Magazine Porta Nova Englisch

THE SPRING WARM UP ISSUE NO 1

Welcome to Our Kitchen Top Level dining everyday

Nothing but the best Roses are our passion. Roses are our life.

EVERLASTING QUALITY

STAR AWARDED RESTAURANT

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GREEN ROOM

nursery

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recovery

Audition room

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wellness centre

departures

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CONTENT 4 PORTA NOVA: EVERLASTING QUALITY 6 Welcome to our STAR-AWARDED RESTAURANT 8 THE GREEN ROOM: discover Porta Nova’s sustainable energy source 10 Porta Nova Red Naomi! & White Naomi!: different colours, the same superior quality. 12 The NURSERY is where our roses are pampered 15 The best possible start for years of perfect growth 17 RECOVERY ROOM: the roses get prepared for their audition 18 In our AUDITION ROOM, every rose auditions for SUPRA 20 WELLNESS CENTRE, our roses stay cool until they leave 21 DEPARTURES: on the way to a long and glittering career 23 REALITY ROOM: how do our roses perform out in the real world?

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PORTA NOVA: EVERLASTING QUALITY 4

Porta Nova is the Largest grower of Naomi roses in the world and we are committed to delivering the best possible quality at all times. We grow around 60 million Naomi roses a year, ‘delivering floral happiness to roughly 20 million people every year.’

Every day we strive to do better than the day before. You could say that we have an unending improvement process. This is reflected in our manifesto and the infinity symbol on our revamped logo.

The Manifesto WE ACTUALLY CARE Roses are our passion. Roses are our life.

Day in, day out, we do everything we can to make our roses grow and bloom.

Not on our own, but with hundreds of specialists who take meticulous care of our roses. And, in turn, we take care of the people who take care. We give them freedom and responsibility. We feed them with know-how and solutions.

This is reflected in everything Porta Nova produces.

NOTHING BUT THE BEST Our roses are the best in the world and reach the entire globe. Of course you want exquisite roses to last as long as possible. You want to see them flower; more beautifully, more abundantly and for longer than you could have imagined. So, our roses have to meet demanding quality requirements. And, because we have extremely high standards, we are happy for you to set the bar high. We guarantee that, if properly cared for, our roses will look stunning for two weeks. And if not, we’ll make it up to you. Does that sound OK? THE ART OF GIVING Roses make a beautiful gift. We make sure you are always able to present your loved one with the best of the best. We ensure

that you can give someone you really appreciate exceptionally fine roses. We do everything we can to keep our roses, employees, suppliers and buyers happy.

Because when they’re happy, we’re happy!

SUSTAINABLE BEAUTY We are looking ahead to a green future.

Porta Nova is a leader in sustainable solutions, from carbon-neutral greenhouse heating and cooling systems to an innovative way of neutralising bacteria without the use of chemicals. The earth gives us the best roses in the world, which is why we want to pass the earth on to those who will come after us with love.

GROWING STRONG Even the best has room for improvement.

We believe this to be true, and have seen it borne out in practice time and again.

And it doesn’t just apply to our roses: it applies to us too. Porta Nova is growing both qualitatively and quantitatively in every way. We see growth opportunities everywhere and seize them with both hands. We are in full bloom and, as far as we’re concerned, we would like to share the most beautiful and resilient roses you can imagine with the whole world.

Everlasting quality. Everywhere. For all time.

“Roses are our passion.

Roses are our life.”

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Welcome to our STAR-AWARDED RESTAURANT

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STAR AWARDED RESTAURANT

INLAND DUNE, WATER PURIFIED BY SAND

Top-level dining every day Roses are demanding eaters. So feeding them ‘haute cuisine’ is crucial.

Especially if you want them to grow into the most beautiful and strongest Red Naomi! and White Naomi! roses.

Our ‘star-awarded’ restaurant ensures that they get the best food every day: with exactly the right ingredients in exactly the right quantities. Like all the famous chefs, we know that, ultimately, the customer is king. That is why we adapt each and every meal to the requirements and needs of the roses, so even the most demanding rose is kept satisfied.

to ‘cook’. The quantities may vary day by day, ensuring the ‘meal’ we serve is always perfect. We carefully select our suppliers, because every chef knows: good cooking starts with the best ingredients.

The most delicious rainwater falls in the locality The basis of our feeding regime is pure, unadulterated rainwater.

Fortunately it rains enough in Waddinxveen, although it does not always fall at the right moment. That is why we collect the rainwater and store it in underground storage tanks.

We have a unique partnership with the logistics business park near our greenhouses. This partnership is part of “de Glasparel” and is aimed at making horticulture as sustainable as possible.

The roofs of buildings in the business park and our greenhouses have been modified to capture rainwater. By collecting rainwater from the locality in this way, we can continue to serve our local rainwater even when it has been dry for some time.

The ideal menu, inside and out In our 4-row system, the plants on the inside of the 4 rows use more water than those on the outside. That’s why we give the plants on the inside rows more food. This way, every plant gets the right meal that precisely meets its requirements.

In the larder of our star-awarded restaurant, the rainwater is purified using a huge 12-metre sand filter.

We lovingly call this filter our ‘inland dune’. The water that passes through this dune is the pure basis for the balanced ‘meal’ we serve our roses.

A changing menu every day Cooking is an adventure: you keep discovering new things. And, you’re always trying to improve the recipe.

So, what’s on the menu today? How do I make sure they always get the best possible meal? We treat our roses to a slightly different menu every day.

Did you enjoy your dinner?

