Automation and sustainable trays

Automated processes are becoming increasingly important. Modiform’s technical developers are in constant contact with companies in the industry that are automating or have automated their processes. This ensures that its trays are easy to process in automated systems. In addition, the trays in Modiform’s range are sustainable. This contributes to its ‘Horizon2025’: an ambition to make the industry fossil-free and sustainable.

The propagation trays are designed so that they can be processed very easily in automated systems. Lisa van Koningsveld, Product Management Team Leader at Modiform: ‘‘The carefully designed trays mean young plants can be transplanted more easily and quickly to another tray or propagation pot in automated systems.’’

No virgin plastic
Modiform’s propagation trays are made of 100% recycled polystyrene (PS) – that means zero use of virgin plastic. With its Horizon2025 ambition, the family business aims to kick out virgin plastic and make the entire supply chain fossil-free, sustainable, and profitable. This is only possible if the entire supply chain becomes more sustainable in large and small steps.

TrayC returns system
Modiform is always looking for ways to collaborate in terms of recovering the PS trays that it recycles in-house and uses to make new products. The uniform use of one type of material (PS) increases the recycling rate, as recycling is easier and more efficient and therefore, more sustainable.

A good example of this type of collaboration in the supply chain is TrayC: Via a returns system, the German company Landgard recovers used transport trays from DIY chain stores. These trays are then sorted for reuse or recycling. The trays that cannot be reused are recycled in-house by Modiform. The TrayC returns system has eleven trays: all reusable and free of virgin plastic. These trays are therefore an important part of a larger circular system.