New 60 ha Florensis Dinteloord facility complete

Author: Ron van der Ploeg

DINTELOORD, Netherlands: Staff members are getting ready to move into their office, while the first plants already arrived in the new, environmentally friendly production facility of plant breeder, propagator, grower and distributor Florensis.

Based in Dinteloord, around 45km south west of Florenis’ current location in Hendrik-Ido- Ambacht and known for being the epicentre of Dutch sugar beet production, Florensis’ new facility welcomed its first batches of Calocephalus plants on December 6^th , 2019 with board members joining forces to place them on the cultivation floor.

In times of rapid business expansion, the new environment will offer much-needed extra space while supporting smarter ways of plant growing at Florensis using modern technology. “Combining a 1.5ha retractable roof structure with 45,000 m2 Venlo greenhouse, the project is truly unique,” said Adriaan Vonk, director domestic production at Florensis. “Florensis Dinteloord boasts numerous sustainability innovations with the greenhouse complex divided into 17 different climate zones for young plant production. There are three separate return water flows and four technical installations for irrigating plant material. SON-T lighting and LED lighting will be overseeing production in some of the compartments with three energy screens, smart climate control, and an insulated business hall equipped with solar panels. With this efficient design, the young plant production can be realised energy-efficient and with a minimum amount of pesticides and fertilisers. And this fits in perfectly with our sustainability goals.”

Occupying pride of place in Florensis Dinteloord new 5,000m2 processing area are 18 automated cutting stickers with the addition of six new. The hall is insulated, provided with smart climate control and fitted with 1,320 solar panels.

The official inauguration for Florensis Dinteloord happens in 2020.