Was everything to your satisfaction?

Our roses never polish off their plate completely, there are always some leftovers. This leftover water is returned to our kitchen, where we sample it and check which nutrients they need more or less of. Then we adjust the food for the next day based on our findings. And the leftovers? We purify them and serve them again.

Top-quality ingredients We enrich the purified rainwater with everything our roses need to grow well. We use 11 different ingredients

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THE GREEN ROOM:

Sharing is caring.

Enough for ourselves and plenty more besides Sharing is caring. We harvest more energy than we need, and have plenty of residual heat that could be used to heat a large number of homes in the area. This means that, in addition to growing our quality red and white roses, we can help our local area become a little greener.Â

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discover Porta Nova’s sustainable energy source Granted, when you enter the Green Room, nature is the last thing that springs to mind. The first thing you notice is the complicated system of pipes that is more likely to make you think of technology and innovation than a sustainable energy source. But still, this space is fully in line with our commitment to a low carbon footprint and the desire to grow without using gas. Because this is where we get the power for our climators which naturally heat the nursery in winter and cool it down in summer. To achieve this, we need to descend 100 metres and delve beneath the clay of Waddinxveen. Here the temperature is extremely stable, and hot water stays hot for months while cool water stays cool for equally as long.

We can buy in green electricity thanks to the installation of a 6 km private power line.

Climators and green electricity let us grow without gas We all know by now that using gas produces carbon emissions which have a direct impact on the environment.

Porta Nova wants to grow without using gas, and we are doing this by using climators and green electricity.

Heat exchangers use a separate circuit The water in the heat exchanger always stays in its own closed circuit and is used solely as an energy carrier. The heated or cooled water is transferred to the Climators in the greenhouse. This means we do not affect the balance of the groundwater.

A hot and cold tide, from 100 metres below ground For our heating in winter, we store hot water 100 metres below ground. This water is pumped through the heat exchanger in the Green Room. It then releases this heat to the climators, which bring the greenhouse to exactly the right temperature. The cooled water goes back into the ground. In summer this cold water is pumped back up to help the climators blow cool air into the greenhouse. This creates a stable climate that results in roses of a stable quality all year round.

Lowest carbon footprint per rose Porta Nova wants to grow without using gas, and it will not compromise on this. Our newest greenhouse is heated and cooled in a sustainable way. We buy in CO² from the port of Rotterdam where it is available as a residual product and use it in the greenhouse so our roses grow even better. All with the goal of achieving the lowest carbon footprint per rose.

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Red Naomi! & White Naomi!: different colours, the same superior quality.

AAD VAN LUIJK (PORTA NOVA): “I’m always on the lookout for unusual varieties. That’s how I started off with 1000 m2 of Red Naomi! plants at my own nursery in 2005. With the right approach they grew well. On top of that, the rose was a hit in the trade and consumers loved it.’

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Porta Nova grows two rose varieties: the Red Naomi! and the White Naomi!.

They’re both products from the ‘kitchen’ of top breeder Schreurs. The Red Naomi! and the White Naomi! have large, traditional flower heads, and their appearance exudes luxury. In addition, both varieties have a unique property: they combine a subtle scent with a long vase life. In fact, they will easily last for two weeks. Because our business philosophy focusses solely on quality both varieties therefore were the ideal choice assuring enjoyment for our customers.

The finest roses for the upper end of the market Porta Nova’s Aad van Luijk was one of the first people to recognise the quality of the Red Naomi! rose. Peter Schreurs proudly showed him the rose back in 2005. Aad immediately saw its potential and decided to give the Red Naomi! a chance in his own nursery. He ordered 1000 m2 to

test it out and gain some experience.

Nowadays the Red Naomi! has become a popular variety, and Porta Nova’s Red Naomi! roses now serve the upper end of the market.

Red and white go together in the latest Porta Nova greenhouse When Porta Nova wanted to start growing a white rose in addition to the Red Naomi!, it made sense to go back to Schreurs. The two companies have a lot in common in terms of their approach. They are both focused on constantly improving the quality of their products. In addition, the experience with the Red Naomi! had been incredibly positive. ‘The White Naomi! is a completely different rose,’ explains Aad van Luijk, ‘but it, too, has all the qualities it needs to do well in our set-up.’ By growing red and white roses of supreme quality, Porta Nova can serve the trade and consumers even better.

Peter Schreurs, breeder, ABOUT the Red Naomi!

‘IT’S A SUPERIOR-QUALITY VARIETY THAT WILL DOMINATE THE MARKET FOR RED ROSES FOR YEARS TO COME.’

The Red Naomi! conquering hearts since 2005 The Red Naomi! is currently the main Dutch grown red rose in the highend red rose segment. It continues to conquer hearts with its beauty. When the large bud unfurls itself it produces a multitude of petals in a perfect velvety, red shade. The rose is extremely popular in the trade. The long vase life and the subtle scent mean it is loved by consumers across the globe.

‘We are a quality-focused breeder that specialises in roses. A new variety will not be introduced until it scores well on all levels.

Before its introduction, it has to go through an extensive test phase, including subjecting the variety to a range of climatic conditions.

This refusal to compromise has resulted in successes such as the Red Naomi!, White Naomi! and the Aqua! in the Netherlands, the Marie Claire! in Africa and the Coolwater® and Pink Floyd! in South America..

‘Breeding is a matter of craftsmanship, understanding, the latest technology, large numbers and a lot of patience,’ Peter Scheurs explains. ‘We do an appraisal of which roses may have a good combination of properties. The crosses initially produce around 250,000 seedlings. One year later, this will have been reduced to around 5 or 6 thousand, and ultimately there will only be a few varieties left each year that actually go on sale.’

