Spring 2017 Newsletter

25

th

9 edition, spring 2017

Foreword After the elections in the Netherlands, Europe is watching the French and German elections with some trepidation, as well as the English election that was announced last week. The three largest European countries are all going to the polls within a few months. The cause for concern lies in the fact that there are parties in both France and Germany who have no other policy than to bring an end to a united Europe. In our view, that is a major threat to our industry, which benefits from open borders that allow quick transport of fresh produce.

In this edition of our newsletter, you will find an article about the first ModulAIR users meeting, in Australia. Clients and users from four continents met to share knowledge and experience.

A wonderful interaction, where everyone had something to offer and could learn something from each other. This event seems to have emphasised, in small scale, how important it is to collaborate and communicate with colleagues from other countries.

IN THIS NEWSLETTER  Foreword  Client interview with Pleun van Malkenhorst and Gert van Straalen, Thanet Earth  Anniversaries & Retirees  First ModulAIR Platform in Australia  Rijk Zwaan Qsem Tanzania  Newcomers

Let's hope that the importance of collaboration and communication shines through in the upcoming elections.

 Trade fairs

Peter Spaans, Director

 Vacancies

Client interview with Pleun van Malkenhorst and Gert van Straalen from Thanet Earth, United Kingdom

Follow up client interview Pleun & Gert

 Flavorite project film

Van der Hoeven was closely involved in the development of Thanet Earth’s (TE) masterplan, which covers 7 plots for horticulture. After a design and specific requirements were drawn up for each plot, TE selected the suppliers. Currently, the sixth project is being realized, which is the third project executed by Van der Hoeven. Hence, a client interview was long overdue!

1. Could you tell me something about yourselves?

We are Gert van Straalen and Pleun van Malkenhorst. Gert is the tomato grower and Pleun grows the peppers at Thanet Earth (TE). Gert grew tomatoes in Canada for a long time. He comes from a horticultural family in ’s-Gravenzande. Pleun, on the other hand, only became a professional grower in 2010, when he started working for Rainbow.

2. What is Thanet Earth's ideology? Could you explain its success factor?

TE's success lies in growing produce close to the sales market. Our vision arose from the fact that the greater part of the UK consumption comes from other countries such as the Netherlands. In addition, English horticulture operates in a 'traditional' way. We have different thinking about the business. We believe in and continue to invest in modern greenhouse technologies, to ensure the best possible production and quality. We don't want to say anything detrimental about our colleagues here on the island, by the way. Despite our difference in understanding, we can get on and work well with everyone.

3. What types of vegetables do you grow? How do you market those products?

The other unique feature of TE, besides our location, is the product mix. We grow tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers at a central location in the extreme south-eastern corner of Kent. Of course, we are not talking about one or two types of tomatoes and peppers. We currently have 17 different tomato varieties and 11 pepper varieties. We listen to our clients and grow what is in demand. And we don't do things the other way around. We have our own packing station on-site, where all our produce is sorted and packed.

4. Could you tell us something about the collaboration with Van der Hoeven during construction of your projects?

Building a new growing unit is always a very interesting period. Working with a variety of partners in this project means that there are always differences of insight into different matters. We have a Thanet Earth building commission to coordinate projects and bring the best qualities of everyone involved to the fore.

The commission is responsible for designing and outsourcing everything associated with the new building.

In addition, we work with a project manager, who is responsible for implementation of everything on the construction site. The collaborations between VDH, us, as the client, and the project manager worked very well. We used a weekly construction meeting through a video link to keep each other fully informed.

5. And how do you find the Van der Hoeven greenhouse up to now?

The new greenhouse that we took delivery of at the end of last year suits us fine. The plants are growing well, and we are currently working on our first harvest.

6. Why did you choose Van de Hoeven for construction of phase 2?

Because both construction and collaboration went very well during last year's project. Time planning is crucial for phase 2. We plan to plant the new crop in week 33. VDH presented a well thought out plan to realize that. And we chose VDH again, based on trust and craftsmanship.

7. What is Thanet Earth's ambition for the next five years?

After this greenhouse, there is still space for another within the current TE layout. Then the site will be fully developed with 7 growing units, which will make up 52 hectares of cultivation area in total. Perhaps there is room for expansion outside of the site, but let's keep our focus on what we have. We have enough work!

Gert van Straalen and Pleun van Malkenhorst, Thanet Earth

Anniversaries & Retirees Our glazer Jim Brinkman celebrates his twelve and a half year anniversary.

