BUCAREST, Romania: Members of the Urban Landscapes Romania/Green City consortium include Boomkwekerij Ebben, Molter BV, JUB Holland, Gebr. Seuren Rozenkwekerijen BV, Nophadrain, VIC Landscapes, Van Den Berk Boomkwekerijen and Dutch bulb sector Royal Anthos.
A group of Dutch tree growers, a bulb supplier, a perennial grower, a garden rose producer, a landscape and garden design studio, a green roof design and engineering firm and Dutch bulb sector body Anthos gathered in Oradea and Bucarest from May 14th-17th for a Urban Landscapes Romania/Green City kick off meeting.
According to Anthos’secretary Leon Smet one of the value propositions for the seven founding members is leveraging the consortium’s pooled resources for landscape projects in Romania. The ultimate goal is to increase the area of green cover in the country’s’s built environment.
The new business consortium officially began on Thursday May 16th with one of the project partners, Gebr. Seuren Rozenkwekerijen, joining forces with the agricultural USAMV university for a name giving ceremony for the new Donau Romantica rose.
The Romanians in turn, invited Ms Stella Ronner Grubaci, the ambassador to the Netherlands in Romania for naming and planting the new Romanian rose variety Rhenus Pentrica. All project partners subsequently visited several sites that are in the run to become one of the Consortium’s landscape projects.
Co-funded by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) and endorsed by the Dutch Royal Trade Association for Nursery Stock and Flower Bulbs the new Urban Landscapes Romania/Green City consortium marks the start of a three-year PIB (Partners in Business) programme aimed at the Romanian amenity market.
A PIB (Partners in Business) programme uses both public and private funds to unlock a relatively new market for green professionals from the Netherlands.
Working with local parties and the Dutch Embassy in Bucarest, Urban Landscapes Romania/ Green City is a valuable mechanism to do business and grow together. The mission of the consortium is to grow the Romanian market for Dutch horticultural technology, nursery stock products, flower bulbs and services bringing high quality and innovative product to the forefront
“Urban planning in Romania management of urban green spaces require products and expertise that our consortium members are able to provide,” says Leon Smet, secretary of Anthos. Smet says the Romanian market offers long-term opportunities for Dutch exporters of nursery products and flower bulbs. “The PIB programme in Romania also highlights the unique selling points that make our industry more desirable than the competitors from Italy, Poland and Hungary,” says Remy Molter, secretary of the consortium.
RVO’s Lilian Henseler explains how PIB works
“”Suppose a trade mission has taken place. Perhaps a number of companies now see great opportunities for exports related to cybersecurity. In that case, they can schedule an intake meeting with me, in which I explain the entire PIB programme in detail. Subsequently they develop a business case, listing their main competitors and detailing their own unique selling points. We subsequently assess their business case, requesting input from various experts, including colleagues at the Ministry and embassy. That’s what I really enjoy the most about PIBs: liaising with so many parties. If this all ends up a ‘Go!’, we then start drafting an action plan together. The plan outlines the activities involved in entering the market. These will differ from country to country. Take China, for example. There it’s important to stress that you are working in collaboration with the Dutch Government. In Germany, on the other hand, it might be a good idea to participate in a trade fair like the Hannover Messe. Alongside a Holland Branding strategy, the action plan could include trade missions, or visits to trade fairs and seminars. Other options include G2G (government to government) and K2K (knowledge to knowledge) programmes. Or perhaps a liaison in the country is called for. You really need to customise your approach!”