‘The Red Naomi! has been great for us,’ continues Schreurs. ‘That’s thanks in part to people like Aad van Luijk. He really believed in the Red Naomi! and dared take the risk of becoming one of the first to grow the Red Naomi! at scale. The White Naomi! too is a quality rose for the premium segment. Looking ahead, we anticipate the Red Naomi! will dominate the market for many years to come.’

‘Do we have a successor for the Red Naomi! and the White Naomi!?

You never know, it might just be. That’s what makes this profession so brilliant.’

The White Naomi! a beautiful vision since 2011 The White Naomi! has a long stem, a large bud and a multitude of petals.

The White Naomi! unfurls beautifully into a traditional symmetrical shape, with green leaves creating a stunning contrast. Its excellent vase life means the rose can be enjoyed over an extended period. ­

Peter Schreurs (Schreurs):

“We would never have dared predict that the Red Naomi! would become the favourite red rose for growers of quality roses in Europe. But, we did know we had a unique rose on our hands.’

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the nursery

The NURSERY is where our roses are pampered

A DAY WITHOUT LEARNING IS A DAY WITHOUT GROWING Every days starts with a simple lesson. We use easy-to-understand images to show how something could be improved, always based on the points for improvement we have observed in the nursery.

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nursery. Based on these measurements, we can make decentralised adjustments to any undesirable deviations in the climate.

This way we can create stable conditions under all circumstances. We do this by turning the climators up or down and opening or closing particular windows to heat things up or cool them down.

Because the heat scan is three-dimensional we know what the temperature is at every single spot in the nursery. So we are able to grow exceptionally fine roses in the nursery every day of the year.

The nursery is a place where our roses feel right at home. We make every effort to create the best possible conditions and are always looking for the ideal growing climate. The growers’ craft is everything in this respect. It’s all about the knowledge and experience Porta Nova has garnered over the years.

This expertise meets new challenges every day and is fed with new scientific findings that we try out and put into action using the latest technology.

Because this technology allows us to put our ideas into practice right there in the greenhouse.

Craftsmanship: decades of experience incorporated into the everyday Growing plants and flowers is and remains a human occupation. But how do you ensure that people know what to do, how to do it, and are in fact motivated to do it? Porta Nova has developed a unique approach in this respect that is focused on achieving the very best consistent quality. It starts with capturing our experience in simple, standardised actions to create clarity for our employees. So they know exactly how to do their job as effectively as possible. This ensures that the quality of our roses is continually improving.

The quest for a stable climate Providing our roses with the ideal climate is the ultimate test of ingenuity. Because in a conventional set-up the temperature can vary enormously depending where you are in the greenhouse. This is where our climators come in. They are fed with cold or hot air from the Green Room so they can provide heating in winter and cool everything down in summer. special climate sensors In collaboration with Technolution, we have developed special climate sensors based on the Internet of Things running via a LORA network. A network of these sensors constantly measures changes in temperature and humidity throughout the

Every employee has his own ‘garden’ In the nursery, every employee has his own ‘garden’; a sector where he or she knows the plants, takes care of them and harvests them.

Thanks to our innovative track & trace system every employee gets personal feedback on the work they do. What is the rose quality in their garden like? What are the gradations? How about the volumes? All of this inspires them to do better and better.

Our tiniest employees know how to handle pests The nursery may look peaceful but like everywhere in nature there is a constant battle going on between pests and our biological warriors. For example, if Thrips raise their voracious heads, we immediately throw the Amblyseius Cucumeris into the fray. This wee creature is only 1 millimetre long but it knows how to tackle Thrips. And it’s not alone. Every year around 700 million of them do battle in our greenhouses.

Should spider mites attack the beautiful leaves of our roses, they’ll have the Phytoseiulus to contend with. For biological pest control we work closely together with Biobest from Belgium. It’s not just good for our roses; it’s great for the environment too.

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Since we started using biocontrol, the balance in the greenhouses has improved and we have been able to steadily reduce our pesticide use.

Should tougher measures nonetheless be needed to protect our precious roses, we make sure that happens in a very targeted way. We precisely trace the source of the infestation and then deal with it locally.

Light inside (but not outside) We like giving our roses all the light they need. And often, that is more than there is in the day. We try to keep that extra light inside the nursery as much as possible using special shade screens, which come in various gradations. The darkest

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ones almost completely block the light so it cannot escape from the nursery. Great! But it does have one disadvantage. The screens do not just keep the light inside the nursery, but also the heat. To get rid of this heat, our latest climators are equipped with special snorkels. They draw in the cool air from above the screens and the warm air leaves the nursery through the crest of the roof via an opening in the screens above the central pathway.

Cleanliness is a beautiful thing Hygiene is key if we want to produce a perfect product. The cleaner the greenhouse, the fewer pests and diseases get the chance to develop.

Visitors to the nursery always wear a visitor overall.

the nursery

THE BEST POSSIBLE START FOR YEARS OF PERFECT GROWTH Porta Nova always chooses quality first. Aad van Luijk: ‘We are constantly working to improve our methods and approach, because we want to be able to supply the finest roses every day.

Therefore, it’s important that the quality of the plants we buy in is as high as possible. Let’s face it, they need to be able to produce the finest roses day in, day out, for seven years or more. To achieve this, Schreurs developed the “Topstart” programme. With a few minor adjustments, this programme was perfectly matched to our own wishes and requirements. It enabled us to generate the best possible start for years of cultivation.’