If you retire after 50 years of service and you are known for working well, correctly and quickly, satisfied customers feel sorry to say goodbye to you. Recently, Aad Lelieveld also received high praise from a satisfied client. And our colleague Frans van der Meer has left us to enjoy a wellearned pension. We wish both of them a healthy and happy retirement!

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First ModulAIR Platform in Australia After a year of preparation, Van der Hoeven recently organized the first ModulAIR Platform in Australia on 13 and 14 February. The objective of the ModulAIR Platform is to facilitate – in an informal atmosphere – knowledge sharing between participants, to discuss the philosophy of the ModulAIR greenhouse in detail, and to create relationships between people, which extend beyond the ModulAIR Platform. The first edition of the ModulAIR Platform was held at the Flavorite Tomatoes facility in Warragul. The company welcomed growers from Australia, Canada, Japan and Spain, as well as technical specialists from Van der Hoeven.

Flavorite Tomatoes has vertically integrated all the activities related to their business, from propagating their own plant material, growing a variety of crops in different greenhouses, processing all of their produce in 50 different types of packaging, right through to product distribution to customers. In short, the company is the ideal host for the first ModulAIR Platform. During the two-day meeting, technical presentations on the use of a ModulAIR greenhouse were combined with visits to Flavorites greenhouses, their packing facility and their in-house nursery. There was plenty of time for discussing climate control in the ModulAIR greenhouse, growing strategies for specific crops, plant physiology, and how these three interact to create the ideal growing conditions for each crop. Using the semi-closed greenhouse is no longer exclusively for growing tomatoes, as is reflected by the participants themselves who are growing different crops in their ModulAIR greenhouses, including several varieties of tomatoes (both snacking tomatoes and vine tomatoes), capsicums and various types of lettuce. This led to interesting discussions on how to utilize the ModulAIR greenhouse, considering each crop's specific needs for climate control and growing strategy. The ModulAIR greenhouse is capable of meeting the grower's wishes in all situations.

These discussions definitely broadened the participants' horizon regarding the possibilities of the ModulAIR greenhouse, considering future developments that will make the ModulAIR greenhouse even more versatile. We are already planning the next ModulAIR Platform and it will probably take place this summer, in Europe. Van der Hoeven hopes the group of participants will continue to grow, allowing more people to benefit from the success of knowledge sharing between growers from different continents, who grow a variety of crops in varying climates. And no matter what the situation is the ModulAIR greenhouse is ready for the challenge! The Platform is a recurring event, held twice per year at different locations across the globe. It is open to Van der Hoeven clients, who either have a semi-closed ModulAIR greenhouse or are in the process of building one. These are a few reactions from participants, confirming the success of this first edition of the ModulAIR Platform:

Trade fairs - The greenhouse market of Russia 14 - 16 june 2017 All Russian Exhibition Centre, Moscow, Russia

- PCA 9 - 12 july 2017 Adelaide Convention Centre, Australia

Flavorite Project film You can find our latest project film on YouTube.

Have you seen it yet?

”I appreciated everyone’s openness and willingness to find solutions.”

“The meeting was very interesting and really informative. I learned a lot.”

“Thanks for organising the meeting. I thought it was very helpful and would like to see more of this.”

Vacancies

Rijk Zwaan Qsem Tanzania 43,137 m² poly greenhouse, Arusha, Tanzania In this safari city of Tanzania, Arusha, Rijk Zwaan is currently having built a 4-hectare poly greenhouse and a separate 3,900-m² sandwich building for seed processing. This is a wide-span poly greenhouse, with a film tensioning system that offers far higher wind resistance than 'regular' poly greenhouses in Tanzania. It includes screening, insect netting, and a pad and fan system. The greenhouse comprises 20 sections for vegetable seed production. Van der Hoeven is supervising the project, and the expectation is for completion and final delivery around Christmas.

Newcomers

Currently, Van der Hoeven has the following vacancies:

During recent months, we have welcomed six new employees:

- International Service Technician - International Sales Manager

Reinout van den Berg Vincent Steentjes Samuël Visser Tjitse Slier Vincent Dobbe Jan van den Berg

Check our website for more information.

Project Purchaser Engineer Manager Finance Engineering Manager Designer Stagiair QHSE

Colophon Text contributions Photos (Final) Editing Reinout

Vincent Steentjes

: Martin Steentjes, Peter Spaans : Van der Hoeven archives : Daphne Kramer

Samuël

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Tjitse

Vincent Dobbe

Jan

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