WE BELIEVE THAT GREENHOUSE TECHNOLOGY OFFERS MANY SOLUTIONS IN THE CONSTRUCTION WORLD FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS!
A GROWTH INDUSTRY
PROJECT MANAGED BY: JOAO SEABRA
When you think about greenhouses, your mind probably goes to the little glass shack your granddad used to grow tomatoes in. But that is only the tip of the iceberg lettuce. Greenhouses are an entire segment of the construction industry, encompassing architecture, materials science, climate science, agriculture, and even zoology.
Deforche Construction Group has established itself as a company that can not only draw on all of these fields of expertise, but also apply that knowledge in innovative ways across every kind of greenhouse application.
CREATIVE WITH GREENHOUSE & CLIMATE TECHNOLOGY
“We have worked in the classic style of greenhouses in the past but now our position is to be the most creative greenhouse builder in the world,” says Jeroen De Cock, CEO of Deforche Construction Group.
What sets Deforche Construction Group apart is that it has the knowledge and capabilities to specialise, but it ensures expertise in each niche can transfer between those specialisations.
“We are using greenhouse technology for different target groups, not just farmers, but research centres, developers, general contractors, botanical gardens, and more,” De Cock explains. “What we do is use
that technology to bring better solutions to situations where you don’t always think of greenhouses to begin with. We work with steel, glass, aluminium and our knowledge of glass roofs.”
A BRAND FOR EVERY MARKET
This is why Deforche Construction Group has budded off into four sub-brands to target individual markets – all of them sharing Deforche’s deep reservoirs of expertise, but communicated in a way that specific target markets can understand.
“It’s difficult to persuade an architect using the arguments and references we would use to sell to a farmer,” De Cock points out.
The first of those brands is Hedafor, which specialises in creating buildings that provide controlled climates for flowers, trees, tomatoes, lettuce, and other salad crops.
“Flowers and trees. Historically, that is the reason greenhouses exist,” De Cock tells us. “Everything else came later.”
Jeroen De Cock, CEO, Deforche Construction Group.
Duma Rent : Your specialist in the rental of machinery for construction, industry, logistics and events
Duma Rent exclusively rents machines from renowned top-tier brands. These are always purchased new and replaced on a regular basis—your guarantee of reliable equipment featuring the latest and most advanced technologies. The machines are available for short-, medium-, and long-term projects.
Modern and up-to-date fleet
Duma Rent operates an extensive fleet of over 2,000 specialised machines, including aerial work platforms, telehandlers, mini cranes, forklifts, and earthmoving equipment. Customers can choose from a wide range of specialised machines designed to handle the most demanding tasks with maximum efficiency and the latest safety technologies.
Full service from A tot Z
“We understand that every company is unique, which is why we offer tailor-
made solutions that meet our customers’ specific requirements,” says Piet De Craemer, Rental Manager at Duma Rent. “We have invested in top-tier branded machines as well as trained and experienced staff, because our customers deserve the best service.”
Rental, transport, and technical support are all handled by our own team. Transport is carried out by our logistics division, Duma Trans. Thanks to this integrated approach, we are able to provide reliable service at every stage of the rental cycle. The VCA certification of both our equipment and personnel
ensures that all operations are carried out safely.
The right advice is worth its weight in gold
Duma Rent has a team of experienced and well-trained professionals who advise customers in selecting the right machine for the job—at the most cost-effective price. We take pride in not only renting out equipment, but also in providing guidance on its use and offering continuous support throughout the entire rental process. This advice may also be provided through a preliminary visit to the customer’s site.
Active in Belgium and France
In addition to its locations in Belgium, Duma Rent also operates two major rental branches in France. Since
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2008, the company has been active in Dunkirk through its subsidiary Duma Rent Nord SAS. In 2022, a new branch
Duma Rent Paris— was opened in Canly, near Paris. This allows us to
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better support our customers not only in Belgium, but also in Northern France and the greater Paris region.
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DEFORCHE & DUMA RENT
PAIRI DAIZA
Duma recently collaborated with Deforche Construction Group on a major construction project at the Belgian zoo Pairi Daiza. The project involved the construction of a greenhouse standing 22 meters high and spanning 200 by 200 meters. Thanks to this development, Pairi Daiza now boasts the largest covered jungle in Europe, marking yet another impressive step forward in its offering. At its site in Brugelette, visitors can already explore a tropical ecosystem beneath an immense glass dome.