Special requirements for an exceptional greenhouse The good climatic conditions in Porta Nova’s greenhouses mean the plants have a long lifecycle. And in the latest greenhouse it will be even longer.

Aad van Luijk: ‘That’s why we asked Schreurs for a larger rock wool block, to give the plant more space. We also wanted to increase the light intensity during the cultivation at Schreurs: to give our plants the best possible start in life.’

NURSERY 3: THE CHALLENGE: 500,000 PLANTS IN SIX WEEKS At the end of July 2018, the die was cast. Work on the new greenhouse was progressing steadily, and, starting in December, Schreurs had six weeks to supply 250,000 Red Naomi! and 250,000 White Naomi! plants: that is around 17,000 plants a day, five days a week.

The Topstart programme as a source of quality Topstart enables Schreurs to supply superb plants. The entire programme is run internally by in-house specialists. They only use their own cuttings, and so keep the risk of irregularities and disease to a minimum.

Craftsmanship and innovation come together The Topstart Programme combines craftsmanship with the latest innovations. For example, the company uses electrostatic spraying to cover the entire plant in pesticide.

This method is so precise, 85% less product is needed to achieve the same coverage! Also, to increase hygiene, Schreurs has developed a special decontamination programme for Danish trolleys.

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Peter Schreurs propagator, about Topstart: ‘A passion for plants with the focus on quality.’

‘We have a new method for the propagation of plants. The principle is quite simple: to ensure we grow goodquality plants, we avoid using foreign plant material. Formerly, when a grower wanted to have a specific rose propagated, we would buy in cuttings from another grower. Of course, we always chose growers that had been checked, and we checked all the plant material carefully too. All the same, it was still impossible to

prevent the introduction of irregularities.

Now we only use our own plants for propagation. To protect these plants, we follow a hygiene protocol. For instance, we ask all visitors to wash their hands.

Because we only use our own plants, we sometimes have to say “no” to requests, but this way we keep everything under our own control. Where scheduling is concerned, it does mean we need longer to deliver large volumes. But the growers

are aware of this, so they tend to let us know about their schedule well ahead of time. This means our own schedule is completed sooner, and that gives peace of mind. The growers also had to get used to the plants: they were less coarse and much more uniform than they were used to. This way of working has done us the world of good. Our schedule is more balanced and the grower gets a plant that is more hardy and more uniform.’

5 fascinating facts about Schreurs 1. The name Red Naomi! comes from the pink Naomi rose, which was named after Naomi Campbell.

2. Schreurs makes every effort to ensure that new varieties are ‘future proof’ and therefore makes extensive use of biology during the selection. This makes it possible to find new varieties that are less susceptible to disease, and helps create a sustainable future.

3. Schreurs is an innovative family business that has its roots in Amsterdam.

4. Schreurs has its headquarters in the Netherlands, but it also has other sites in Africa and South America.

This makes Schreurs the best possible partner for professional growers across the globe.

5. It’s easy to recognise Schreurs’ rose varieties: they all have an exclamation mark after their name!

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Schreurs and Porta Nova: professionals together The people at Schreurs and Porta Nova got together every week to assess the new plants. Are they really the best of the best, or is there room for improvement? At the start there was some doubt about the size of the leaves on the cuttings that were being supplied. But this doubt vanished once they were in the greenhouse, where they grew into beautiful strong plants in next to no time.

Mission accomplished The propagation schedule ran smoothly.

Things got a little tense when the weath-

er got unusually warm in autumn. At this time, the plants grew faster, so a difficult choice had to be made: deliver sooner or stick to the six-week schedule? The latter was essential for Porta Nova, because this cycle means they will have the finest roses available every day, evenly distributed across the period. Ultimately, the greenhouse gradually filled with strong, healthy plants. Schreurs and Porta Nova look back on the operation with a sense of satisfaction.

Mission accomplished.

recovery

RECOVERY ROOM: the roses get prepared for their audition There’s no way round it: cutting tends to be a bit of a shock to our roses. To ensure they recover from this ordeal as much as possible they get put into our special Recovery Room right away. This is where they get their first drink of water, which is wonderfully cool and enriched with a special mix of ingredients that helps them recover quickly. The first feed is important, because in the first two hours the roses take on 70% of the water they are going to use for the rest of their life! This way we prepare them for a long, beautiful vase life.

A good run-up to the audition In the Recovery Room, our Red Naomi! and White Naomi! roses are able to recover from the cutting process. Thanks to the cool water and the extra nutrition, it doesn’t take long before they are back to being at their best. And when they leave the Recovery Room, one thing is sure: they’ll be ready for the all-important audition.

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AUDITION ROOM DO YOU DESERVE THE NAME PORTA NOVA?

In our AUDITION ROOM, every rose auditions for SUPRA SPEED IS A QUALITY TOO The audition may be thorough, but it is also brief, because the roses have to be returned to their ideal storage conditions as soon as possible. So, within an average of 10 to 60 minutes every rose has arrived in our Wellness Center.

Let there be no mistake: the quality of our Red Naomi! and White Naomi! is always top notch. And they have an exceptional and beautiful vase life. However, not all of them will be awarded the Supra label. That is reserved for roses that are close to perfect. With a beautiful, straight stem and a voluptuous flower head. So to ensure that those who want Supra actually get Supra, every single one of our roses must audition for the part.

And believe us, we are at least as strict as the X Factor judges.

