Rijk Zwaan is an international player in the development and sale of high-quality vegetable varieties and seeds for growers. The company has more than 3,900 employees in 30 different countries and almost 100 years of experience. The production control and packaging takes place in De Lier, in the Netherlands. Rijk Zwaan continuously strives for efficiency improvements. In 2013 this led to the purchase of the Indus Neva for the packaging department. Ten years later, the pallet systems are still widely used.
The Challenge
Streamlining Seed Handling for Safer, Faster Logistics
At Rijk Zwaan, a global leader in vegetable breeding, seeds regularly travel from their packaging department to Incotec Europe in Enkhuizen for specialized processes like seed coating. But before adopting Neva, their workflow was anything but efficient:
- Employees manually filled around 30 containers for every 400 kilogram batch.
- Containers had to be opened and hoisted to the tops of machines, a labor-intensive and repetitive task.
- The process required multiple manual steps, slowing down operations and creating safety risks.
Rijk Zwaan needed a simpler, safer, and more efficient way to transport and handle seeds—without compromising their partnership with Incotec.
“The impact on our processes with the use of the Neva is significant. We save time, work safer and more pleasantly“
René Heijink, Packaging Team Coordinator
The Indus Solution
Neva: One System, Multiple Improvements
Indus worked closely with Rijk Zwaan and Incotec to design a tailor-made Neva system, addressing their unique needs:
- Granules and seeds are loaded into big bags (95×95 cm), secured in Nevas.
- Instead of top-loading machines, Neva supports bottom unloading—streamlining the process and reducing manual labor.
Here’s how the system works:
- A forklift lifts the Neva with the big bag directly to the processing machine.
- An employee connects the unloading hose from the bottom of the Neva to the machine.
- With one simple action, the slider opens, and seeds flow directly into the machine—fast and controlled.
“The impact on our processes is significant. We save time and work safer and more pleasantly,” says René Heijink, Packaging Team Coordinator at Rijk Zwaan.
The Result
Proven Benefits:
- Safe working environment—no more lifting heavy containers to machine tops.
- Efficiency across the entire chain—from filling to storage to emptying.
- Stackable and space-saving—Nevas take up minimal storage when filled or returned empty.
- Durability and cost-effectiveness—a system designed to last over 10 years and recoup investment within a few years.
“Filling and emptying is now much faster, and the Nevas are easy to handle,” adds Jacco Klompé, Assistant Manager at Incotec.
