Sercom launches Wireless System to control Potato Storage

Sercom is a developer and manufacturer of climate computers, established in 1984. Initially they developed climate computers for the local tulip farmers in The Netherlands, where the storage of the bulbs was most essential to safeguard the quality.

Sercom adapted their software for controlling greenhouses and later the extended their software for climate control in storage cells for potatoes and onions.

Currently, they have supplied over 90% of the flower storage cells with their advanced computer system and since focussing on the potato storage cells, they have been very successful in supplying this system all over Europe.

Early last year, Sercom developed a wireless system, based on radiographic technology, to connect field stations in the horticulture and storage cells for, amongst others, potatoes within a distance of 5 kilometres (3 miles).

In Europe, this has been applied to many greenhouses but they now have also applied it to potato storage cells. In Germany, several systems are currently running with this technology, controlling storage cells, miles away from the actual computer.

In North-America, Sercom have installed the first wireless system on that continent in the horticultural sector, at Holland America Flowers in California, controlling 60 compartments from one central point. A short video was put online to further explain the actual functioning of the system.

(Click picture to watch video)

Sercom Wireless Xtender

It was made with the example of a greenhouse but the very same principle and technology is also applied to storage cells.