Strict selection by man and machine Our roses are assessed and checked meticulously at various points. This strict selection process is a collaboration between our human staff and technology.

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Nursery scouts The first to pass judgement are our nursery staff. They have been watching the progress of the roses since they were small, and know when they are ready to go out into the wide world. They decide who is allowed to audition. So, which rose will be cut, and which one stays put. The ‘scouts’ are given clear and unambiguous instructions, so everyone uses the same selection criteria and the quality of the roses is always consistent.

Ready for the catwalk As soon as they leave the Recovery Room, the roses have to strut their stuff on the catwalk. Our experienced staff hang each rose on the selection rail and give their initial opinion by pushing a button.

Audition room

Technical check-up: because you can measure beauty The selection rail is our catwalk, and the finest roses are attached to it and floated through the selection hall. Each rose is photographed from three sides, accurately measuring aspects such as the length and thickness of the stem and the size of the flower. After this technical check-up, selection is complete and the roses are quickly sent on to the various packaging platforms.

Final quality check by the master The roses are packed in bunches of 10 roses each. The packer checks that each rose is actually good enough to be a worthwhile part of the bunch. Before they are sent away, each bucket is checked by the quality control master one last time.

Is this bunch really worthy of the Supra, Unica or Magna label? If the rose passes this final test, you can rest assured that you will get roses

of an exceptional quality with an impressive vase life of at least 14 days.

Special packaging, to keep what is beautiful beautiful Porta Nova has a special type of packaging for every rose variety, carefully

designed to accentuate the beauty of the roses. On top of that, it also ensures that the roses stay beautiful for longer.

If you have special requirements, we will happily work with you to find the ideal packaging to suit your needs.

Customised packaging, with or without your own branding.

SUPRA, UNICA, MAGNA, DIFFERENT NAMES FOR 100% QUALITY Supra Superior quality red and white roses – absolutely the best.

Supras have been specially selected from all our roses. All lengths have an extra large bud, a thick stem and they also meet all other additional quality requirements. Our ‘Supra’ roses are hand picked. As a result, they are guaranteed to have a 14-day vase life.

Unica & Magna Roses that do not quite achieve the Supra level but are still extremely fine examples, are sold with the Unica and Magna labels. These roses have large buds, thick stems and a long vase life all year round. Unica and Magna are both well-known for their consistently excellent quality.

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wellness centre

our roses stay cool until they leave After selection, the roses need to rest.

They are put in an auction bucket that has undergone special cleaning and get new, clean, wonderfully cool water enriched with exactly the right mix of nutrients that keeps them fresh for longer.

They are also pampered with a constant temperature of 0.5 degrees. After this VIP treatment, they’re completely refreshed and ready to go out into the world for a long, glittering career. Here, too, we give our roses the best treatment possible.

In the Wellness centre, our roses can settle down and relax Once roses have been cut, they prefer to stay cool. So, we ensure that the temperature in our cold store remains at a constant low level. The exceptionally high ceiling in the cold store is key in this respect. Its 8-metre height means the cold store retains a great deal of air.

This stabilises the temperature, which

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is important in reducing temperature fluctuations if someone opens a door.

In fact, our roses are happier in our cool room than they are in the auction’s cold store!

All aboard! Freshly delivered!

Roses put into the cold store today will leave again no later than the next auction day. Orders are readied just before the trucks arrive so the roses can enjoy the ideal conditions in the Wellness centre for as long as possible.

Care: one step beyond Out of sight is certainly not out of mind.

Porta Nova is committed to keeping the quality of our roses high even once they are on the way and is happy to support you in the sale and promotion of our products. For example, we can monitor the transport, so we can find out exactly what the conditions were like during the journey. You can then use this information

to make any changes needed. We also offer the Porta Nova Quality Kit. We’ll carry out extensive measurements at the customer’s site and work together with you to ensure the perfect conditions so our roses feel at home.

CLEANER BUCKETS, LONGER VASE LIFE Our auction buckets are delivered freshly cleaned. But that’s not enough for us. The rule is simple: the cleaner the bucket, the longer the vase life. That’s why we disinfect the buckets again, just to be sure.

departures

on the way to a long and glittering career The orders have been readied in the Wellness centre and then move on to Departures. Here, too, the temperature is kept as low as possible.

For example, the loading dock is kept airtight to ensure the temperature does not go up every time we want to load a new truck. We do everything we can right up to the last moment to ensure our roses get the best treatment. All to ensure our customers get the finest roses we can supply all year round.

Keeping our eyes open The loading process is monitored with cameras so we are always able to check who loaded what. This helps avoid misunderstandings and means we can be sure the customer always gets what they have ordered.

Speedy roses: ordered in the morning, delivered in the evening!

The sooner roses are delivered, the longer they will last: a simple fact that requires an intensive approach.

We work together with our carrier to deliver to three FloraHolland auctions 3-5 times a week. As a result, we can state with absolute certainty that if you order before 6 we will deliver before 11. Our packaging material has been designed to keep the roses in tip top condition.

THE WORLD WELCOMES OUR ROSES WITH OPEN ARMS Every country is different, but the language of quality is the same wherever you go. Needless to say, our roses are popular around the world. Porta Nova’s Red Naomi! and White Naomi! shine at weddings, parties, birthdays and funerals on all continents.

And, all over the world, people use them to show their love and appreciation to others. Because if you want to do it right, you will choose the best quality you can get.

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REALITY ROOM

how do our roses perform out in the real world?

We try to improve the way we care for our roses every day. This way, we make sure that our roses are always of superior quality. To ensure that our efforts bear fruit in practice, we regularly check up on our roses in the real world. And then we compare the results with roses from other growers.

