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Company news

Steam boiler leaving on a jet plane to Kenya

Last weekend, Agricon Horty Projects B.V. from Monster (Netherlands) transported a steam boiler to Kenya, destined for P van der Haak Handelskwekerij."We regularly supply steam boilers to Africa", says Johan van der Wel, "but so far never by plane." Robert Zuyderwijk of P van der Haak Handelskwekerij is.....

UK: New recruits strengthen HTA’s Horticultural team

HTA has appointed two new recruits to strengthen the policy and horticulture teams. Sally Cullimore joins as Policy Executive and brings many years of experience from the grower sector after completing her studies at Pershore College. Sally has spent time at Ball Colegrave and the Newey Group in sales and.....

Kenya: Oserian Two Lakes Flower Park signs new France flower breeder

Naivasha based flower company Oserian Development Company Ltd has signed French flower breeder George Delbard to set up a show house at its new Flower Park, as part of the company’s diversification plan into an industrial park and real estate. This has seen the company establish an investment arm named.....

Guatemala: Two Dümmen Orange employees still missing

Two employees of Dümmen Orange have been missing for ten days now, since volcano Fuego erupted in Guatemala on June the 3rd. "Because their homes are buried under the ash, it's a very dark scenario," Nicolette Straver, Corporate Communication Specialist at the Dutch breeder, told Dutch newspaper AD. She.....

Dekker Chrysanten launches new corporate identity

The Netherlands is worldwide the biggest player in the ornamental horticulture. We owe that position to companies that keep on innovating. Dekker Chysanten is one of them. This breeder is internationally one of the largest breeders of the chrysanthemum.That focus on the chrysanthemum is held onto, not only.....

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PL: Robotics Center of Excellence will open in Warsaw in 2020

A new Robotics Center of Excellence in Warsaw will help DSV optimise data intensive business processes and relieve employees of repetitive manual tasks.Since the industrial revolution, there has been an increasing demand for efficient production and consequently for automation. By the 1970s, industrial.....

US (OH): Corso's hires PR firm in wake of arrests

Corso’s Home and Garden Center hired a public relations firm in the wake of last week’s raids that led to the arrest of more than 100 of its employees.Corso’s chose Dix & Eaton to provide communications support during the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).....

Australian Made Board of Directors meet for the 100th time

The Australian Made Campaign has celebrated the 100th meeting of its Board of Directors, underscoring the longevity of the not-for-profit organisation that administers the famous Australian Made, Australian Grown logo (AMAG logo). Senior members of the businesses community attended the milestone assembly.....

Selling 5 million Ugandan Fairtrade poinsettias

In the Fairtrade Cents pilot project launched last year, Wagagai (a nursery for young plants in Uganda), import partner Selecta One and Fairtrade International want workers on the farm to earn a 'fair' wage. For each sold Fairtrade poinsettia, a few cents go into a separate bonus fund, which supplements the.....

Bayer closes Monsanto acquisition

Bayer successfully completed the acquisition of Monsanto on Thursday. Shares in the U.S. company will no longer be traded on the New York Stock Exchange, with Bayer now the sole owner of Monsanto Company. Monsanto shareholders are being paid 128 U.S. dollars per share. J.P. Morgan assisted Bayer with.....

NL: Rose grower says goodbye to Myrna rose

"On June 5, 2018, the Myrna+ rose was traded for the last time." After more than 6 years, Fransen Roses has ended the cultivation of this beautiful red rose. "Of course we’ll still have the beautiful Red Naomi roses."The rose grower has made a farewell video in which all the highlights of the rose can be.....

France: Beekenkamp expands sales presence with Ducrettet partnership

The ornamentals division of Beekenkamp Plants and the French company Graineterie A. Ducrettet, have agreed to a cooperation from the 11th of June 2018. A. Ducrettet is active in the sales of seeds (flowers and vegetables), as well as young plants to French growers. With this cooperation, Beekenkamp.....

Stable turnover and more profits for Royal Lemkes in 2017

In 2017 Royal Lemkes delivered nearly 97 million plants to 2,600 stores in 30 countries, lowered CO2 emissions by 65% and saved 40,000 km in transport. Michiel de Haan, Managing Director Royal Lemkes: “We look back on a successful 2017 filled with many unforgettable moments: intensified.....

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FleuraMetz changes its management structure

Changes in the global floriculture sector are gathering pace, with sustainability the new norm. FleuraMetz wants to make a difference by excelling in HR (the best people), marketing (the best customer approach and services) and IT (the best digital channels, data and logistics). From left to right: Martin.....

Kenya: Former Karuturi workers petition Treasury to probe bank over dues

Former employees of flower firm Karuturi Ltd have appealed to the government to facilitate their benefits after the company was put under receivership.The 2,500 workers who were rendered jobless in 2014 want Treasury, Central Bank of Kenya, Kenya Revenue Authority and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption.....

US (OH): Corso's comments on arrest of employees

On June 5, 2018, Federal investigators executed a search warrant at Corso’s Flower and Garden Center locations in Sandusky and Castalia, Ohio. In the process of executing that warrant, the investigators arrested more than 100 Corso’s employees. Corso’s is fully complying with the government’s investigation,.....

collaboration Zentoo and BloomyPro

The chrysanthemum from A to Z in 3D

The whole chain is involved with the shelf. Starting from that idea, Danny van Uffelen from Zentoo and Eric Egberts from BloomyPro collaborated, and as a result the chrysanthemum club can now present the entire chrysanthemum assortment digitized in 3D, including the varieties from Floritec, Royal van Zanten,.....

