Owen Hopping – Kiwifruit Orchard
CASE STUDY
Horticulture Solutions
Evolution of KlipTank’s Horticultural Solutions
In July 2010, KlipTank began work on a KlipTank installation at a kiwifruit orchard owned by Owen Hopping in Omokoroa, Bay of Plenty. The objective was to construct a large tank to provide necessary irrigation and frost fighting reserves for a new kiwifruit block. This installation marked one of KlipTank’s earliest projects, laying the foundation for the company’s future innovations and improvements in tank construction.
The orchard faced a challenge due to resource consent limitations, which restricted the rate at which water could be drawn from the property’s bore. This rate was insufficient to meet the demands of the frost fighting system which is essential for protecting the kiwifruit crop. Rather than drilling a new bore at a considerable distance, the decision was made to install a large tank that would serve as a storage buffer, ensuring an adequate water supply during critical periods.
The tank has a usable capacity of 606,000 litres, a height of 3.0 metres, and a diameter of 16 metres. The tank’s design accommodated several key requirements. To maintain water cleanliness before irrigation, a covered storage solution was necessary, with water treated on demand as it came out of the bore. The flat-packed tank components allowed for delivery through confined spaces without machinery, preventing damage to crops. Additionally, a single large tank was preferred over multiple smaller tanks due to its smaller footprint and simplified installation process.
The installation process was overseen by Neil Peterken, the co-founder of KlipTank, who played a crucial role in ensuring the project’s success. The site presented some challenges due to its uneven terrain, necessitating extensive preparation to create a sufficiently large and level area for the tank. Despite these challenges, the installation proceeded smoothly, thanks to the dedicated efforts and hands-on involvement of the KlipTank team.
Reflecting on the project, Owen acknowledged the effectiveness of the tank in meeting his needs. He highlighted the tank’s value for money and the responsive support provided by KlipTank saying, “The tank has been good. Because our tank was one of the first ones, they have continued to modify and update them since. But all in all, good value for money and I think we’ve done well out of it. The team was very responsive, and there to help you.”
This early project at Owen Hopping’s Omokoroa kiwifruit orchard demonstrates KlipTank’s commitment to innovative and practical solutions for horticultural water management. Over the years, this foundation tank has required some maintenance and repairs. As one of KlipTank’s earliest projects, this installation provided valuable insights that have informed numerous modifications and improvements in the company’s tank designs since then.
Owen Hopping – Kiwifruit Orchard
Omokoroa, Bay of Plenty
What other customers have to say about their KlipTank
Meet the team
Kim HendersonDirector
Kim co-founded KlipTank in 2009 and become owner in 2021, after returning to New Zealand from the United States.
For 26 years overseas, Kim worked in the oil and gas industry across the Middle East and US.
His forte is starting greenfield units, which he did for his own flexible hydraulic hose business in the Middle East, Turkey, Singapore, the United States, Oman and China. His grown-up children still reside in the United States.
Kim returned to New Zealand to be closer to extended family and is now involved in the day to day running of KlipTank, with big plans for the expansion of the business.
From KlipTank’s home in Tauranga, he is now looking forward to guiding the company’s growth in the area of water security and providing water storage solutions for fire safety, potable water, horticulture and waste-water.
A redesign of KlipTanks products and manufacturing processes since 2021 has also allowed for flat packing of the tanks into containers for export.
He is extremely proud of what the hardworking KlipTank team has achieved and is looking forward to recruiting more great people.
Outside of work he has a passion for motorcycles, boats, and muscle cars and is a firm believer that the correct number of toys you should own, is one more than you have.
Ruan MeyerGeneral Manager
Ruan and his family moved to New Zealand from South Africa 5 years ago, bringing with him extensive experience in mechanical engineering and a proven track record in completing projects on time and within budget.
He is currently the General Manager at KlipTank, recently promoted from being Operations Manager where he still manages the day-to-day operations of KlipTank and leads the team. He is focussed on seeing projects through to completion and working in unison to achieve KlipTank’s short and long-term goals.
Ruan started his career as a Fitter & Turner tradesperson at a power station in South Africa before studying for a national diploma in mechanical engineering.
He then moved to Malvern Engineering Works in Johannesburg as an estimator and project co-ordinator, and later worked as production manager, manufacturing mine process equipment. He then became project and maintenance manager for Mertech Marine in Cape Town, a company which manages ships that retrieve redundant telecommunications cables & equipment from the seabed and mechanically disassemble & recycle the materials.
Since moving to New Zealand, he’s worked for HCD flow conveying, Baytext as Aluminium WS Engineering Supervisor, PFS as PE doing ASME pressure vessel and piping projects and Fabworx engineering PM including leading the Structural project to install 80 tonnes of steel at the new Wai Ariki Hot Springs and Spa in Rotorua.
Ruan is a family man with two children and enjoys weekends on the beach, in the backyard and biking or walking local trails. He has found a great network of other ‘Saffas’ in the Bay, including close friends who have become like Kiwi family.
Duheine MyburghMarket Manager - Water
Duheine is a qualified hydrogeologist and joined the KlipTank team in 2021, taking on the newly-established role of Market Manager - Water.
He is focussed on the export side of the KlipTank business, particularly in the Pacific Islands, where complex logistics and limited infrastructure make KlipTank products the perfect solution to rainwater harvesting.
He oversees the tender submission process on large offshore water storage projects and is currently managing a 3-year project to deliver 280 water storage KlipTanks to the Marshall Islands.
Duheine also manages the fire water storage market for KlipTank in New Zealand. Some of KlipTank’s end users include the Warehouse Group and NASA, to name a few.
Originally from South Africa, he spent 10 years in the mining industry working in the diamond, coal and coalbed methane gas commodities.
Duheine and his family moved to New Zealand in 2018, where he joined Wellington Water as a Senior Engineer in the drinking water team. Keen to escape the wind, they moved to Tauranga in 2021, where his extensive experience in water management made KlipTank a great fit.
To relax, Duheine enjoys fishing and spending time with his wife and three young children.