The same conditions, relevant results The conditions in the Reality Room are similar to the conditions in which consumers keep the roses at home.

We can establish these conditions very accurately. The results are then compared with previous test results.

We get our roses from the auction to get an honest result To make sure the comparison is fair, we get our test roses and those of our colleagues from the auction. It goes without saying that we want to be the best. But only honest results show us how we are really doing and where there is still room for improvement.

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The more you test, the more you know The Reality Room is set up for all sorts of other tests. We use it to measure the results of all our tests and any improvements we have implemented.

These measurements then allow us to get even better results as we improve our methods and our products. So, you can be confident you are getting the best quality Red Naomi! and White Naomi! roses every day of the year.

One thing is sure, research is the only way forward Of course, it is impossible to predict the results of a study, and not every study has results that benefit us immediately. But we believe research is the only way forward, the only way to ensure that both quality and sustainability continue to improve.

That’s why we work closely together with universities and specialist companies on projects like these:  - Phillips: LED test, looking for the ultimate light spectrum.

- Chrysal: research into improving vase life.

- TU Delft and Gearbox: research into smart camera technology in the nursery.

- Technolution & Letsgrow: development of climate sensors based on the Internet of Things.

- WUR: a number of long-term studies.

Collaboration with Wageningen University and Chrysal Porta Nova works together with the research department from Chrysal and Wageningen University. This gives our approach a scientific foundation, helping to improve our results over time.

Strength in numbers At Porta Nova we work closely together with our customers, suppliers and advisors, so together we continuously improve quality and increase our insight into the floriculture chain. It has become very clear to us that the floriculture chain as a whole can still benefit from numerous small improvements.

The systems on our latest site were developed in close collaboration with our suppliers and our combined efforts resulted in a major step forward. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the support that made the project possible.

Dillewijn Zwapak, uw leverancier voor verpakkingsproducten en bloemisterij-artikelen. Vraag de nieuwe catalogus aan door een mailtje te sturen naar: info@dillewijnzwapak.nl Dillewijn Zwapak, your supplier for packaging products and florist articles. You can order the new catalogue by sending us an e-mail: info@dillewijnzwapak.nl

www.dillewijnzwapak.nl

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ADVERTORIAL

Lek/Habo always looking to do better Keeping a sharp eye on sustainable energy systems

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ADVERTORIAL

Lek/Habo in a nutshell?

Flexible operational management and unwavering focus on the client.

As traditional energy sources become scarcer and more expensive, many companies are looking for alternative solutions and Lek/Habo in Ter Aar has found one. Its sustainable energy systems ensure optimal energy management, offering bespoke solutions in energy and installation technology. This is very good news for those who care about the environment.

Lek/Habo in a nutshell?

Flexible operational management and unwavering focus on the client.

But this doesn’t do it justice, for the company is committed to developing more innovative and efficient energy management solutions that address the world’s sustainability challenges.

These solutions are a win-win: the client benefits, the environment benefits and Lek/Habo is able to recruit leading energy specialists, top IT talent and commercial heavyweights.

Each and every day its people focus on the best energy solutions in sectors such as healthcare, food, leisure, government, industry, waste processing, water treatment, non-residential construction, housing, agriculture and horticulture. And this last sector is where Porta Nova comes in.

Enhancing quality Lek/Habo provided the rose grower with a high-tech solution worthy of pride. Porta Nova asked Lek/Habo to design, deliver and install an OPAC-X system. (OPAC stands for Oval Pipe Air Conditioner.) The OPAC is powered by a power plant consisting of two gigantic heat pumps, aquifer energy storage (five doublets), thermal storage in day tanks (beneath the roses in the greenhouse), two large cooling

towers and four heat exchangers, all of which were also designed, delivered and installed by Lek/Habo. The inventive and technically ingenious system not only reduces energy consumption in the Porta Nova greenhouse but also enhances the quality of the roses.

Commercial Manager Aad de Koning comments, “It is the result of days, weeks, months – ultimately more than six months – of calculating, reflecting, considering, envisaging, consulting, reconsidering, re-envisaging and rechecking the figures.”

The development and installation of a sustainable energy system starts with design, and Lek/Habo always looks to see how it can be done better. Needless to say, the company adopts the same approach to system production, installation and maintenance. Every day Lek/Habo aims to create solutions that are better for the planet. Its attitude is contagious and instils tremendous confidence in its clients.

Financial guarantee Ask Lek/Habo energy specialist Jan Franse. He is always seeking better solutions for sustainable energy systems, because only the best is good enough. The programmer, who translates Franse’s creative inventions into a computer program for the Lek/Habo Total Control System (TCS), also played an important role in the creation of Porta Nova’s ‘all-electric’ rose greenhouse. Understandably, the government awards grants for energysaving initiatives such as these. To qualify, the system must be innovative and viable. This means that its financial performance can be guaranteed. If not, the process stops there. Together with the client, Lek/Habo has to go to great lengths to convince the government and generally succeeds.

Tremendous confidence For decades Lek/Habo has assumed an impressive range of responsibilities, from consultancy and engineering to assembly, installation and maintenance. And not only in the Netherlands, but also across the border in Belgium, Germany and Poland.

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ALTISOL ISOLATIE BV is een toonaangevend bedrijf in de tuinbouwsector. Wij werken wereldwijd en hebben op machine- en materiaalgebruik een duidelijke voorsprong op de concurrentie.