NL: Maarel Orchids sells De Lier nursery

Maarel Orchids has improved the company strategy for the future, and the focus is mainly on delivering large uniform batches to garden centers and retailers throughout Europe via specialized exporters. Maarel Orchids wants to distinguish itself with its service, and for this purpose a specific software.....

US (FL): MedMen buys Treadwell Nursery

MedMen has signed a definitive agreement to acquire dispensary and cultivation assets from Florida based Treadwell Nursery.As part of the transaction, MedMen will acquire Treadwell Nursery’s cultivation facility situated on 5 acres in Eustis, Florida and the right to open 25 medical marijuana dispensaries in.....

FloraHolland employee sacked over anniversary party

An employee of Royal FloraHolland was fired because the celebration of his 12.5-year anniversary at the job crossed quite a few lines. A Dutch court judged that a speech laced with criticism, and a scantily-clad lady, were justified grounds for dismissal.Imagine working at the auction for 12.5 years. Reason.....

US (FL): Jet Fresh Flower Distributors moves to new location

Jet Fresh Flower Distributors, the importer, distributor and grower of fresh-cut wholesale flowers in Miami, Fla. is moving to a new facility directly across the street from their current location near the Miami International Airport.The family-owned and operated supplier of wholesale flowers is relocating.....

Change in organizational structure at Floritec

The Floritec management has recently decided upon an adaptation in the company organization.After appointing René le Clercq as general director a.i., a transfer of responsibilities and tasks have been agreed upon. Purpose was to create a more transparent structure both internally as well as for clients.Frank.....

Bailey Nurseries rebrands as Bailey

Bailey Nurseries is updating its corporate identity to a more modernized brand position: Bailey. Along with a fresh and modern look, Bailey reaffirms its commitment to Growing What’s Next, the company’s drive to constantly evolve and innovate.The Growing What’s Next theme will be carried across all.....

Kenya: The ripple effect caused by the closure of a flower farm

A walk through the withering and dilapidated flower farm depicts the sad state of affairs at the Sher Karuturi Flower Farm.The lives of more than 3,000 people came to a standstill when the Flower farm shut its doors in May 2015 after being placed under receivership over accrued debt.Where a multibillion.....

Paula Arango, DVFG:

"Allocation management can be extremely tricky"

In the new installment of the “DV Employee Spotlight”, DVFlora features Paula Arango. She has a very unique role with the company and serves as their Farm and Logistics Coordinate out of South America.The interview provides some great insight on how DVFlora interacts with farm partners and the coordination.....

US: Delta Cargo appoints Lindsey Jalil as new Managing Director - Commercial

Delta Air Lines Cargo has appointed Lindsey Jalil as Managing Director — Commercial, a role previously held by Kristin Colvile, who was recently promoted to Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of SkyTeam.Effective June 1, Jalil leads Delta Cargo's commercial activities including: Alliances,.....

"The flower business is becoming faster and more transparent"

Royal Flowers opens sales office in the Netherlands

It is actually a logical step, explains Wilco Visser, the new branch of the Ecuadorian Royal Flowers company in the Netherlands. "More than 60 percent of production is exported to Canada and the US. From the Netherlands we can better serve the European market, allowing us to diversify our customer base. Our.....

HortiMaX company name discontinued

Ridder Group unites brands under one banner

Starting 11 June, the Ridder Group will have one brand. Its existing range of brands will make way for one umbrella brand, Ridder, to enhance their profile and name recognition on the international market. The company name HortiMaX B.V. will be discontinued. All contact and address details will remain.....

Ralph Koopman joins Armada Young Plants as Commercial Director

As of June 1st 2018 Ralph Koopman is appointed as Commercial Director of Armada Young Plants. Ralph will be responsible for all commercial affairs of the company and will focus on the development of Sales & Marketing activities in the most important (license) markets of Armada Young Plants and its.....

Royal FloraHolland members give green light for Members' Council

During the General Members' Meeting (GMM) on 31 May 2018, a majority of 79% of the members of Royal FloraHolland voted to introduce a Members' Council from 1 January 2019. The new structure – in which the GMM will no longer be organised – is intended to improve the quality of decision-making within the.....

Australia: A new voice for horticulture

With the recent announcement of the new National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) Horticultural Council, you could be forgiven for wondering if the horticultural lobby is growing top-heavy. So what is different with this new forum?by Gabrielle StannusSpeaking on this topic during his “State of Play” address at the.....

September 24-26, Raleigh

US (NC): ASCFG celebrates 30 years at National Conference

The Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers will hold its National Conference and Trade Show September 24-26, 2018 at the North Raleigh Hilton in Raleigh, North Carolina.The event will kick off with a one-day Growers’ School at Sassafras Fork Farm, with sessions directed at new and beginning cut flower.....

UAE: Forever Rose London announces international expansion

Forever Rose London, part of the Al Samadi Group, continues its international expansion plans in 2018 to further branch its presence within the GCC as well as into new European markets, including London, Paris, and Milan, due to the brand's continual growth year on year. Since its opening in 2014, Forever.....

UK: Nursery plant centre for sale

Quinton Edwards are selling an established nursery and plant centre which benefits from a four bedroom period house.The business has been operating for circa 15 years and is a traditionally run nursery and plant centre which relies heavily on repeat custom and is favoured by keen gardeners. The majority of.....

