NL: 2.5 ha new building OK Plant opened

"Over the past 10 years we kept on growing, whereby each expansion was never cost driven, but always was done at the request of our customers." Revealed Rob Olsthoorn, director of OK Plant. The highlight in this process came at the end of 2015 with the decision to build a new greenhouse of 2.5 hectares. On February 2, with great interest from customers, colleagues, suppliers and acquaintances, a festive opening was held.

Rob Olsthoorn

The greenhouse was built and equipped with the latest technology by players ‘from the mushroom league of the Dutch horticultural sector’: Technokas built, Logics took care of the internal transport, Boekestijn the electrical systems, Fog-System the fogging system and PDI the screens (including an outside screen on the old greenhouse).

A toast was made

An average of 90,000 Little Kolibri Orchids are processed on a weekly basis. These are mainly 2-stems and 3-stems plants, for a small part 1-stem and also the necessary 'specials'. Every week about 600 trolleys, or 5 trucks a day, leave the company. OK carries about 120 varieties, all in 9 cm pots and under the brand name Little Kolibri. About 90% of these find their way abroad: England, Germany, Belgium, France, Italy, the Scandinavian countries, Switzerland and Austria, Poland and Russia; the remaining 10% stays here. In addition, depending on the season, primroses, campanulas, asters and cyclamen are also brought in on 2 hectares.

View in the new building, primarily intended for propagation

Rob, who is also the chairman of the crop cooperative orchidee and also of producer organization Addenda - along with Desiree Olsthoorn started their potted plant nursery 27 years ago and are clearly proud of it. The grower has, with the new building, but certainly also with the recent nomination for the Horticultural Entrepreneur's Prize, placed himself firmly in the spotlight. Cultivation is done according to the principles of Next Generation Growing, they are involved in the geothermal project Oranjepolder and the greenhouse is linked to the CO2 network of OCAP. The jury also praised the commitment to the personnel and the appointment of five employees as partners, with which more involvement is created. In addition, with the expansion of the Kolibri brand, the clear focus on the mini-niche and the conception of all kinds of concepts and added value, with which customers concretely see their sales go up, the company is doing all it can to promote itself.

Thijs van der Valk and Desiree Olsthoorn

To give the evening some additional cachet, two guest speakers were invited: Albert Top from retail consultancy firm Crossmarks and Frank van der Heide, director of Tuinbranche Nederland. Both presented their insights on the future of retail, the trends they perceive coming and the assumed transitions that store and consumer will go through.

Left Albert Top, right Frank van der Heide

Missed the evening but still curious about the new greenhouse? This Saturday, the grower organizes an open day from 10am to 3pm.

For more information:
OK Plant
Thijs van der Valk
Baakwoning 5
2671 LE Naaldwijk
M: +31 6 24 40 08 85
E: thijs@okplant.nl
www.okplant.nl