Reliability requested

If you provide logistics for customers operating in the greenhouse industry, your solutions must be reliable. You can't just stop crops from growing because there's a malfunction. So you seek cooperation with suppliers like Murrelektronik who embrace your standards and endorse core values.

At Taks Handling Systems in Etten-Leur, Co Konings talks about his organization's approach and the challenges involved. And about the choice of Murrelektronik as supplier for fieldbus systems. Konings has been general manager at Taks Handling Systems for two years and his experience has taken him into all areas of our food industry. From seed to plate, as he powerfully sums it up.

Taks Handling Systems builds logistics solutions for the AGF sector. Thanks to the acquisition of Berkvens Greenhouse Mobility in 2020, the company has two locations in the Netherlands. With the expansion of its portfolio, it can support customers even better in their needs for automation and logistics solutions in greenhouse horticulture. "We develop, produce and assemble innovative modular and customized solutions for internal transport systems for fast and efficient processing of, among other things, vegetables and fruit all over the world. Our customers are market gardeners in greenhouse horticulture. It is quite a puzzle for them to manage cultivation, sustainability and reliable food supply with fewer and fewer hands. We see a good and healthy future in greenhouse horticulture because farming on open land is unpredictable because many factors are beyond your control. Growing under glass provides many advantages. You can harvest longer, per harvest you have a higher yield and you need less water and pesticides because you work in a controlled environment."

Standardization but customer-specific

The speed at which produce must hit store shelves after harvest requires efficiency in harvesting, sorting, packing, palletizing and tracking & tracing. "From picking in the greenhouse to so-called barn automation, gardeners have to do the same or more work with fewer and fewer people. So automation is important but the conditions are challenging. So all the solutions we build for market gardeners must be very robust and reliable. Stop growing is not possible, everything has to be able to go on forever."

At the same time, no company is the same when it comes to their issue. "Every question is different, but we still want to standardize as much as possible. That's why we work with a modular product range on which we can make customer-specific modifications. To ensure that the solution we ultimately deliver is as close as possible to the customer's demand, you have to start by listening carefully. That is therefore the most important starting point for us. We have short lines of communication with the customer and understand the need."

Robust and future-proof

The systems supplied by Taks Handling Systems are subjected to heavy loads in practice and must therefore be robust. They have to be tough and easy to operate. Another important reason for choosing Murrelektronik's products. "If someone drives a cart into a machine, it should not break down." It seems like a dead giveaway, but bottom-line: downtime should be avoided as much as possible. The trucks are soon ready to transport the products to the supermarkets.

"These processes always involve large volumes and at the same time we want our lines to be future-proof. We respond to this by focusing on scalability. We therefore also use the same technology as much as possible in machines that in turn are used for completely different products. Standardization not only provides clarity for the customer, but also shorter lead times."

Decentralized solution from Murrelektronik

Taks Handling Systems has long been working with solutions from Murrelektronik. A German family business in automation technology that has put decentralization at the center. Whatever communication components are used in Taks Handling Systems' machines are from this manufacture. "We look for partners who share our core values. We do call our own payoff 'Blueprint for Efficiency,' indicating that we completely unburden the customer of their processes. Murrelektronik's vision and products fit very well with the modular and scalable approach of our program. And the products have the right quality, enabling us to fulfill our promises to our customers. Together we ensure the highest possible system uptime and huge labor savings for the customer. We know what we are bringing in, and that gives peace of mind." The bond between the two companies is close, and that's important.

Efficiency of production lines significantly increased

A number of Murrelektronik's core products have been implemented by Taks in the development of their machines. The key components are the modular fieldbus systems combined with fieldbus cabling. "These modules provide the perfect interface for connecting sensors such as photocells and limit switches. This has significantly increased the efficiency of production lines, as seamless integration of sensors is crucial for smooth operation."

This development did require one more step. After all, Taks Handling Systems had been working with Omron plc systems for a long time and to its satisfaction. Getting the solutions from these two suppliers to work together was not so easy at first, "Both parties really made an effort for us to set this up. But it worked out and we can now configure the various modules via the control platform."

Customer benefits

Not only Taks Handling Systems themselves, but also their customers experience the benefits of using the Murrelektronik products, says Konings. The scalability and flexibility of the modules makes them easy to connect, and different configurations can be applied to their machines. The complete bus system can be connected with just one cable combining power supply and communication. A minimum of cables and a minimum of installation.

"The wide range of module options allows us, as well as our customers, to always put together the most suitable configuration for the requirements of the machines. This enables us to optimize production processes and adapt them to different applications. So you can say that these solutions have helped us to increase productivity, streamline our installation processes and increase our flexibility. Which results in satisfied customers."

The future

Taks Handling Systems not only takes responsibility when it comes to solutions for customers, but also for the recruitment of future customers as well as employees. "We collaborate a lot with the various educational institutions in the region. It is important to introduce the future generation to the modern technology applied in our food industry. By becoming well embedded in those courses, we want to ensure that students know our name and become familiar with the automation solutions. All, of course, to ensure that we can continue to fuel the growth of our company with new employees as well as new customers!"

Two companies that put reliability and customer orientation first and are working on solutions for the future. Murrelektronik and Taks Handling Systems have found each other in a cooperation that is experienced as a real added value on both sides. No nonsense, short lines and going the extra mile. 

Murrelektronik is a leading company in the development and manufacture of innovative automation solutions for machines and plants. Murrelektronik focuses on four core areas: power supply, interfaces, connection cables and IO systems. Unique are the innovative quality products, a pronounced eye for the customer and the market.

With more than 3,000 employees in over 50 countries, Murrelektronik is never far away. That means short lines of communication and fast delivery times. The employees like to think along with you to come up with the best applications.

www.murrelektronik.nl