‘Powerplants partnered with Ball Australia to deliver a full blackout screen replacement, supported by detailed mechanical, electrical, and irrigation work’

Ball Australia is known for producing some of the country’s highest-quality flower and vegetable seedlings, supplying growers who rely on precision, consistency, and strong plant performance. As their operations continue to expand, maintaining fine control over light, energy, and climate has become even more important, especially across peak production periods.

To stay ahead of seasonal pressures and support their growers with reliable supply, Ball Australia identified the need to upgrade their blackout screens. Improved screening would help them reduce unwanted light, stabilise temperatures, enhance crop scheduling, and support more efficient energy use across their glasshouses.

The Challenge

Their existing screens had reached end-of-life and were limiting their ability to optimise crop cycles. Ball Australia needed a solution that was not only technically sound but could be installed with care, coordination, and minimal disruption to daily operations.

Our Solution

Powerplants partnered with Ball Australia to deliver a full blackout screen replacement, supported by detailed mechanical, electrical, and irrigation work. The installation brought together multiple teams to ensure every part of the upgrade worked seamlessly.

The project was delivered by the Powerplants team, with Ashley Hutton and Alasdair Floyd leading the installation of the new blackout screens and managing the high-precision mechanical work. Chris Kotze optimised the control panel and shared valuable insights to lift overall Priva system performance. Joshua Puzzolo handled the on-site electrical work, including removing old screens, servicing vents, and replacing fog nozzles.

Cape 2 Cape Industries and BuiltCold supported the irrigation component, while Pat Sangkhamatr assisted earlier in the project with cabling and blackout setup.

The Outcome

The new blackout system gives Ball Australia greater control over light levels, crop timing, and growing conditions, helping them maintain consistency throughout the year. It also delivers:

• Better climate stability
• Improved crop uniformity
• Enhanced energy efficiency
• Reduced manual intervention
• A smoother, more predictable production environment

These upgrades directly support Ball Australia’s commitment to delivering world-class seedlings to growers nationwide.

Fantastic Feedback from Ball Australia

“Can I take this opportunity to say how helpful and professional Ashley Hutton was throughout the installation. People like him are hard to find! I don’t want to leave Chris Kotze out either, as he’s given insight on how we can improve our use of Priva and save time.”
— Ball Australia

Alastair Mclean

Commercial Director

T: +61 3 8795 7750

M: 0405 761 045

E: Alastair.McLean@powerplants.com.au

W: www.powerplants.com.au

Article Source – Powerplants Bi-Monthly Newsletter | Powerplants Australia – Greenhouse Technology Equipment Supplier