HARBOR FARMZ
GREENRAK™ Mechanical-Assist Mobile Vertical Grow Rack System
GREENRAK™ Mechanical-Assist Mobile Vertical Grow Rack System
GREENRAK™ Mechanical-Assist Mobile Vertical Grow Rack System

Kalamazoo, Michigan

HARBOR FARMZ

Located east of Lake Michigan, just off I-94 in Kalamazoo, Harbor Farmz is on a mission to bring the Michiganer spirit of care and craftsmanship to cannabis.

Challenge

In 2016, when CEO Michael Ward first questioned whether to get into the business of medicinal cannabis, he visited grow ops across North America to learn more about how the industry operates. He was struck by what he found.

“Going from grow to grow, I saw many of the mistakes people make by shortcutting things and not creating the right environment to maximize your space,” said Ward. “I come from a manufacturing background, and the utilization of space is paramount.”

Ward has always believed in the palliative power of cannabis, but he knew he’d have to do things differently.

And like any competitive grow op in North America, his layout wasn’t his only concern—so were reducing labor costs, reducing downtime, hitting production schedules, and turning out high-quality products consistently, not to mention Harbor Farmz’s dedication to cannabis plant  tissue culture, which requires quality control and a dedicated, sterile work environment for their in-house microbiologists.

So, Ward and the rest of the Harbor Farmz family brought in the vertical racking experts at Montel to design a full production vertical racking system and build out the grow op of their dreams. 

Solution

All Montel racking for vertical farming saves space so growers can care for more plants with less square footage.

Originally, Ward estimated that he would need a facility with around 90,000 square feet, but with the right vertical racking he was able to cut his spatial requirements by nearly two-thirds.

But it’s what Harbor Farmz does with their extra space that really shows the power of imagination and better vertical racking.

Product description

GREENRAK high-density mobile systems for grow and veg rooms

Currently, Harbor Farmz has three-tier GREENRAKs in their 11 grow rooms, four-tier GREENRAK in their four vegetation rooms, two 2-tiers in the mother room,  and moveable carts in its clone room.

Head grower Chris Teeters loves having Montel GREENRAK in each of his eighteen grow rooms. GREENRAK were designed with growers in mind, so it’s no wonder that Teeters can do much more with them than he could with traditional racking. 

With no side members on any carriage and a collapsible, two-aisle design, GREENRAK conserves space while providing greater access to the canopy. There’s even extra foot clearance so Teeters and his fellow growers can water, deleaf, cultivate, and monitor their plants—even the hard-to-reach ones—comfortably and with plenty of room to work.

“Montel vertical racks even allow us to move the plants in a way that we can adjust airflow without having to move other equipment, just by moving the racks themselves.”

Even cleaning is a breeze thanks to the slatted racks, which prevent dirt from accumulating. GREENRAK has many rustproof items and rust-resistant components which are designed to prevent mold or bacteria proliferation.

Mobile drying racks and dry carts in the drying rooms

Properly harvesting and drying flower is crucial to producing consistently stellar cannabis, so it’s no surprise that Harbor Farmz raves about Montel drying racks and dry carts.

Montel’s mobile drying racks are so strong that a single bay or section of racking can hold up to 2,400 lb. Their intuitive sliding design pairs well with the drying process, making the transition from cultivation to drying a snap.

Dry carts have a full range of movement and are resistant to rust and most chemicals, and their wheels are specially engineered to leave no scuffs on the floor. They even stack for added storage power.

“They make it super easy to move from our flower room to our drying area at our production facility,” said Teeters.

But while they certainly make Teeters’s workday a whole lot easier, the drying racks and dry carts also prevent work-time waste. The trick is finding harmony between people and the tools they’re provided to do their jobs.

SmartShelf easily adjustable static shelving in the tissue room

Debra Sweeney, resident microbiologist and director of plant tissue culture at Harbor Farmz, is proud that her company is an industry leader in tissue-culture cloning. And we’re proud that Montel’s SmartShelf complements her team’s vigor and precision in the Harbor Farmz clone room.

Sweeney and her team have enough on their minds without having to think about whether their shelving is up to task. They oversee 1,200 tissue cultures and maintain each one on a two-week cycle. Fortunately, Montel SmartShelves are powder coated and adjustable in one-inch increments without special tools or a call to a service professional.

“We would never be able to do what we have to without vertical shelving,” said Debra.