UK: Mass summer displays herald new home for National Wildflower Centre

The wonder of wildflowers will be coming to the Eden Project this summer with mass displays around the gardens and approaches.Grand displays of the UK’s best known wildflowers including poppies, cornflowers, daisies and corn marigolds outside the famous Biomes at Eden’s site in Cornwall will mark a new.....

Netherlands: Van der Ende Groep to relocate

Van der Ende Groep, currently established at Maasambacht in Maasdijk, will soon be relocated to Aartsdijkweg at the Coldenhove business park (Maasdijk). Owing to the company’s strong growth, its premises at Maasambacht had become too small and a new location had to be found.This location, in the building.....

Floricultura expands with anthuriums

From week 26 onward Floricultura expands its assortment with anthurium. In cooperation with Van der Voort Young plants a beautiful new assortment is ready to enter the market. In first instance it will involve 30 to 40 large flowered and compact varieties. In the next phase this will be expanded. The.....

Netherlands: Fachjan installs 270 solar panels on roof

Fachjan is taking more and more steps to work climate-neutral. Recently, solar panels have been placed on the roof of the warehouse and quarantine rooms for a next step in making the company more sustainable.In total, 270 solar panels have been installed that will provide the largest part of the electricity.....

new Elite location Dümmen Orange opened

"Our whole plant library under one roof"

A speech by the mayor of the local town, a proud CEO, suppliers and toasting with champagne. Those were the main ingredients needed to open the new, state-of-the-art breeding facility Elite in Rheinberg, Germany. Paradoxically, the opening was symbolized by an (orange) key closing the doors,.....

US (MI): Dr. Kristin Getter hired as Garden Director at MSU

Dr. Kristin Getter has been hired to replace retiring MSU Horticulture Gardens Director Dr. Art Cameron. Her first official day as the new Garden Director will be August 15, 2018. Kristin has been with MSU Horticulture since 2011 where she started as an Outreach Specialist working with the east-Michigan.....

Kenya: Homa Bay geothermal firm gets exploration millions

Kenya renewable energy firm Capital Power has secured $720,000 (about Sh72.6 million) from the African Union Commission (AUC) for a 140 megawatts (MW) geothermal prospect in Homa Bay County.Director Tony Wanyama said the funds will be used to conduct a surface study and infrastructure upgrade.....

Pico Bello Hortensia opens new 6.1 ha nursery

Dutch grower transforms pepper to hydrangea nursery

With a festive day, the new Pico Bello Hortensia location in Bleiswijk was opened on May 3rd. The nursery of 6.1 hectares has been converted from a pepper nursery to a hydrangea nursery over the past few months. Entrepreneur Paul Kouwenhoven manages the company together with his sons Richard and Bob.From.....

U.S. Department of Justice conditionally approves Bayer-Monsanto

On Tuesday, Bayer obtained conditional approval from the Antitrust Division of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) for the proposed acquisition of Monsanto. “Receipt of the DOJ’s approval brings us close to our goal of creating a leading company in agriculture,” said Bayer CEO Werner Baumann. “We.....

Australian Made Campaign Chief Executive to step down

The Australian Made Campaign’s Chief Executive, Ian Harrison, has announced he is stepping down at the end of July this year, after 14 years at the helm of the organisation responsible for promoting and administering the nation’s iconic green-and-gold Australian Made, Australian Grown logo. “After 14 years.....

Texas A&M AgriLife Research director steps down

Dr. Craig Nessler, director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research since 2009, will return as a faculty member in the department of horticultural sciences at Texas A&M University in College Station on June 1.“We commend Dr. Nessler for his many contributions to the agricultural research enterprise during his.....

Senmatic strengthens efforts in Chinese market

As part of Senmatic's new 2020 strategy, China has become an important focus area. The company has opened its own sales office in Shanghai, where 3 sales persons with many years of sales experience within the sensor area make up the new sales team.One of the business areas, in which Senmatic's sales team in.....

How do you celebrate a 60th anniversary?

Generous donations to 60 good causes, one for every year they've been in business. That's what they're doing to celebrate their 60th anniversary at ErfGoed, the international leader in the manufacturing and installation of cultivation floors. The staff was asked to suggest socially involved and idealistic.....

NL: Floranti obtains Floricode certification

Floranti recently obtained the Floricode conformity certificates for the APIs. Which means the software meets the sector standards.Director Maurice van Winden (Floranti): "If you want to play an important role in a chain of companies, then cooperation and communication are essential. This means that software.....

UK: Raoul Curtis-Machin leaves HTA

HTA has announced that it will be adding to its horticultural expertise and industry experience with the appointment of two new posts in the coming months. A Horticulture Manager and a Policy Executive will build on the lobbying success achieved by Director of Horticulture, Raoul Curtis-Machin that has.....

NL: Dümmen to build "world’s largest Breeding Technology Centre"

Dümmen Orange, leading breeder and propagator, kicked off the start of the construction of its new Breeding Technology Centre (BTC) for flower research. With the centre, Dümmen Orange centralizes facilities (labs and offices) for all fields of technology that will speed up breeding and selection processes to.....

Kenya: Karuturi liquidation battle set to take longer

The battle surrounding the debt-ridden Karuturi flower farm in Naivasha continued with the Court of Appeal stopping the planned sale of its assets.This came a month after the bank, which has appointed a liquidation manager, listed assets to be sold to recover the debt that the once leading rose producer.....