BELGIAN
TOP TECHNOLOGY: FROM CONSTRUCTION SITE TO WORLD-CLASS
EXPERIENCE
What was once an ambitious construction site just a few years ago has now evolved into a fully immersive experience. In “EDENYA,” visitors are transported into the atmosphere of Latin America, surrounded by exotic plants and animals. The concept goes far beyond simple observation. Guests can even stay overnight, right in the heart of the tropical setting, living day and night among monkeys, birds, butterflies, and even manatees.
Behind this remarkable achievement lies a powerful example of Belgian engineering. For the construction of the greenhouse, Pairi Daiza partnered with Deforche Construction Group, internationally renowned for its expertise in high-tech greenhouses and climate solutions. This expertise was translated into a unique blend of architecture, technology, and experience. The challenge was significant: delivering a structure of this scale while maintaining both aesthetic excellence and a carefully controlled tropical climate. For the complex on-site operations, Deforche relied on rental specialist Duma Rent, deploying numerous rotating telehandlers and telescopic boom lifts.
WORKING AT HEIGHT
The construction phase demanded the highest level of precision. Large glass panels had to be installed at considerable heights under strict safety conditions.
To achieve this, Duma Rent—specialists in construction and industrial equipment rental—was brought in. With a modern fleet of over 1,900 machines, Duma Rent provided essential support on site. In particular, Genie telescopic boom lifts played a key role. These machines offer working heights of up to 57 meters while combining reach with stability—crucial for installing complex structures.
SETTING A NEW STANDARD
With the opening of its covered jungle, Pairi Daiza is setting a new benchmark. The project demonstrates what can be achieved when vision, technology, and collaboration come together. Companies such as Deforche and Duma Rent play a pivotal role in this success. What began as an impressive construction project has now become a truly unique destination.
At the same time, it stands as a showcase for Belgian expertise—well beyond national borders.
RELIABILITY AS A FOUNDATION
In projects of this scale, downtime is simply not an option. That is why Duma Rent deliberately invests in a modern and up-to-date
fleet, featuring top-tier brands that are regularly renewed. This ensures reliability on site and access to the latest technologies in safety and efficiency.
“Our customers must be able to rely on their equipment, especially in complex projects like this,” says Piet De Craemer, Rental Manager at Duma Rent.
MORE THAN RENTAL
Duma Rent positions itself not as a traditional rental company, but as a true partner. From consultancy to execution, the company offers a fullservice approach. Transport is handled by its own logistics division, Duma Trans, while an in-house technical team provides support throughout the entire project.
“Every project is different. That’s why we first listen carefully to our customers’ needs and tailor our solutions accordingly,” adds De Craemer.
This approach enables rapid response on site—an essential factor in complex construction projects—and helps ensure that deadlines are met more efficiently.
Working at height and with heavy structures requires an uncompromising focus on safety. Both the equipment and personnel of Duma Rent are VCA-certified, ensuring that all operations meet the highest safety standards.
In addition, strong emphasis is placed on training and expertise. Employees assist customers in selecting the right machines and provide guidance throughout the entire process.
ACTIVE ACROSS BORDERS
In addition to Belgium, Duma Rent is also active in France, with branches in Dunkirk and Compiègne near Paris. This presence allows the company to support clients such as Deforche across a wide region and to respond flexibly to international projects—while maintaining the trusted quality and responsiveness of Duma Rent.
ADVICE THAT DELIVERS RESULTS
A key differentiator lies in the preliminary support. Duma Rent often visits sites to assess conditions and provide tailored advice. This ensures not only that the right machine is selected, but also that the most efficient solution is implemented.
“We want our customers to succeed. That’s why we actively think along with them,” they explain.
BUILDING
SUSTAINABLY
The construction sector is rapidly evolving toward sustainability— and Duma Rent is keeping pace. With electric machines such as the Manitou MT 625e telehandler and the Bobcat E10e mini excavator, the company offers emission-free solutions without compromising performance.
The range will soon be expanded further with rotating electric telehandlers—a logical next step in a sector where sustainability is becoming increasingly important.
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The next brand is Thermoflor, which draws on Deforche’s experience in building garden centres. This brand has been established to serve entrepreneurs across a surprising range of businesses.
“We build car washes for Delta Sonic in the US, who clean cars in greenhouses built under the Thermoflor brand,” De Cock says.
The third brand is Forzon, which combines Deforche Construction Group’s nature and climate concepts.
