From February 5 to 7, 2020, Jongejans Luchttechniek will be exhibiting at the world's leading trade fair for the fresh produce industry: Fruit Logistica (Berlin). Visit us in HALL 6.1, booth A-06.
“The rise of new processing techniques makes a cleaner product even more important.”
After Hugo and Fred Jongejans Luchttechniek had been led by Hugo and Fred for over 30 years, the brothers partially transferred the company to four employees on January 1st of this year. Ronald de Boer, Bart Straathof, Sander Kroon, and Jesse Vonk have since formed the new management team. Hugo and Fred will retain half of the shares, but will transfer them entirely to the new management team after a few years. "The great thing is that our solutions make customers happy. Every customer benefits from a properly functioning extraction system. Good extraction ensures better machine performance, less dust in the workplace, and cleaner products."“
The new management team doesn't bring any new faces. The four gentlemen have all been with Jongejans Luchttechniek for a long time and formed the joint management team last year. Management responsibilities and related duties have already been transferred in parts to Ronald as general manager in recent years. Jesse has been active in sales for years, Bart is responsible for the project office and work preparation, and Sander is involved with automation and control technology at the market leader in agricultural extraction systems.
Dealer network
According to Ronald, customers shouldn't expect any major changes in the coming years. "We do hope to work with dealers more often. We have a dealer network of about 20 partners, and we're very pleased with it. These companies have knowledge of the local market and enjoy the trust of our customers. Currently, we generate about half of our revenue in the Netherlands, with the remaining half in other European countries. We serve the North American market from our standalone JDC Extraction branch in Idaho, while maintaining the lead on projects from the Netherlands."“
Onions, potatoes, flower bulbs, and seeds are the main sectors for Jongejans. "First and foremost, extraction results in a cleaner product because it removes dust and skins, but more and more processors are also using our systems to improve the health and working environment of their employees," explains Ronald. "For example, in countries where wages are rising, we see a direct correlation with investment in extraction solutions. While we used to be involved in the last step of the packaging machine, these days we're often involved much earlier in the process to ensure a clean production process throughout the entire factory."“
Dust is bad for people and machines
“"A lot of dust is released during the tailing, sorting, and packaging of onions. With the rise of optical sorting machines, a cleaner product is becoming increasingly important, because you want to avoid line jams at all costs," adds Sander. "Dust is not only bad for your health, but also for the operation of the machines. A well-tuned extraction system therefore contributes to the operational reliability of the entire onion processing line. By properly addressing the dust problem, processors save time, inconvenience, and costs. We're also seeing increasing demand for fully integrated control systems, where the extraction systems are visible in the control room and the extractor starts working immediately when the sorting line's conveyor starts."”
“"We're also increasingly building systems that allow for remote monitoring. This is especially true for systems we install abroad. Data collection is becoming increasingly important. By linking data, we can often resolve malfunctions remotely, but also automatically schedule maintenance intervals and ensure the technician receives the correct parts," says Sander. "You also see that the production line foreman of the past is increasingly becoming an operator. This also leads to conversations at a different level."”
Jongejans collaborates with numerous other suppliers in the sector. "Because we're not tied to a single supplier, our knowledge only expands, allowing us to design the best extraction system for each specific situation," explains Bart. Jongejans currently has 35 employees, but because installations often have to be completed before the season begins, it also has a permanent pool of experienced freelancers who return annually, for example, for the bulb season.
Energy conservation is also a high priority at Jongejans. "For example, we specifically developed the Agra Cyclojet for extracting and filtering onion skins. Special filters are installed in the cyclone so that the extracted air is returned clean to the processing area. This way, no energy is wasted, and the warm air stays inside. Furthermore, the Cyclojet operates very quietly and meets environmental requirements," explains Bart.
Made in Holland
“"Our customers consider the fact that we manufacture our systems ourselves in the Netherlands a major advantage. Every setup is unique in terms of configuration. That's why our extraction systems are custom-built for each situation. This is only possible if you work from a strong foundation, with a production line designed to easily implement customized applications. Here at Den Helder, we have the ideal testing ground for product development and new, sustainable applications."”
Although the Dutch domestic market remains Jongejans's largest, foreign potato, onion, and garlic processors are also finding their way to Jongejans. "For example, last year we delivered a large filter system to Awex in Poland. We started with a simple installation there, and now we're equipping the entire factory with a separate extraction system for seal smoke, which reduces the amount of harmful substances in the area," says Jesse.
Another reference is a garlic company in California where, thanks to the Jongejans wind shifter, the garlic cloves are efficiently separated from the dust through a combination of blowing and suction, resulting in a capacity expansion of 50% while only needing half the labor force.
When asked where Jongejans will be in five to ten years, Ronald replies: "Still at the top. We want to remain at the forefront of technology, further innovating in control technology and industry-specific solutions. To achieve this, we will continue to invest in new people in the coming years to further expand our market leadership."“
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