop en het toenemende aantal aanbrengbonussen tonen wel aan dat mensen bij Eqraft op hun plek zitten.’

Beim Wachstum von Eqraft steht der Mensch im Mittelpunkt

Eqraft wächst rasant. Das erfordert auch im Personalbereich eine neue Strategie, die inzwischen von den HR-Mitarbeiterinnen Rianne und Linda, unterstützt von Pieter, ausgearbeitet wurde. Während Rianne für die Rekrutierung von Büropersonal und die rechtlichen HR-Aspekte zuständig ist, befasst sich Linda mit der Anwerbung von Lager-, Montage- und Installationspersonal und dem Krankenstandsmanagement.

Um die besten Kandidaten zu finden, erfolgt die Personalwerbung gemeinsam mit den jeweiligen Abteilungen. Es werden auf jeden Fall Teamplayer gesucht, denn alle Abteilungen arbeiten eng zusammen. Außerdem sollte Eqraft-Personal eine positive und flexible Einstellung mitbringen. Als Arbeitgeber ist Eqraft transparent und niedrigschwellig.

Damit beim Start großer Projekte von Anfang an ein starkes Team bereitsteht, wirbt die HR-Abteilung schon bis zu zwei Jahre im Voraus Personal an. Eqraft investiert viel in die persönliche Entwicklung, unter anderem durch Kursangebote, und auch für eine erfolgreiche Laufbahn gibt es viel Raum. Rianne: „Wer selbst die Initiative ergreift, kann hier weit kommen.“ HR organisiert auch Aktivitäten für das Unternehmen und die Teams. Linda: „Die geringe Fluktuation und die steigende Zahl der für die Kollegenwerbung gezahlten Prämien beweisen, dass sich die Beschäftigten bei Eqraft wohlfühlen!“

Les individus sont au centre du développement d’Eqraft

Eqraft se développe rapidement. La gestion des ressources humaines nécessite donc une nouvelle approche, plus stratégique. Rianne et Linda des RH ont défini cette stratégie, avec l’aide de Pieter. Rianne se concentre sur le recrutement pour les postes de bureau et les aspects juridiques des RH, tandis que Linda gère le recrutement des équipes de l’entrepôt, de l’assemblage et de l’installation, ainsi que l’absentéisme.

Le département concerné est associé au processus de recrutement pour s’assurer de trouver le candidat le plus adapté. Ici l’esprit d’équipe est crucial, car tous les services travaillent en étroite collaboration. La positivité et la ﬂexibilité sont des valeurs fondamentales chez Eqraft, un employeur transparent et accessible.

Las

personas son la prioridad en el crecimiento de Eqraft

Eqraft está creciendo rápidamente y esto significa que la gestión de recursos humanos requiere un nuevo enfoque, más estratégico. Rianne y Linda, de RR. HH., lo han planificado con la ayuda de Pieter. Rianne se centra en la contratación para puestos de oficina y en los aspectos legales de RR. HH., mientras que Linda se encarga de la contratación para los equipos de almacén, montaje e instalación, y del absentismo.

Pour garantir la mise en place d’équipes performantes en amont des grands projets, les recrutements peuvent être lancés jusqu’à deux ans avant le démarrage de ce type de projet. L’entreprise investit également dans le développement personnel, par exemple par le biais de formations. Et les possibilités de développement sont nombreuses. Rianne : « Si vous prenez vous-même l’initiative, aucun poste n’est exclu. » Les RH organisent également des activités d’entreprise et des sorties de teambuilding. Linda : « Le faible turnover et les primes de recrutement en hausse témoignent du fait que les salariés d’Eqraft sont satisfaits de leur poste. »

En la contratación de nuevos miembros del equipo, se involucra al departamento correspondiente para que el puesto vacante lo ocupe la persona adecuada. En cualquier caso, es importante trabajar en equipo, ya que todos los departamentos colaboran estrechamente. Una actitud positiva y ﬂexible también se ajusta al ADN de Eqraft. Como empleador, Eqraft es transparente y accesible.

Para garantizar que haya un equipo fuerte al inicio de los grandes proyectos, RR. HH. contrata a veces con hasta dos años de antelación. Asimismo, la empresa invierte en el desarrollo personal, por ejemplo, a través de cursos, y cuenta con márgenes para crecer. Rianne: «Si tú mismo tomas la iniciativa, ningún puesto es imposible». RR. HH. también organiza actividades de empresa y salidas en equipo. Linda: «La baja rotación de personal y el creciente número de primas de contratación demuestran que la gente está a gusto en Eqraft ».

We

look

forward to meeting you!

Kampes CEO

Nico Bredenhoff Manager Projects

Mike Kooijman Technical Sales Executive

Lars Boomgaard Technical Sales Executive

Keurhorst CCO

Wouter Beldman Manager After Sales

Tiemen Markerink Technical Sales Executive

Adrien van Nes Technical Sales Executive

Wouter Kaptijn CFO / CHRO

Leon Vaandrager Manager Mechanical Engineering and R&D

Hermen de Jong Technical Sales Executive

Jouke Aalvanger Manager Software and Hardware Engineering

Jesse de Vries Technical Sales Executive

Pieter Kaat Manager Facilities

Robin Janse Technical Sales Executive

Marcel

Rutger

Henk Vermaas COO

Johan Hansma Buyer

Garmt Broersma Buyer

Anna Faber Buyer

Lex Regtop Project Leader

Jorrit Boersma Installation Supervisor

Walte Veldman Accountmanager Spare Parts

Piet Roskam Project Leader

Remko Bouman Installation Supervisor

Rose Visser Accountmanager Spare Parts

Johannes Elzinga Project Leader

Andre Dekker Service & Support Engineer

Rianne Popken HR & Recruitment

Nathan Uitslag Project Leader

David Oosterhuis Support Engineer

Lilian Schoen Transport Planner

Bradley Day Parts & Service Manager USA

Linda Rijpkema HR & Recruitment Join the Team check eqraft.work

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