Research, innovation and internationalization, these are the guidelines leading Idromeccanica Lucchini's action in recent years. The world socio-economic scenario is constantly changing and with it the needs of people, starting with food. As a consequence, agricultural producers keep the pace with the times, knowing how to produce, putting quality first, supporting macroeconomic changes. Furthermore, the ongoing pandemic has accelerated processes of social and cultural change already underway, making the need for modernization ever more pressing. For this reason, even the tools useful to facilitate and improve agriculture have to be continuously updated and conceived with a modularity, making them able to adapt, with a few but substantial changes, to all international contexts and different climatic conditions.
The international experience
Strengthened by a continuous presence abroad, Idromeccanica Lucchini always and successfully faced different challenges, which led the company to constantly test itself to solve ever new problems by designing and building greenhouse systems capable of overcoming these challenges. In addition to special cases in Finland, whose story has been told in this article https://www.lucchiniidromeccanica.it/en/blog/case-study-finlandia2-en.php , Idromeccanica Lucchini has operated in California and South Africa in the plant and grapes sectors. In this case, the work has evolved from a previous experiment already implemented in southern Italy, for the cultivation of “Pachino” tomatoes and completed thanks to the adaptability of technologies tested in different fields. Lucchini's most recent hydromechanics experiments are reported in the following paragraphs.
The advantages of photoselection
The development and the right choice of plastic films for covering greenhouses can positively affect the quantity and more particularly the quality of cultivation. This is one of the research and innovation activities carried out by Idromeccanica Lucchini to meet the growers' needs. With the photoselection of the plastic covering films of the greenhouses, in fact, the life of tomatoes and leafy vegetables extended. By selecting the most suitable film for the tomato, a greater water mass and a redder color were obtained. What's more, the yield has increased by 3-4% and the product has shown to have a longer shelf-life making logistics and distribution easier.
Cabrio is better
No, we are not talking about a sports car, among the latest Lucchini innovations there is also the “cabrio” greenhouse which, thanks to the Open Sky System technology, allows the roof of the greenhouse to be opened when a cover is not required. This innovation has also matured thanks to Lucchini's experience in various places, both national and foreign, where there was a very fluctuating climate in the different phases of the year. This measure, in addition to ensuring the coverage and the function of the greenhouse only when needed, allows the plant to have a longer lifespan, because the greenhouse is "saved" in the periods when it is less necessary.
Rain and hail protection
The commercialization of the latest Idromeccanica Lucchini innovation is at hand. The starting need that led to the development of this last project arose from the variation in climatic conditions, which then led to more frequent and violent rains and hailstorms. In order to protect the orchards from these real calamities, a cover with an extra special film was developed. It is a very dense mesh, holding the Arrigoni SpA name, which protects the plants and, at the same time, ensures their air transpiration. As a final advantage, these covers allow 20% shading.
