28-05-2026
A conversation with Ad Kranendonk, Commercial Director at Flier Systems
For many growers, the conversation about automation starts with a simple question: how much labour can I save? It's a logical place to begin. But according to Ad Kranendonk, who has spent nearly four decades at Flier Systems, it's not where the story ends.
Ad joined Flier in 1988, straight out of school. He started in machining — making small parts, then moving into assembly and installations. When the service department needed building from scratch, he helped build it. In the first year alone, he drove around 60,000 kilometres.
That hands-on background shapes how he works today. "I know what I'm talking about. I've worked on those machines myself. And I still do sometimes. If I advise something, it has to work."
Over time, he moved into a commercial role — not because the technical work lost its appeal, but because he saw an opportunity. "At that time, there wasn't really a commercial approach within Flier Systems. So I started going out, visiting customers and building that up."
When growers look at automation, labour is always the first thing on the list. Ad understands why. "It's logical, because it's visible." But he's quick to point out that the full picture is more interesting.
"Automation makes things more consistent. Less dependent on chance. You reduce errors and gain more control. It also improves the way people work. And in the end, you see it — better plants, happier customers, better working conditions."
One example stays with him. A customer, Marconi, received a call from one of their own clients asking what they had changed. The difference in plant quality was immediately noticeable — further down the chain, after Marconi had invested in a Flier machine. "That is when you know it is working."
Looking at the market today, Ad sees the same forces playing out everywhere. Labour is harder to find. Processes need to be more consistent. Quality requirements are rising.
"At the same time, the beginning of the chain is becoming more important. The young plant determines a large part of the final result. Uniformity, yield, harvest frequency — it all starts there."
And with the world becoming less predictable, the importance of a reliable process only grows. "That makes it even more important that your process simply works."
After nearly forty years, Ad's most important lesson is also one of the most practical: the question you ask determines the solution you get.
"We once built a system that was technically perfect. Capacity, setup, everything worked. But we based it on weekly volume, not on how the work was spread during the week. At peak moments, the customer needed double the capacity. So instead of solving a problem, we created one."
The lesson he took from it: "Every system solves something, but also creates a limitation. You have to be honest about both."
It's a mindset that runs through everything at Flier. "A customer should never say: this didn't fit our business. We advise things that actually improve their business. And we keep going until it works. Not until it's delivered."
This conversation is part of our magazine Ready to Grow Your Future — available at our stand at Greentech Amsterdam. Pick up your copy at stand #02.331, 9 to 11 June 2026.
Want to know what automation can return for your operation? Contact us or visit us at Greentech Amsterdam.
