Gerona is a packaging system for Gerberas. The options within the system allow you to assemble the ideal packaging unit for your application. To help you here we have developed a selection method to help steer your choice among the Gerona options.

(1) Interior

• Gerona 10 (interior for 10 gerberas, 8 interiors for one package of 80 stems)
• Gerona 12 (interior for 12 gerberas, 8 interiors for one package of 96 stems)

There is also a range of cardboard interiors for both large and small-bloomed gerberas;

• Standard interior 40 cm 40 holes (interior for 40 gerberas, 2 interiors for one package of 80 gerberas);
• Standard interior 50 cm 48 holes (interior for 48 gerberas, 2 interiors for one package of 96 gerberas);
• Standard interior 40 cm 30 holes (interior for 30 extra large gerberas, 2 interiors for one package of 60 gerberas);
• Separable interior 40 cm 40 holes (can be divided in two equal interiors for 40 gerberas, 2 interiors for one pack of 80 gerberas);
• Standard interior 40 cm 70 holes (interior for 70 germinis, 2 interiors for one pack of 140 germinis).

Details of the various interiors for Gerona are as follows:

	Standard interior (40 cm 40 holes, 50 cm 48 holes, 40 cm 30 holes & 40 cm 70 holes)	Separable interior (40 cm 40 holes)	Gerona 10 & 12
Activity; packing	Comparable with inserting auction interiors	Comparable with inserting auction interiors	Sliding flowers in slots
Activity; unpacking	Comparable with unpacking auction interiors	Comparable with unpacking auction interiors	In a single hand movement allow all the gerberas to slide out of the interior.
Stems per interior	40 or 48 (30 for extra large gerberas, 70 for germini)	40 (20 per separable section)	10 or 12
Material	Solid cardboard	Corrugated cardboard	Plastic
Life-span	Single use	Single use	Single use/multiple use
Shape	Flat	Flat	Pre-shaped cup (3D)

Interiors

(2) Underbox

The second choice to be made involves the basis of the packaging.
There are 4 possibilities for the basis of the Gerona system:

• cardboard bottom box 43 cm;
• plastic bottom box 43 cm;
• Dutch auction bucket (fc 996) 43 cm;
• cardboard bottom box 32 cm.

Choice of bottom box depends on application. Cardboard boxes are suitable for single use. The auction barrel and plastic box are suitable for multiple use. The auction barrel is only available in North West Europe.

The 43 cm high bases are suitable for gerberas with a stem length of 50 cm.

The 32 cm cardboard box is used where an extremely high level of load is required on the pallets. This is because up to 3 packages can be stacked on top of each other on a base of 32 cm. This means that the lowest level of flowers in the Gerona pack can only be 40 cm (and not 50 cm).

Underbox
 

Bags

To ensure a continual supply of water to the gerberas, 2 bags of water are hung in the tray of the Gerona pack. Depending of the chosen interior and the base-height, there is a choice of 4 bags.

The 4 types of bag are:

• Single bag 32 cm (for cardboard interiors);
• Single bag 43 cm (for cardboard interiors);
• Double bag 32 cm (for Gerona interiors);
• Double bag 43 cm (for Gerona interiors).

The height of the bag indicates the base for which it is suitable. Single bags are used for standard cardboard interiors. Double bags are suitable for Gerona interiors and separable interiors.

To ensure the quality of the gerberas in the packaging a preservation solution must be added to the water in the bag. 4 ml RVB (pre-treatment for roses) should be added to each 2 litre bag.

Bags

Tray

(3) Stackable; Collar

The Gerona package can be stacked if a collar is placed in the edge of the tray with a lid on top of this. Whether to use packaging that can be stacked is the third and last choice to assemble a Gerona variant.

The height of the collar depends on the interior selected. As interiors come in various heights – collars also come in a range of heights;

• Collar 43 cm. This collar is used for the 40 cm interiors and for Gerona 10 interiors;
• Collar 49.5 cm. This collar is used for the Gerona 12 interiors;
• Collar 53 cm. This collar is used for the 50 cm interior.

Collars

Lid

As we have already seen – the Gerona packaging can be stacked, thanks to its lid. Because the Gerona pack for Gerberas is straight, the lid on the side has openings for ventilation. When stacked the upper surface of the package below is kept closed by the base of the next pack. This is essential for ventilation and for an optimal microclimate in the packaging.

Moreover, the four circles in the lid support the upper surface of the Gerona 10 and 12 interiors, so that they are secure both at the bottom of the tray and on top of the lid.

Selectionindex

The options for Gerona mentioned above are shown once again in the selection chart below. The height of the collar and the type of bag are determined by the choice for a given interior. The length of the bag is determined by the height of the base.