Koen Pack Kenya expands

Kenya: "Five new halls, double the production"

In recent months, the people at Koen Pack Manipal's production facility in Kenya got a lot done. Five new halls were built and the existing machines have been transferred. In addition, several new printing machines have been purchased so that the production has now doubled, according to the supplier of.....

Kenya: Court stops CFC Stanbic from selling Karuturi assets

CFC Stanbic's bid to sell Karuturi’s assets has been halted by the High Court.High Court Justice Francis Tuiyott (on Tuesday 22nd May 2018) allowed CFC Stanbic receivers to continue evaluating the Expression of Interests proposals from applicants but not sell the assets as earlier advertised.“…the process of.....

A step closer to growing roses under full LED

In the past years important steps have been made in the research into growing roses under LED-lighting. It started with growing under traditional lighting (HPS 200 umoll) together with various systems to close the greenhouse as much as possible, but now they want to make the next step to the future of.....

Kenya: Sustainable ventures catch eye of investors

Companies building businesses through supporting employee wellbeing initiatives as well as maintaining a zero-tolerance on pollution are the most sought-after by foreign companies seeking local trade linkages.Netherlands-based renewable energy firm, EcoZoom has done business with two companies operating in.....

Oboya appoints Robert Wu as new CEO

Robert Wu has been appointed new CEO of the company, which is a strategic decision by the Board of Oboya Horticulture Industries AB. The main purpose of the decision is to strengthen Oboya's growth and profitability in the coming years, as well as to increase growth rates in the Chinese market through.....

Anat Moshes, Danziger"

"Kenya a major segment at the global floriculture market"

“Kenya is becoming indispensable for the global cut-flowers market” says Anat Moshes, VP Cut flowers sales at Danziger. “From year to year we witness the impressive development in capabilities of Kenya growers: Professional growing and handling, stronger connections with Europe largest wholesale companies,.....

AIPH new owner of FloraCulture International

The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) has taken over the ownership of FloraCulture International (FCI) from Royal FloraHolland (RFH). This in an agreement made between the two organisations last week, reports FCI in a newsletter. Royal FloraHolland CCO, Mr. Servaas van der Ven said.....

New geothermal doublet in Pijnacker

Huisman has recently signed a contract to supply a geothermal doublet in Pijnacker. The drilling of wells has started at the end of April. The installation will heat a large area of greenhouses, a neighboring residential area, and the local swimming pool. The wells will be drilled to depths of about 2300.....

Dutch Flower Group sounds the gong

Dutch Flower Group CEO Marco van Zijverden celebrated winning the Family Business Award 2018 by sounding the gong, together with colleagues. The family business was picked from a select group of five companies that were nominated for the award.These companies were selected from hundreds of family businesses.....

CAN (QC): Lambert celebrates 90 years

Lambert Peat Moss Company is celebrating its 90th anniversary of premium peat moss production. Now with four generations in the business, Lambert still operates from the original location, along with a number of additional peat bogs.“My grandfather helped pioneer the development of peat moss production in.....

online flower service Bloemist

Next-day delivery from Dutch retailer

Albert Heijn will be delivering flowers to the consumer under the name 'Bloemist'. "Just picked, fresh from the grower and guaranteed beautiful for seven days", as the retailer describes the new service.It was currently possible to add flowers to your Albert Heijn order, but since last week Albert Heijn has.....

NL: Edith Bentvelsen new managing director at Ter Laak Orchids

Edith Bentvelsen will start as Managing Director at Ter Laak Orchids from August 1st. Edith will be responsible for organization, HRM, strategy and marketing. In the past six months she has supervised the expansion and development of the organization regarding the new cultivation location in Wateringen,.....

NL: Opti-flor celebrates its 90th anniversary

This year Phalaenopsis grower Opti-flor celebrates the 90th anniversary of the Hendriks family in horticulture. Jan Hendriks started the company in 1928. Meanwhile Marco and René Hendriks are the third generation entrepreneurs. They will soon celebrate this extensively during the ‘Friends of Opti-flor.....

Stokman pleased with modern new webshop

SDF developed a new webshop for trade and production companies in floriculture. This modern webshop is the first to be launched at Stokman Export BV in Naaldwijk and should offer customers even better access to the current product range.The site has been designed for both mobile devices and PCs and adapts.....

"Karuturi owners sue to stop Stanbic from selling assets"

The owners of troubled Karuturi flower farm in Naivasha have now moved to court to stop the receiver manager from selling part of the company’s assets, The Star reports.In a statement by farm executive director Yeshoda Karuturi, the firm had filed a contempt of court case against Stanbic bank for initiating.....

C-LED and Biolchim partner to increase output capacity

LED technology is gaining more and more ground inside greenhouses. This is because it allows customisation of light spectra according to crop type and, at the same time, improves energy efficiency compared to traditional lighting systems.Latest-generation greenhouses are designed to aid natural growth 365 days.....

"But it is still top sport"

Emsflower supplies 700,000 Terrazza pot roses every year

This is the time of Terrazza roses, pot roses from De Ruiter Innovations for gardens, balconies, and patios in 15 or 17 cm pots. German company Emsfllower GmbH produces around 700,000 each year for large German supermarkets. Jeroen Stamsnijder, Emsflower: "We have been doing this for seven years, but it.....