But 1,200 vessels is just the start. Harbor Farmz plans to expand its tissue culture operations in the near future, and when that time comes, the SmartShelf system is easily expanded to continue their success with the shelving that supports them as well as their tissue cultures.

SmartSpace 2MA for general storage

For general storage, Harbor Farmz chose a beloved Montel classic: SmartSpace 2MA mechanical-assist mobile storage.

No matter where you use it, SmartSpace 2MA cuts the traditional storage footprint in half, which means more space for plants, cultivation, and innovation. But when Harbor Farmz does need access to its general storage, the SafeCrank handles on the SmartSpace 2MA can safely move up to 2,000 lb per single section of racking with just one pound of force.

Benefits

“To me,” said Ward, “Montel is the best way to utilize your space. There is no better vertical farming system on the market today.”

We’re thankful for Michael’s kind words, and for how welcoming the folks at Harbor Farmz were to Montel during the installation process. It’s our mission to create innovative and intelligent vertical farming and storage solutions that overcome obstacles and empower people to do great things.

In a few weeks’ time, all Harbor Farmz products will come from cannabis grown from in-house tissue cultures, a first in the industry and a major milestone in what will most certainly be a historic legacy.

Congratulations, Harbor Farmz! We’re excited to see what you have in store.

Case Study

How did one of Montel's vertical farming solutions help this grow facility's Plant Tissue Culture Lab??

All Montel racking for vertical farming saves space so growers can care for more plants with less square footage.

SmartShelf easily adjustable static shelving in the tissue room.

Debra Sweeney, resident microbiologist and director of plant tissue culture at Harbor Farmz, is proud that her company is an industry leader in tissue-culture cloning. And we’re proud that Montel’s SmartShelf complements her team’s vigor and precision in the Harbor Farmz clone room.

Sweeney and her team have enough on their minds without having to think about whether their shelving is up to task. They oversee 1,200 tissue cultures and maintain each one on a two-week cycle. Fortunately, Montel SmartShelves are powder coated and adjustable in one-inch increments without special tools or a call to a service professional.

“We would never be able to do what we have to without vertical shelving,” said Debra.

But 1,200 vessels is just the start. Harbor Farmz plans to expand its tissue culture operations in the near future, and when that time comes, the SmartShelf system is easily expanded to continue their success with the shelving that supports them as well as their tissue cultures.

Case Study

How did Montel's mobile vertical grow rack system help Harbor Farmz maximize their facility??

Episode 2 of 3: Head Grower Chris Teeters explains that when looking for technology providers he looks for durability, and products built to last. He found this with Montel's mobile racks.

Growing isn't easy, but with the right equipment providers, it makes for ease of particular tasks like watering, foiliating, harvesting.

In a 36,000 sq ft facility, it is paramount for equipment and technology to work every time. Harbor Farmz relies on this technology in order for their grow operation to run efficiently.

Contact us today for more information on how to take your grow to new heights:⬆

Case Study

Why is finding the right equipment partner the major key to building out your vertical farm facility? 

Related market

Mobile Vertical Farming Systems

Mobile Vertical Farming Systems

Related products

GROWRAK Static Grow Racks

GROWRAK

Static Grow Racks

GREENRAK™ Mechanical-Assist Mobile Vertical Grow Rack System

GREENRAK™

Mechanical-Assist Mobile Vertical Grow Rack System

SmartSpace 2M  Manual Mobile Storage System

SmartSpace 2M

Manual Mobile Storage System

System Capacity

System Capacity
Up to 2,000 lb per single bay of shelving (907 kg).

Carts Utility Carts and Trays

Carts

Utility Carts and Trays

Related application

Cannabis vertical growing systems for vegetation and flowering rooms

Cannabis vertical growing systems for vegetation and flowering rooms

Related case studies

Florida Atlantic University

Florida Atlantic University

Sports Equipment Storage

Boca Raton, Florida, USA

View More
Golden Knights

Golden Knights

Sports Equipment Storage

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

View More
Miller Industries

Miller Industries

Warehouse Storage

Ooltewah, TN

View More
Asics Flagship Store on 5th Avenue in New York City

Asics Flagship Store on 5th Avenue in New York City

Retail Storage

New-York City, NY, United States

View More
Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Penguins

Sports Equipment Storage

Pittsburgh, PA, US

View More
Airbus

Airbus

Warehouse Storage

Ashburn, Virginia, USA

View More

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing to browse our website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn more Continue