“We are bringing people and nature together. That means most of the time we are building greenhouses in more urban environments, building atriums and skylights,” says De Cock.
Last but not least is, Climafor a brand positioning itself in solar solutions through greenhouses. With our steel and aluminium factory, and our in-built expertise, Climafor is positioned to take on the bigger and more ambitious projects.
DEFORCHE CONSTRUCTION GROUP
“Whereas greenhouse construction tends to be characterized by standard solutions and volume, we seek out custom solutions. We prioritize the purpose of the structure; in short, we think from the inside to the outside.“
With Climafor, we serve the solar market in a unique way. Once again, with the added value of greenhouse technology. We can equip installations with solar panels that do not seem logical at first glance, but generate double the yield of a given surface area.
Just think of Agri-PV or covering cisterns at wastewater treatment plants. We can also play with light, allowing solar car parks to look green and attractive and creating a roof that collects clean water for other purposes.
“We like to provide multiple solutions through different target routes,” De Cock explains. “We have a turnkey offering. We do the concept, the engineering, the production, construction and servicing.”
A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
But to really appreciate what it is that Deforche Construction Group can do, you can look across their entire portfolio of brands, or you can just look at how they execute a single, exceptional project.
Because Deforche Construction Group does not just build the best greenhouses, it has also just been confirmed that they have built the biggest tropical greenhouse in the world. At 200 by 200 metres, and 24 metres high, the Edenya greenhouse at Paira Daiza has been immortalised in the Guinness Book of Records for its scale. But the construction’s size alone is only one of the technical challenges the project presented.
“It’s a zoo,” De Cock tells us. “They wanted the greenhouse to be an environment for animals, visitors, restaurants and hotels. You can imagine trying to combine all of that and still create a nice environment.”
For instance, a key part of any greenhouse is structural support – when your ceiling is made of glass, you want that material to be well supported. But the environment Deforche was aiming for would have felt cluttered with load-bearing columns placed every 15 metres.
SURPASSING THE ORIGINAL IDEA
Instead, Deforche’s engineers devised a structure that would allow them to have columns only every 50 metres by 50 metres, creating modules of 2,500 square metres. But reducing the number of columns was only the first technical challenge the Edenya project had to overcome, there would always be others in such an ambitious project. Ultimately, it had to be a greenhouse that
would be a home to a wide array of plants and animals (including humans). All of these lifeforms need different levels of UV exposure to thrive, so Deforche needed to control the levels of UV passing through the glass. In case that was not enough of a challenge, the resort would also be displaying numerous valuable works of art, which have lighting requirements all of their own.
“Our team made tailor-made glass that passes 39% of the sun’s ultraviolet light through the glass,” De Cock says.
All that glass would need cleaning – including 40,000 square metres of glass roof. Deforche has approached this problem from two angles – ensuring the entire roof is made from walkable glass, and developing cleaning robots capable of driving across that roof.
A project of this scale also needs to be prepared for the worst. In the event of a fire, the greenhouse needs to be easy to evacuate, especially when it is not just humans you are evacuating.
“You don’t want tigers and visitors evacuated at the same time,” De Cock observes.
Responding to fire also means overcoming other technical challenges. For safety, Edenya’s roof can be opened up to release the smoke and ventilate its interior. But it needs to do that without letting exotic birds and monkeys out, or other birds and insects in. Special netting has been built in to prevent that.
This combination of such a wide range of disciplines and innovative thinking is a blueprint for Deforche’s future.
“We want to be a sustainable partner for creative greenhouse solutions,” says De Cock. “We
“SO, WHAT WE DO IS FOLLOW A PROJECT TRACK THAT THE CUSTOMER IS PART OF, GUIDING THEM IN THE FLEXIBILITY OF THE PROJECT.”
want to do what we are doing in Europe and the US, across an even broader region. We want to be the partner that collects knowledge to use in all kinds of situations. We are a knowledge-based company working in general construction and contracting.”
FLEXIBILITY IN ORGANISATION, CLARITY IN EXECUTION
But it goes further than that. De Cock is an evangelist of “flexible project organisation”.
“There are so many projects with a range of contractors working against each other. One is on step one, and another is on step two, and everyone is fighting each other over contract terms,” De Cock says. “I believe that needs to change. We want co-creation that involves your customer. But the customer doesn’t work in your organisation or know its procedures. So, what we do is follow a project track that the customer is part of, guiding them in the flexibility of the project.”