US: Bower & Branch acquires mobile commerce company Plantfast

Bower & Branch, a group of independent growers and garden retailers throughout the Northeast, Midwest and Pacific Northwest has acquired the mobile commerce company, Plantfast. Plantfast founder Jon Ewing will join the Bower & Branch advisory board. “This acquisition accelerates our development of a.....

US: Maine student receives Bigelow scholarship

The Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) congratulates Leala Machesney as the 2017-2018 recipient of Timothy S. and Palmer W. Bigelow Jr. Scholarship.Machesney is a third year undergraduate student at the University of Maine pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Horticulture with hopes to.....

Netherlands: Keukenhof welcomed 1.4 million visitors

In 2018, Keukenhof once again had a successful season. Visitors gave the flower exhibition a 9 out of 10 score. 1.4 million people visited the park; the same number as last year.More young people visited Keukenhof. The average age decreased from 48 to 46 thanks to the increasing number of families with.....

US: Will MacMurdo named head Bayer Turf and Ornamentals Business

Environmental Science, a business unit of the Crop Science division of Bayer, announced that Will MacMurdo has been appointed Head of the U.S. Turf and Ornamentals business. In this role, MacMurdo will lead strategic planning and commercial operations for the Turf and Ornamentals business, advancing the goal.....

Record sales in Mother's Day week at Veiling Rhein-Maas

Veiling Rhein-Maas saw the most successful Mother's Day week in 2018 since the company's inception in 2010. The auction, including clock presales and clock service, realized a 16.56 million euro revenue record during said week. Furthermore, the first two weeks of May were the most successful with a total.....

Flowers Canada Growers Inc. (FCG) launches new website

CAN: One-stop shop for all floral or greenhouse needs

Flowers Canada Growers Inc. (FCG) is pleased to announce the launch of a new website to help flower buyers find Canadian ornamental plants and services ~ www.theflowerdirectory.com. This online guide, developed from the highly popular Greenhouse Growers’ Directory and Buyers’ Guide, showcases a wide array of.....

New board members for Pinnacle Climate Technologies

Pinnacle Climate Technologies, a company with solutions in heating, cooling, and ventilation, is pleased to announce the promotion of Peter Lyle and the addition of Sukru Erisgen.Peter has been with the Pinnacle Climate Team for nearly 8 years in a variety of sales leadership roles, most recently serving as.....

Leif Mortensen, EuroFlora:

"It might have been our best Mother's Day ever"

Good weather means good Mother's Day sales. It is often said, but is it true? According to Leif Mortensen, Managing Director at Danish flower and plant export company EuroFlora, it is. "We do not have any statistics yet, but this year might have been our best Mother's Day ever, at least the best over the.....

Bob Ijpelaar, K.G. van Vliet

NL: From cart pushers to logistic specialists

K.G. van Vliet has recently moved to a brand new building on the Rietwijkeroordweg in Aalsmeer. It was high time as the company was getting too big for the previous location. With a warehouse of 23,000 m2 (and 39,000 m2 total area surface) the company is future proof once more. Everybody has already moved.....

Bercomex maintains Potveer expertise and experience

Following the recent take-over, Bercomex is seriously committed to providing service and maintenance for Potveer solutions. Former Potveer customers can obtain spare parts, service and remote service through Bercomex Service. Potveer expertise and experience maintainedPotveer expertise and experience will be.....

UK: Introducing new HTA Board members

The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) has announced the appointment of Matthew Bent, the Managing Director from Bents Garden & Home near Warrington, to the HTA Board as a non-executive director.Matthew Bent and Richard Pyrah.Matthew Bent said, “I am delighted and proud to have been selected for.....

David Cervantes

New Sales Manager Spain, Portugal for Smithers-Oasis

Smithers-Oasis Company announces the appointment of David Cervantes to territory sales manager, Oasis Grower Solutions. In the position, Cervantes plans to develop new markets in Spain and Portugal, cultivate distributors and provide customer technical support. Prior to joining Smithers-Oasis Company,.....

bloomon takes first step into gift market with Mother's Day bunch

NL: "We are ready for the peak"

Mother's Day is approaching and this year floral bouquets companybloomon is responding with a special promotion. "We offer a luxurious Mother's Day bunch with many additional special seasonal flowers that we deliver on the Mother's Day weekend", says Reinoud Haal, Global Head of Growth at bloomon.As long as.....

NL: Decorum welcomes new member Montana Lisianthus

Montana Lisianthus recently joined Decorum. Montana has specialized in the cultivation of lisianthus for more than 25 years. On the 4 hectare nursery located in Poeldijk, Frank and Corine van Holst grow a very large selection all year round, including the special varieties Fleur Elise, Rosanne, Alissa and.....

New website for Koppert US:

US: "Assisting growers in finding correct solutions"

Koppert Biological Systems, Inc., a subsidiary of the world’s leader in biological pest control, has introduced a new and improved website, KoppertUS.com. The website is designed specifically to provide a user-friendly experience in which growers gain easy access to local crop-specific solutions.....

US: Woodburn Nursery teams with Bower & Branch, Tom Fessler joins Board of Directors

Bower & Branch, a group of independent growers and garden retailers throughout the northeast and Midwest announced today that Woodburn Nursery of Woodburn, OR has joined its grower network. Woodburn Nursery becomes the group’s first west coast member, as well as.....

