AgroFresh opens two new service centers and expands field support

Date:08-08-2016

AgroFresh Solutions recently announced the opening of two new service centers and the addition of 50 seasonal workers worldwide to enable apple and pear growers to gain the fruit quality benefits of Harvista™ pre-harvest 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) technology and SmartFresh™ post-harvest 1-MCP technology.

The new centers, in Sparta, Michigan; and Bologna, Italy, expand the company's in-field customer support presence. The company's three existing service centers are in Yakima, Washington; Curico, Chile; and Lleida, Spain. The Wenatchee, Washington Technical Center, which is the hub for orchard research and development efforts, also supports service activities.

"Our service centers are logistical focal points for coordinating product supplies and application services," said Edgardo Castaneda, Vice President of Operations for AgroFresh. "These two new locations will help us manage customer needs more effectively throughout the upcoming season."

The additional in-field support will allow AgroFresh more flexibility to address critical application timing and to expand acreage reach for its Harvista and SmartFresh solutions.
"With a global strategy in place to grow the AgroFresh presence and to address the increased demand worldwide, we now have the necessary resources in place to enable our customers to gain the highest possible quality and value from their crops," added Castaneda.

Harvista pre-harvest technology allows growers to pick fruit at peak quality for greater yield and value. SmartFresh technology applied post-harvest enables growers to protect fruit quality and value during storage, packing and shipping.

Earlier this year, AgroFresh announced the availability of a new fleet of tractor-pulled ground sprayers to facilitate the self-application of Harvista by growers in the US. This allows growers to optimize the performance of Harvista based on their individual harvest timing needs.

For maximum flexibility, AgroFresh also provides a full-service of timely custom ground applications. For customers in Washington, USA who prefer aerial application, Harvista may be applied to orchards by helicopter.
"By adding 48 ground sprayers to our global field operations, we have the ability to apply Harvista on up to 20,000 more acres. This means more growers can harvest apples with the color, crunch and taste that consumers prefer," said Castaneda.

The new service centers, field support and customized ground sprayers are part of the AgroFresh high-touch service model customers have come to rely on to manage fruit quality through the supply channel and to maximize return on investment.