“Netafim has the network, the strength, and the financial capabilities to put Gakon on the map worldwide,” says Pieter van Berchum, Managing Director of Gakon Horticultural Projects. From April 1, the company will officially be part of Netafim.
70 years of history
Gakon Horticultural Projects was founded in 1951 by Bert Gardien. He started building wooden greenhouses. Seventy years later, the company has grown into a globally active and innovative supplier of turnkey greenhouse projects. Now it is time for the next step: On Friday, March 5, 2021, the company's shareholders signed an acquisition agreement. With the signing of this agreement, Netafim becomes 100% owner of Gakon. This takeover prepares Gakon for the next seventy years, says Managing Director Pieter van Berchum.
"The cooperation with Netafim opens up a world of possibilities for us," he says. "We see that projects are becoming larger and more complex and that worldwide solutions from the horticultural sector are required. With our experience and knowledge of greenhouse horticulture, we can help with the sustainable and profitable cultivation of crops, all with efficient use of water, precise fertigation and a high food safety.”
"We want to grow"
“We want to grow and at the same time you need a certain size to remain innovative and to be able to serve new markets,” adds Sales Director Olaf Mos. "Netafim is the ideal partner for us to help realize this. It is not without reason that the mission of Netafim, and the mission of Gakon, are very similar.''
"Netafim is the world leader in irrigation technology and is a leading player in agriculture and horticulture. Netafim knows agriculture and horticulture and has the network, the strength and the financial possibilities to put Gakon on the map worldwide," adds Pieter.
And that's exactly what's going to happen. Gakon Horticultural Projects will serve as the core of Netafim's greenhouse activity. In this, Gakon's Dutch and Polish activities are merged with Netafim's activities in the field of greenhouse projects. “Netafim, among other things, has been active in the construction of poly greenhouses for many years. We did not have these in our range,” explains Olaf. "This is how both companies complement each other."
Gakon's head office will remain in Wateringen. From here, the steel and aluminium used for the construction of the greenhouses is also produced in our own factory. In addition, an R&D department will be added to the head office in Wateringen to stimulate product development.
“The ambition of the newly formed greenhouse unit is clear: to become the global market leader in turnkey greenhouse projects and solutions,” Pieter concludes.
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