UK: Reshaping the future for Plant Heritage

Plant Heritage is entering an era of change. Over the last 40 years, Plant Heritage has given a lead in cultivated plant conservation to the world and it’s vital that the charity is robust enough to continue this work for the next 40 years and more.There are key actions that Plant Heritage is taking to.....

EU: Syngenta presents new Impatiens walleriana series Imara

Syngenta Flowers reintroduces the Impatiens walleriana with the new Imara series. The plant will be marketed in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and the Netherlands.MildewSince the widespread outbreak of downy mildew in 2011, the market for Impatiens walleriana has shrunk drastically. Imara, however, is.....

Rock wool with all natural binder for US market

"We look at Speedgrow Green as the next generation of rock wool growing media, ready to take on any crop and any growing environment", Joe Farinacci of BFG says. The company is very excited to add Speedgrow Green to their assortment.Speedgrow Green is a natural alternative to traditional mineral (rock) wool.....

Colorful introduction for the latest pelargonium brand from Syngenta

Pelargonium Calliope makes its debut on Dutch DIY TV program

The results of the 2017 market research on the plant wishes of the consumer are apparent. The consumer wants a plant with excellent garden performance, more flowers and easy care. The Calliope pelargonium does meet these wishes. The most popular TV gardener of the Netherlands, Rob Verlinden, will bring the.....

Wellwaij Belting

Two milestones in one

Wellwaij Belting celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Belco Systems B.V. from Limburg will continue their activities under the name Wellwaij Belting Herkenbosch B.V. Two milestones the company from Wormer is most certainly proud of.Ben Groot, general director of Wellwaij Belting: "Just as Wellwaij.....

Scotts Miracle-Gro moves further into marijuana with $450 million deal

Scotts Miracle-Gro recently signed an agreement to purchase Sunlight Supply. The privately-held company is a distributor of gardening supplies, taking the No. 1 slot in the segment of U.S. hydroponics (goods used to grow crops in water, without soil).Scotts Miracle-Gro is paying a total of $450 million for.....

Beekenkamp Plants acquires Sunny Osteospermum breeding program

The Danish nursery Sunny Grønnegyden ApS has been a successful Osteospermum breeder since 1985. In 2017 Beekenkamp Plants B.V. took over all sales activities of Sunny Holland, and now Sunny Grønnegyden ApS is transferring the entire breeding program to Beekenkamp.In the future, all breeding activities will.....

US (CO): New Young Plant Sales Manager for Botany Lane Greenhouses

Botany Lane Greenhouse has announced Emma Steed, former National Broker Sales Manager for EuroAmerican Propagators, and Regional Sales Manager for Hines Horticulture, as their new Young Plant Sales Manager (YPSM) to build the growing program. Emma will take the lead with brokers, breeding companies, breeder.....

New Young Plants Division Manager, Assistant Grower for J. Berry Nursery

Continuing their mission of “Creating Beauty that Inspires,” J Berry Nursery welcomes Dr. Judson LeCompte to oversee the Young Plants Division. Judson earned his PhD from Mississippi State and his Master’s from Auburn University, researching tea Camellia production in the southern United States and green.....

NL: Lex Ebus resigns as chairman VGB

Lex Ebus, who since June 2016 has been chairman of the VGB, is resigning for health reasons with immediate effect. Lex Ebus has guided the VGB over the last two years through a turbulent period and for that the board is very grateful to him. Under the leadership of Lex Ebus, a reorganization has taken place.....

China: Oboya signs broad cooperation agreement

Oboya Horticulture Industries AB (publ) has signed a broad strategic cooperation agreement with HCH Ventures, RRS and Sino-Italy Investments Co Ltd in Qingdao, China.The cooperation agreement covers distribution of Oboya's agriculture products to an estimated 100,000 different locations in China via Haier.....

Osram acquires Fluence Bioengineering

Osram, provider of intelligent plant growth solutions, announced the acquisition of Fluence Bioengineering, Inc. of Austin, Texas. Fluence was founded in 2013, has approximately 95 employees and its 2017 sales were in the mid-double-digit millions of dollars (USD). The company specializes in.....

Smithers-Oasis Company announces partnership with Agrilyst

Smithers-OasisCompany, a worldwide leader in providing solutions throughout the plant and flower supply chain from propagation to consumer, announces its partnership with Agrilyst, leading provider of a software as a service (SaaS) product for greenhouses and vertical farms that allows growers to track crops,.....

Equiflor and P&F Costa Rica Flower Farms join forces

Two large South American flower growers merge

Equiflor Corp. and P&F Costa Rica Flower Farms are excited to announce that they have merged companies to further enhance the value proposition to all customers throughout the United States and Canada. P&F, established in 1986, is the largest family-owned grower of Dutch bulb and European flowers,.....

Biobest appoints Kristof Truyens as Chief HR Officer

Kristof Truyens joins Biobest’s senior management team as CHRO (ChiefHuman Resources Officer). With a stream of new subsidiaries and the completion of 5 acquisitions during 2017, Biobest needs additional management skills to consistently roll out one global strategy across the entire organization."Kristof.....

NL: Silke Tijkotte reflects on a beautiful green journey

Let it Grow was founded by floral enthusiast Silke Tijkotte. While working at Royal FloraHolland, she was determined to find a way to encourage entrepreneurship and creativity within the floriculture sector. She connected a team and in turn, came a vibrant innovation platform, a source of inspiration for.....

