Case Studies, Structures & Equipment
Next-generation anti-drip film for greenhouses

How Robbie Johnson at California Transplants improved his yields by selecting a high-performance greenhouse film that retains its anti-condensation property for much longer than conventional plastic film.

{Sponsored} Using nanotechnology, Sunmaster EVO AC®, a greenhouse polyethylene film, was designed to offer powerful anti-drip and anti-mist properties and help commercial growers cultivate more effectively. Compared to conventional polyethylene covers, which lose the anti-condensate (AC) property after 18-24 months, many growers report that Sunmaster EVO AC^®; retains this property for the entire four-year lifespan.

Robbie Johnson, general manager at California Transplants, manages a 3.5 million square foot vegetable transplant farm in Newman, California. The farm, which has operated since 1997, places great focus on the quality of the transplants and invests consistently to build a healthy environment in greenhouses for the plants to thrive. For years, Robbie has been covering the greenhouses with polyethylene film, due to its superior functional properties and the lower investment compared to alternatives such as glass and polycarbonate. However, one of the biggest challenges Robbie faced on the farm when using plastic film was the negative impact of condensation, dripping and fog on the crops.

During a recent interview, he mentioned:

“Such phenomena block valuable light, they affect germination and plant growth, and create conditions for diseases to develop. This not only leads to reduced yields and slower crop cycles, but also poorer transplant quality and a greater dependence on pesticides. In the past, when we noticed droplets after one or two years, we would immediately change the plastic. This meant extra cost to replace the film and a crew to install.”

After numerous trials, five years ago Robbie started using Sunmaster EVO AC®, an 8-layer greenhouse film by European manufacturer Plastika Kritis.

Describing his experience with the product, he comments:

“…We have not experienced any of these negative effects ever since, and the clarity of the film is better than any other solution we’ve used before. We get more sunlight, no dripping, and no fog”, he says. “For us, this means healthier plants, higher value product, and increased production. We have now covered all our greenhouses with EVO AC^®. We have the same covers for more than four years, and they work like day one. It’s a strong film.”

The results observed at California Transplants have made EVO AC® the film of choice for thousands of professional growers in U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe, across a diverse range of crops, from vegetables to flowers and fruits. It’s a case in point, that with the right decision on greenhouse film, growers can eliminate undesirable effects, create a healthier environment for their plants and increase their profits.

Sunmaster films are produced by Plastika Kritis and distributed in the United States by Lumite Inc. For more information you can visit www.sunmasterfilm.com or contact yl@plastikakritis.com.