Waarvoor kunt u bij ons terecht:

Het isoleren van ketelhuizen en transportleidingen Het isoleren van horizontale warmteopslagtanks Het isoleren van verticale warmteopslagtanks Het isoleren van koelleidingen Het isoleren van ketels en stoomdrogers Het isoleren en beplaten van bedrijfsruimtes Het leveren en plaatsen van geluidsomkastingen Het leveren en plaatsen van warmtematrassen Het leveren en plaatsen van dakdoorvoeren, dakontluchters en roosters voor de be- en ontluchting van ketelhuizen en daken

ALTISOL A WORLDWIDE REPUTATION IN GREENHOUSE INSULATION

THE SPRING WARM UP ISSUE NO 1

Duurzaam samenwerken aan gezonde groei!

ABN AMRO feliciteert Porta Nova Porta Nova kiest duidelijk voor duurzaamheid bij de uitbreiding van haar onderneming.

Wij zijn trots dat wij partner van dit vooruitstrevende bedrijf zijn. abnamro.nl/agrarisch

Energie Makelaar wenst Porta Nova succes met de gasloze locatie!

Als trotse partner hopen wij in de toekomst een bijdrage te kunnen blijven leveren aan het duurzame energiehart van Porta Nova.

Energie Makelaar Nijverheidsstraat 5 7641 AB Wierden

Tel: +31 546 579 195 info@energie-makelaar.com www.energie-makelaar.com

Gavita: artistry with artificial lighting Lighting is a key element in the horticulture industry. Sometimes sun needs some help to ensure the growth of fruit, vegetables, flowers and plants all year round. Gavita Horticultural Lighting is a specialist with more than 30 years experience, so its clients can rest assured that their lighting needs are in capable hands.

All growers have specific lighting system requirements. Based on the client’s input, Gavita offers sound and appropriate advice. “Needless to say, we don’t leave anything to chance. We continue to assist until the client is satisfied with the light

level and distribution. We pride ourselves on our after sales service. At Gavita we keep supporting our clients.”

Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and roses all benefit from Gavita’s artificial lighting, also known as assimilation lighting. And this doesn’t only happen in Aalsmeer in the Netherlands: Gavita has clients on all continents and supports horticulture worldwide. Advanced and innovative artificial lighting systems maximise crop yield thanks to Gavita’s artistry with artificial lighting.

Wij feliciteren Porta Nova met hun nieuwe bedrijfspand!

Wij bouwen duurzaam en ontwikkelen bedrijfspanden van hoogwaardige kwaliteit!

www.vankleefbv.nl

■ ■ ■ ■

bedrijfshallen kantoren stallen en maneges pakhuizen

info@vankleefbv.nl

0318 - 668 332

De Vette CV: trotse partner Van porta noVa tel. 0031(0)15-3808784

l

info@devette.nl

l

www.devette.nl

Havecon values its partnership with Porta Nova Classy take on greenhouses Havecon Horticultural Projects in Bleiswijk doesn’t like to blow its own trumpet. Sales Manager Ramon Bol prefers to quote clients who are impressed by the company’s speed, punctuality, efficiency, reliability, quality and ability to deliver exactly what has been agreed. “Our policy is to be open and transparent with our clients, and our partnership with Porta Nova was no different.”Greenhouses that employ the latest technology

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Once Havecon sinks its teeth into a client’s greenhouse requirements, its well-oiled service-delivery engine remains focused from start to finish.

From the initial exploratory meetings with the client, to the drawing table, engineering, greenhouse construction and after-sales service. Think customer service squared! And besides operating in Europe, Havecon is increasing its foothold in the U.S. with a range of greenhouse horticulture projects.

ADVERTORIAL

)"7&$0/ Sustainability A busy industrial estate in Bleiswijk, one of the many pillars of a successful economy, is the chosen location of the brand new site that houses both Havecon and the Voorwinden Group. The site includes an immense factory, a 1.5 hectare transhipment area and a well-organised warehouse.

Here everything points to the fact that Havecon lives and breathes greenhouses. They are deeply rooted in the company’s DNA. Hardly surprising then that, some years ago, Porta Nova asked Havecon to build the most advanced rose greenhouse in the world, with cutting-edge sustainability. This marked the start of an open and transparent partnership with the rose grower.

Partner and neighbour Voorwinden Group also stepped in to ensure that all of Porta Nova’s needs were met.

ON TIME Today it is a pleasure to walk through the all-electric greenhouse. It covers an area of nine hectares and is 6.7 metres high. Ramon explains that the higher the greenhouse, the more stable the climate. The initial construction work on the greenhouse in October 2017 was anything but rosy. Ramon remembers it as if it were yesterday.

“It poured with rain and, to begin with, the construction workers were sometimes up to their waist in mud.

You wouldn’t normally be able to build a greenhouse in these conditions. But we worked out a way to continue so we didn’t fall behind. The Porta Nova greenhouse was delivered on schedule and the roses were planted on time.

The day we installed the last pane in the greenhouse, the sun came out. It was a lovely symbol to mark the end of a successful project.”

Building successful businesses Since 2009 Havecon has also had a foothold in the U.S., where it operates as Havecon North America Inc. The seven-strong team in the U.S. works day and night to help growers find the right greenhouse. They are supported by the Business Development Team in Europe, which is staffed by ten motivated and resourceful individuals.

Ramon Bol explains, “In the U.S. we don’t concern ourselves with the horticultural aspects. Other than that, we do our bit to help growers build successful businesses.”