SATO America appoints Stephen Sundstrom as Vice President of Sales

SATO America is pleased to announce the appointment of Stephen (Steve) Sundstrom as new Vice President of Sales. Steve assumes leadership of the SATO America sales team, developing new business opportunities and creating customized IoT solutions fitting to customer needs. Steve will report directly to Tim.....

US: OHP names new head of sales and marketing

Effective April 30, Troy Bettner has joined OHP as head of sales and marketing. He replaces long-time leader Terry Higgins, who retired March 31. He will lead the sales and marketing efforts with OHP’s experienced team of horticulture professionals.Troy BettnerTroy Bettner, Sales & Marketing Manager with.....

US (WI): Berry Basket greenhouse opens with new owners

The Berry Basket and Greenhouse, 4026 N. Henke Road, is opening under new ownership and celebrating with an open house on Saturday and Sunday.Inside the 30-by-72-foot greenhouse are about 40 varieties of flowers. “Everything that’s in here is what was in here last year,” said new owner Jan Bue-Wells,.....

NL: Dümmen Orange not preparing for stock market launch

A rumor is circulating that Dümmen Orange is preparing for a stock market launch in 2019. The news was brought this morning by De Telegraaf, a large Dutch newspaper, and was picked up by various news sites soon after. However, according to Dümmen Orange, the rumor is false. "We are surprised by this.....

NL: Breeder Anthura builds new greenhouse

Anthura recently started construction of a new greenhouse on the Anthuriumweg 10 in Bleiswijk, the Netherlands. The breeder, that specializes in orchids and anthuriums, celebrates its 80th anniversary this year and is busy investing in the future. In order to boost research and breeding capabilities, an.....

American Grown Field to Vase Dinner tour at Carlsbad

Second dinner tour stop gets rave reviews

For the fourth year in a row, The Flower Fields of Carlsbad provided the American Grown Field to Vase Dinner tour with that quintessential experience that one might imagine when dreaming of dinner on a flower farm.Hundreds of millions of ranunculus carpet the hillside, tended to by Mellano & Company,.....

NL: Mans Flowers expands greenhouse once again

What began in 2012 as a gerbera nursery of 3.2 hectares has now grown into an 8 hectare nursery. Owner Marius Mans once grew up among flowers and after he finished his education he rented a small nursery. Then in 2012 he built his own gerbera nursery, which was the first one designed according to Het Nieuwe.....

Royal Brinkman strengthens activities in Morocco

In order to give further substance to the general creed 'Local for Local’, Royal Brinkman is currently setting up a local Moroccan organisation in Agadir. With the establishment of Royal Brinkman Morocco, the international horticultural supplier has a local presence in eleven countries.Royal Brinkman has been.....

Union Fleurs elects new Board of Directors

Union Fleurs, the International Flower Trade Association, has recently elected a new President and Board of Directors on the occasion of its Annual General Meeting held in San Remo, Italy on 14 April 2018. The new Union Fleurs Board of Directors will work for the next two years (2018-2020) under the.....

US: Clint Albin joins Bower & Branch as Chief Communications Officer

Bower & Branch, a group of independent growers and garden retailers throughout the northeast and Midwest announced today that Clint Albin joined the organization as Chief Communications Officer (CCO). Albin comes to Bower & Branch after decades in the horticulture industry, as National Director of.....

1700 jobs to disappear

Kenya: Finlays closes two flower farms in Kericho

James Finlays Kenya Ltd announced it will close its two flower farms in Kericho, Kenya. On these farms around 1700 people are employed.The farms mentioned, Chermireu and Tarakat, total about 70 hectares. Closure will be phased out over a period of roughly 2.5 years, in order to minimize the impact for.....

US (CA): S.F. Flower Mart drama settles down, for now

The San Francisco Flower Mart inched closer towards moving to a temporary location in the Bayview thanks to action taken by the Board of Supervisors this week.On Tuesday, the Board voted unanimously to urge the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to execute a property exchange with private real estate.....

US: Horticulture container supplier upgrades manufacturing process

The HC Companies will invest in new manufacturing technologies aimed at improving product consistency and delivery times for the horticulture industry. This investment will replace almost half of The HC Companies’ equipment fleet while maintaining an uninterrupted production schedule.One of the main.....

Quick Plug files patent infringement suit

Quick Plug B.V. (Quick Plug), an affiliate of Grow-Tech Inc. (USA) and Omni Growing Solutions Inc. (Canada), owns a European patent that includes the exclusive right to the production and commercial exploitation of a certain type of rooting plug. This type of plug is being used worldwide by, amongst others,.....

Richard Fox (Kenya) new president of Union Fleurs

"Intensification of role flower businesses Africa and South America"

Union Fleurs, the International Flower Trade Association, has recently elected a new President and Board of Directors on the occasion of its Annual General Meeting held in San Remo, Italy on 14 April 2018. The new Union Fleurs Board of Directors will work for the next two years (2018-2020) under the.....

Cargolux reports best year in history

2017 proved to be a good year for Cargolux Airlines. Net profit after taxes for 2017 totaled US$ 122.3 million (compared to US$ 5.5 million in 2016) whilst FTKs increased by 12.3%. Consequently the load factor of the airline increased to 70.1% for the year. For the first time in its history the Cargolux.....

Dutch King to attend Anthura’s 80th anniversary

His Majesty King of the Netherlands will attend the celebration of Anthura's 80th anniversary in Bleiswijk on Friday, 1 June 2018.On the occasion of the 80th jubilee the company organizes a unique event on behalf of its relations: the Anthura relation event. During this special anniversary edition of this.....

