The Azienda Agricola Scaglioni, managed by the Leonardo and Lorenzo brothers, has been on the market for several years. Mainly organized for the cultivation in open field linked to the traditional crops of the Pianura Padana lands such as maize, soya, wheat, etc., the Azienda Agricola Scaglioni wants to address today to new markets. Leonardo and Lorenzo Scaglioni, very attentive to the sector evolutions, have identified organic horticultural cultivation destined to the GDO Channels an excellent market segment with particularly favorable prospects. Eager to cultivate mainly vegetables, salad and lettuce, they needed the right tools to approach this new activity, while continuing to maintain the traditional crops.
Customer needs
Already customers in Idromeccanica Lucchini for irrigation systems and other equipment, the Scaglioni brothers have expressed the need for a greenhouse plant for organic farming, which would allow them to be responsive and competitive on the market. Being in a start-up phase, they needed a greenhouse already optimized for organic production, but at the same time economic and that would allow future developments, both volumetric and technological. Another important need was that of a product with a low cost and excellent ratio quality and price.
The plant for organic farming
Idromeccanica Lucchini consultants immediately set to work to propose, design and realize the most suitable solution for the needs of the Scaglioni brothers. The result of the work that Idromeccanica Lucchini conducted together with the company is a greenhouse of 1,300 square meters belonging to the Multyhortus family. The plant is structured in 3 spans of 10 x 44 meters each, covered in single film. To achieve the certification of organic farming it was inserted a vestibule at the entrance of the greenhouse that allows you to operate indoors without any contaminating environment risk. In the vestibule was created a sort of 3 x 5 meters watertight chamber where machines and equipment used exclusively inside the greenhouse are stored. In addition to this, Multyhortus is protected from anti-insect and aphids nets which allow a pest protected cultivation with no use of plant protection or other products. To achieve proper ventilation, the greenhouse is equipped with openings with manual winding on all sides of the building. Resistant to wind, the greenhouse is also equipped with eaves for collecting rainwater.
A tailor-made project
Built specifically to the customer’s needs, greenhouse dimensions do not meet strict standards, but have been calibrated for the need of the Scaglioni brothers to have a production unit at low cost and built on a certain parcel of land. The production and assembly of the plant took place in record time to be able to remain within the limits of the law useful for obtaining funds responding to specific public calls.
Potential and future developments
This first plant, which is already paying off, is for now only a start-up. Following the customer’s guidelines, Idromeccanica Lucchini has provided that the greenhouse was built for any evolutions both volumetric and technological. The Multyhortus model, in fact, has great potential. The 3.20-metre gutter height, 5.20-total height, round tube structures allow operators to work in the plant with great ease and also allow the implementation of various tools such as shading sheets, Roof openings, air circulators, automated windows and sensors to make the system controllable even remotely. In addition, the greenhouse, completely modular, can be stretched or enlarged with the addition of other modules connected by passages along the spans. With the addition of a double film cover, moreover, it can easily be transformed into a structure suitable for long year cultivation, thanks to the achievement of a perfect microclimate to obtain even more crops per year.
A perfect benchmark
Anchored on ground by drills without need for concrete structures or casts, the greenhouse is easily removable and can be moved anywhere. Built to be implemented step by step for a company that wants to grow consciously and with targeted interventions "step by step", this plant can be part of the funding provided by "Industry 4.0". Equipped with gutters and evolved structures, while being light and flexible, this Multyhortus is characterized by an excellent ratio cost quality and represents a small benchmark for those who want to start from a basic set-up with enormous potential.
