Connings is a well-known Grower in the Nelson region of New Zealand, producing premium strawberries for fresh markets. 

To optimise the climate, improve fruit quality and protect crops from weather damage, Connings invested in a new protected cropping facility using a Cravo X-Frame retractable roof greenhouse with automated roll-up walls. 

The ability to manipulate the climate and protection provided by the structure allows the farm to consistently produce premium,  large, deep red strawberries with minimal blemishes. 

Irribiz partnered with Meteor Systems to design and supply the substrate strawberry growing system and irrigation infrastructure for the project. 

Producing premium strawberries consistently requires precise control over both crop environment and irrigation. 

Connings needed a system that could: 

• Support high-density strawberry production 
• Deliver uniform irrigation to every plant 
• Integrate seamlessly with the new retractable roof greenhouse structure 
• Provide reliable drainage and crop support 
• Be installed efficiently within the greenhouse footprint 

Working with our partner Meteor Systems, Irribiz designed a complete strawberry gutter and irrigation system using the GM18 profile. 

More than 7,300 metres of gutter were rolled onsite using Irribiz’s mobile roll-forming machine, allowing continuous lengths to match the greenhouse span and minimise joins.  

The system also incorporated pre-assembled dripper lines to ensure a rapid installation and consistent irrigation delivery to every plant.

Rolling the gutters onsite allowed the team to produce custom lengths inside the greenhouse, improving drainage performance and simplifying installation.  

The Result

The Connings greenhouse began harvesting its first crop in October 2025. 

The combination of protected cropping technology and precision growing systems is already producing strong results, including: 

• Large Californian-sized strawberries 
• Deep red colour and firm fruit quality 
• Reduced environmental damage 
• Consistent irrigation and drainage performance 

Projects like Connings demonstrate how protected cropping systems, when combined with well-designed growing infrastructure, can deliver premium fruit quality and reliable production outcomes. 

By working closely with growers and global technology partners, Irribiz helps deliver integrated solutions that support modern horticulture across Australia and New Zealand.