Geoffrey Denton joins Tozer Seeds as Plant Pathologist

Dr. Geoffrey Denton recently joined Tozer Seeds as Plant Pathologist. He will be involved in disease resistance breeding programs and his role will include developing new tests for analysing diseases in seed.Dr. Denton is a highly experienced plant pathologist with a PhD in Biology from Imperial College.....

UK: Hartley Botanic celebrates 80th anniversary at RHS Chelsea

Greenfield-based greenhouse manufacturer Hartley Botanic is celebrating its 80th anniversary as well as communicating the history of plants at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.Hartley Botanic, which was founded in 1938 by brothers Vincent and Norman Hartley, has been making its handmade and bespoke.....

Nursery Roobeek and Dutch Garden Plant merging

As of April 1 2018 Nursery Roobeek is part of Dutch Garden Plants BV from Deurne (DGP). DGP will, in the future, conduct part of its activities from this location. Nursery Roobeek had two options, either to be taken over or to go out of business, and the employees are very happy with the choice of DGP. The.....

Green Career Consult 10 years in business

In April 2018 Green Career Consult celebrates its ten-year anniversary. Green Career Consult has grown into a middle sized agency which brings together organisations and candidates, and which offers support in developing careers.The service provider in a press statement: "We are proud that in spite of the.....

NL: Parfum Flower Company becomes part of Dutch Flower Group

Dutch Flower Group recently acquired Parfum Flower Company (PFC), a market leader in the field of fragrant roses. Based in the Netherlands, they export to many destinations worldwide.For Dutch Flower Group it is the third acquisition in a short period of time. Last month My Peony Society became part of Dutch.....

Video: Royal FloraHolland Members' Council meeting

In a documentary series, Royal FloraHolland provides a peek behind the scenes at the pilot Members' Council. In the second episode, the topic is the Members' Council meeting.In this episode, Royal FloraHolland member Job van Egmond examines the relationship of the pilot Members' Council with the MT and the.....

Former Potveer Sales team joins Bercomex

Former Potveer representatives Piet Stroet and Mathijs van Langen have joined the Bercomex Sales team. Following the recent bankruptcy of Potveer, Bercomex announced the take-over of the Potveer brand, services and part of the product range. Former Potveer owner Piet Stroet is pleased with this development:.....

KFC Chairman elected President of Union Fleurs

The Kenya Flower Council has been elected to hold the Presidency of the Union Fleurs for 2 years.Kenya Flower Council Board of Directors Chairman, Mr. Richard Fox is now the president of Union Fleurs, where the Council is a member, following an election held during the Union Fleurs General Assembly in San.....

Syngenta Flowers to acquire dahlia assortment from Verwer Dahlia

Syngenta Flowers has reached an agreement with Verwer Dahlia to acquire its dahlia assortment and breeding program. Both companies expect to finalize the acquisition in the coming weeks. Terms have not been disclosed.Brandon Willis of Syngenta at the California Spring Trials 2018.Verwer Dahlia was.....

NL: Holland Bulb Market celebrates 150th anniversary

With a Royal Visit, nice music and summer-like temperatures, Holland Bulb Market celebrated its 150th anniversary last Friday, April 20.Dutch Princes Margriet received flowers from the daughter of Joris van der Velden, the director of Holland Bulb Market. Director Joris van der Velden gives a summary of the.....

Karuturi to start afresh in Ethiopia

Passing through turbulent years in Ethiopia, Karuturi Agro Products PLC – a subsidiary of the Indian based Karuturi Global Ltd (KGL) – said it is about to recommence the troubled commercial farms they were forced to abandon in Ethiopia, last year.Sai Ramakrishna Karuturi aka Ram Karuturi, Chief Executive.....

Marginpar expands business with $17 million investment

Marginpar Flower Group strengthens its cooperation with East-African producers through an integration with Kariki Ltd Kenya, Carzan Flowers Kenya and Marginpar Ethiopia. This new consortium has been made possible through a $17 million investment made by Agri-Vie Fund II and the Norwegian Investment Fund for.....

Florentaise hires Kenneth Laming as export manager

With this international growth, reaching 5 619 k€ in 2017 (+ 53%), and 6 factories abroad representing 47% of its sales volumes, Florentaise continues to increase its export team to promote raw materials, 100% renewable, to European substrates manufacturers.On 19th March, Kenneth Laming joined the.....

NL: Jan Bakker new CEO of Eurogroep and TTA

On the 2nd of April, Jan Bakker took over from Simon den Hartigh as CEO of Eurogroep and TTA. Jan Bakker is the company’s former Technical Director and will be responsible for the operational activities of the Eurogroep companies and TTA from this moment forward.Jan BakkerWith Bram Verschoor as Commercial.....

Koppert Biological Systems expands board

Koppert Biological Systems has increased the size of its board in response to the projected growth of the Dutch family company.The new composition allows for more focus on specific areas of operation. The original board that includes CEOs Paul Koppert and Henri Oosthoek, and CFO Robert Pathuis, has grown to.....

Priva appoints Bram Koppert as General Manager Asia

On 16 April 2018, Priva announced the appointment of Bram Koppert as General Manager Asia. In Bram’s previous role as Manager Asia Pacific at Koppert Biological Systems, he was responsible for the management of the Asia sales and development teams.Bram Koppert about his choice to accept the position: “It’s.....