Crisis or not, not much has been built in the heart of Westland in recent years. The big builders are realizing hectares (far) abroad, or else in the polder in the Netherlands, but not here where space is at a premium.
(Still) nothing to see here, but certainly with the sun that is now appearing, that will change soon.
That is one of the reasons that makes the next project special. Kwekerij Zijdezicht has just had an old greenhouse renovated, bought an additional section from a neighbor and filled up a ditch. As we speak, Horticulture Services is driving the first piles into the ground and will have the builder, who supervises the entire project, construct a 15,000 square meter project in the coming weeks. The first chrysanthemums and asters should be up in week 29.
“We are completely at ease here”, say Bernard van Hest and John Torenstra. “In 2000 we built the greenhouse in which Zijdezicht is now growing. An older, lower greenhouse has now been demolished and we are building the new greenhouse on the new, larger plot. This will be added to the existing greenhouse and will soon be equipped with the latest technologies, LEDs, screens, a flower tunnel below the path and more.”
What’s also special is that Horticulture Services has everything done in-house. Where other builders offer turn-key projects and take along a whole battery of suppliers in their wake, this company has its own technicians for almost all required activities. “This has several advantages: through good planning, several teams can work simultaneously for a speedy production. Costs can also be reduced because we do not have to make margin on top of margin, and moreover the customer will also benefit once all is completed. We are doing a lot in maintenance and emergency care, we have people for water technology, for assembly, for repairs and more. Should anything arise after completion, we can come to the rescue.”
Yet it has also been a long time for Horticulture Services since they were able to realize such a project locally in the Westland. “We are doing a lot in France, a lot in England, for a long time we have had a company in Belgium, we are occasionally in Germany and also a lot in Switzerland. And sometimes an outlier that is further away. But for here in De Lier, we have to go back far in time. We were really not the only ones who would like to take on this project. We eventually teamed up with Bom Group who, like many others, are very happy to shine, not only with projects on the other side of the world, but also here, in their backyard.”
Image of the remediation of the former greenhouse
Horticulture Services is involved in the project from probing to planting. They would even like to have taken care of the demolition of the old greenhouse, but this time that was not possible due to activities elsewhere. How the market will develop in the near future is of course also uncertain for this company. There is plenty of work for the time being, both gentlemen conclude, but the fact that two teams are stuck in the south of France is not a good sign. “However, repairs and calamities will always happen, in that respect we will be kept busy. In any case, for now we are very pleased with the trust and in advance we are very proud of this project.”
For more information:
Horticulture Services BV
John Torenstra
Slotenmakerstraat 15
2672 GC Naaldwijk
The Netherlands
www.horticultureservices.nl