Since 2018 Havecon has been involved in 13 projects covering an area of approximately 85 hectares in the U.S. There, too, Havecon acts as the main contractor and coordinates all of the activities required bring innovative projects to a satisfactory conclusion. “It may sound like a cliché,” says Ramon, “but we believe it is vital to respect the client’s wishes down to the last detail.”

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Onze drive is vooruitgang, letterlijk en figuurlijk Resultaatgericht, zodat we samen uw commerciĂŤle positie in de sierteeltsector versterken. www.dewinterlogistics.nl 0174 615 333

Uw snijbloemen blijven langer mooi en vers met de op maat gemaakte waterkarren van Codema - Ontwerp op maat - Korte logistieke afhandeling - Tegen de best geconditioneerde kwaliteit leveren

www.codema.nl

ADVERTORIAL

Porta Nova chooses Airclima cold storage for its new premises Porta Nova aims to deliver unrivalled quality. And to ensure that this is the case, the company asked Airclima to install cold storage units with the latest Matrix temperature and dehumidification control.

Matrix control technology is able to establish relative humidity of 80% in cold storage units, which is very difficult to achieve, and maintain it at a temperature of +0.3 degrees Celsius. And it manages to achieve this despite the large volumes of water and rose transpiration in the cold storage units.

Air velocity in the cold storage units is kept to a minimum, while allowing for relatively high-volume air changes or flushes.

Airclima cold storage units play an important role in enabling Porta Nova to

deliver the best Red Naomi red roses in the world. The Airclima team delivered the project with its usual dedication and is proud of the result.

Airclima is the European market leader in cut flower refrigeration systems.

As a certified cooling system installer, the company specialises in industrial refrigeration technology, air-to-air heat pumps and ventilation. www.airclima.be Airclima Veldkant 8, Business Park King Square B-2550 Kontich T: +32 (0)3 451 34 90 E: info@airclima.be

“WE ARE CLOSE TO THE GROWER” Svensson – innovative climate screen solutions Hellevoetsluis-based company Svensson supplies climate screens that create the right greenhouse climate. Senior consultant Hugo Plaisier explains, “Our screens enable growers to improve quality and increase production while reducing water, pesticide and energy consumption.”

The company helps Porta Nova create the best possible growing conditions for its top quality roses. “We supplied Porta Nova with two different types of climate screens: a blackout screen that keeps artificial light in and a climate screen that reflects sunlight and creates

diffuse light in the greenhouse. These climate screens are hung at different levels and can be independently adjusted.

Plaisier talks enthusiastically about the partnership with Porta Nova. “Our understanding of the growing process and the desired greenhouse climate formed a bond between us. We operate closely and both recognise the added value of our partnership. We have great faith in each other.”

www.ludvigsvensson.com

“As a grower you depend on the right greenhouse climate. Svensson creates the best possible conditions.”

Trots op onze klant Porta Nova!

Een bedrijf dat perfect past bij waar wij als Food & Agri bank voor staan.

Juri van Es Accountmanager Rabobank

VIETECH Onderhoud en Service Aanpassingen Storingen

+31 (0)6 218 475 56 info@vietech.nl www.vietech.nl

LOGISTIEKE AUTOMATISERING VOOR DE TUINBOUW

VieTech is gespecialiseerd in de logistieke automatisering voor de glastuinbouw en heeft ook bijgedragen aan dit project van Porta Nova. Zowel in de groenteals in de sierteelt zijn wij volop actief. Naast service en onderhoud, biedt VieTech technische maatwerk-oplossingen en verricht interne- en externe verhuizingen van machines.

Wij feliciteren Porta Nova met deze mooie uitbreiding!

De duurzame techniek achter bloeiende rozen

BEWUST WATER & ELEKTRA - ENTHOVENTECHNIEK.NL

AIRCONDITIONING PROFESSIONALS

Telefoon: 0658786840

UW AIRCONDITIONING SPECIALIST Telefoon: 010-3075610

Onderdeel van de ROCKWOOL Groep

Grodan feliciteert Porta Nova met de nieuwe locatie!

Porta Nova heeft gekozen voor de 10 cm hoge Grodan Vitaflor in combinatie met een 10 x 10 Plantop Rosa blok voor deze locatie. Grodan beschikt over een assortiment gewasspecifieke substraten voor de sierteelt.

Grodan Vitaflor is het aangewezen substraat voor rozenkwekers die een robuuste, goed drainerende mat willen, waarin de wortels het volledige volume benutten. Deze eigenschappen bieden zekerheid en gemak tijdens de hele teeltperiode. Plantop Rosa is het perfecte opkweekblok voor telers die streven naar een optimale uniformiteit van hun rozenplanten.

www.grodan.nl

Worldwide Expertise for Food & Flowers

Delphy wenst Porta Nova succes met de nieuwe locatie!

Informatie Jeroen van Buren T +31 (0)6 51 59 14 30 E j.vanburen@delphy.nl W www.delphy.nl

Consultancy in flowers and vegetables

Aanpakken, meedenken, doen.

010 - 511 37 77 | info@vanettenbv.nl

Wij zijn gespecialiseerd in alle voorkomende grondwerkzaamheden voor zowel de tuinbouw als de grond-, weg- en waterbouw. ‘Nee’ kennen wij niet, geen opdracht is voor ons onmogelijk.

Ons machinepark omvat verschillende kranen, trekkers, graafmachines, shovels en meer.

Bestaat de oplossing niet, dan creëren wij die!

Betrokken vanuit traditie, innovatief vanuit ambitie. www.vanettenbv.nl

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www.portanova.nl