ONION BUSINESS OF THE MONTH
Dutch machine builder Eqraft has revolutionized the agricultural industry for forty years, supplying state-of-the-art machinery and consultancy to build the factory of the future. After having worked with American clients for decades, having permanent representation on US soil was a logical next step.
Shaping the agri factory of the future is Eqraft’s mission: the Dutch tech-company designs and builds processing lines and factories for onions and potatoes worldwide. They’ve had a strong presence in North America for decades: longstanding collaborations include Target Ag, Bybee Produce, Hartley Produce, Blue Sky, Sunset Produce, Northwest Onion, Baker & Murakami, Onions Etc., Onions 52, Torrey Farms, and Nova Agri.
Eqraft originally started out as a machine builder in the eighties. Based in Flevoland, a province in the north of the Netherlands known as a hub for agricultural production and processing, they worked as a repair and construction business for agricultural equipment. Soon, they started developing their own machines, starting with the closed onion topper and adding other machines throughout the years, with their popular electronic grader, the Eqrader, as their showpiece. Eqraft now operates as a comprehensive supplier for agri factories, serving clients across the globe and with a strong presence in the United States.
Click to enlarge images that include local representative, US-native, Bradley Day
Reliable partner for future-forward companies
Eqraft is a great fit for agricultural businesses who are ready to invest in the future: for many of their US-based clients, it’s the main reason to choose the Dutch machine builder. Take California-based JJB Family Farms. ‘We want to offer our clients the best quality possible, so I knew we needed to invest in technology,’ says Derrell Kelso, who manages the onion branch and works with Eqraft equipment for topping, grading, and packing. He’s happy with service Eqraft is offering. ‘If something doesn’t work exactly like it should, they take it very personally and solve the problem as soon as they can.’
Ryan Bennett of Northwest Onion in Oregon opted for a new line including Eqraft’s Onion Topper, Eqrader, weighing and packing machines. ‘The Eqrader allows us to provide a superior product. Sending out onions that were graded electronically gives us a feeling of reassurance, as we can now guarantee high quality,’ he states. The same goes for Nova Agri, a leader in the Canadian agri-food industry: they needed to decrease the number of onions that were being shipped with internal rot. Eqraft’s Eqrader, a fully automated grader for onions, turned out to be the key that finally solved the issue. With the new line, Nova Agri is now able to tailor their product exactly to their customers’ wishes. On working with Eqraft and their partners, CEO Earl Kidston said: ‘They all have some great people who are the base of excellence for the future.’
American Service Center in Tri-Cities (WA)
With these solid collaborations – and may more to come – it made sense for Eqraft to have a more premanent representation on American soil. The new facility in Tri-Cities, Washington, is located in one of the country’s prime agricultural regions, allowing Eqraft to better serve the North American market. Eqraft Inc’s service center features a warehouse, workshop, office space, service truck, and a mix of American and Dutch employees. Most common spare parts are in stock to make sure installation and maintenance can be done quickly and efficiently.
Wouter Beldman, Business Unit Manager After Sales & Service, is responsible for global installation processes, service and parts. In the past year, he has been busy setting up the American branch. For local representation, he hired US-native Bradley Day as Parts and Service Manager. Bradley lives in Kennewick, Washington with his family and has a working history in the automotive industry with a specific focus on agricultural equipment. He has extensive experience in repairing and installing, but also in parts and service management. Thanks to his previous experiences, he already has an extensive network in the agri industry and will be a great asset for the Eqraft team.
Bradley will manage a team of experienced on-site Eqraft mechanics. Together they form the first line of support for North American clients, with rapid on-site support if required. The Dutch Support Team is on standby for second line support. With Bradley as Parts and Service Manager, a solid foundation has been laid for improved service and equipment coverage in the Northwest. Meanwhile, Eqraft continues to grow its parts inventory in the US. Bradley’s focus is on proactive maintenance to minimize unexpected downtime, and he welcomes your calls for service or parts daily from 8 am PT.
Contact Eqraft Inc
+1 (509) 420-4472
support.na@eqraft.com
2513 Logan St, Unit 101, Richland, WA 99354
https://www.eqraft.com
