ARRIGONI, INNOVATION IN PROTECTION SUPPORTING AGRICULTURE
Arrigoni S.p.A. group, specialized in the manufacturing of protective screens for the agriculture, will exhibit several new products at Agritech 2018, the International Agro Technology Exhibition scheduled in Tel Aviv, Israel, from May 8th to 10th. Operating in the technical textile sector since 1936, the company from Como will present in Hall 1, Stand 155 three high value-added proposals: the Biorete® Air Plus anti-insect screens range, Prisma® white thermo-reflective screens with LD additive (specifically Prisma 30 / 80 / 90) and Protecta®, the innovative mesh fabric for rain crop protection. In particular, the "Air Plus" line features Biorete® with a thinner yarn compared to the normal standards, in order to guarantee the crops greater ventilation even in hot climates and an effective and completely natural protection against the smallest insect pests too. Innovation lies in manufacturing low denier (thickness) but high resistance nets in order to obtain greater ventilation and a safe production of the crops. Available in three different versions, depending on the insects to exclude: Biorete 25 Air Plus, made with 100% HDPE 0.23 mm thick monofilament, hole size of 1.02 x 0.88 mm, 67% of air passage, guarantees protection from Drosophila Suzukii and Tuta Absoluta, so it is ideal for orchards and greenhouses. The Biorete 50 Air Plus, 100% HDPE 0.17 mm thick monofilament, hole size of 0.33 x 0.68 mm, 48% of air passage, protects from Bemisia Tabaci and aphids, it is the ideal solution in high tech greenhouses. The Biorete 80 Air Plus, 100% HDPE 0.17 mm thick monofilament, hole size of 0.15 x 0.31 mm, 26% of air passage, succeeds in protecting crops from the Thrips and therefore it is another proposal with a high innovation content for high-tech greenhouses. Concerning Prisma® range with LD – Light Diffusion additive: these are new generation thermo-reflective screens, ideal for the production of “baby leaf” salads during summer. The thermo-reflective properties of these screens with different shading factors guarantee exceptional temperature control, protection from sunburns, good conditions for plant development and the workers, as well as water saving. But it’s not all about that: thanks to the special LD additive, result of a research carried out by Arrigoni in collaboration with the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences of the University of Bari, these screens have a double benefit. They are knitted with thin HDPE strips, instead of monofilament. This allows light to pass not only through the holes of the net, but also through the strips. Moreover, thanks to the addition of specific additives selected during product development, it has been possible to significantly increase the diffusion of light, supporting the production of strong and healthy crops. In this regard, one need only think that the diffusive light effect in nets with LD additive increases up to 100% compared to simple transparent white nets and up to 62% compared to milky white nets. On the other hand, Protecta® is the fruit of Arrigoni's research on the front of solutions to the increasingly frequent heavy rains, consequence of the climatic changes taking place which cause considerable damage to crops. Fruit crops including cherry, kiwi, peach, plum or berries, and some vegetable crops such as spinach, suffer the negative effects of excessive rains, i.e. the development of fungal diseases and the cracking of the fruit (for cherries). The research department of Arrigoni, in collaboration with the universities of Bari and Foggia, has shown how Protecta® is able to protect crops from rain, keeping its air permeability, which is a guarantee of yield in harvesting many fruits. “the Agritech 2018 event – comments Patrizia Giuliani, export manager of the Arrigoni Group – is particularly strategic for our company in several respects. First of all, Israel has been at the forefront of innovations in agriculture for years, and this undoubtedly encourage us to propose the fruit of our best researches. Furthermore, the show is held every three years and this further selects the quality of exhibitors, who must really be able to generate interest among qualified and professional operators from all over the world, including emerging markets such as Africa, Asia and South America”. The Arrigoni Group has been operating in the technical textile sector for agriculture since 1936. In 1959 the production of polyethylene mesh fabrics began and today is a leader in the design and manufacturing of protective screens, both for the primary sector and for other sectors (industry, building, decor, etc.). The Group's headquarters are in Uggiate Trevano (Como, Italy), near Milan and close to Linate and Malpensa airports. The three production plants, located in Schio (Vicenza, Italy), Putignano (Bari, Italy) and Târgu Mures (Romania), insist on a total area of 110,000 square meters, for a covered area of 39,000 square meters. The direct employees are 160, while the annual production capacity is over 6,000 tons per year of mesh fabrics. With a strong growth in turnover and constant investments in R & D, Arrigoni is present today with its sales network in 72 countries around the world.
