Research shows that the global demand for high-tech greenhouses will continue to grow strongly over the next five years. In order to further improve its ability to meet that demand, it is important that the Dutch greenhouse technology sector reinforces its international reputation for quality.
On Thursday 11 November, six prominent builders of turnkey greenhouses, in conjunction with HortiQ, approved the roll-out of the HortiQ Next Level quality plan in 2022. They will take the lead in working on HortiQ-certified end-to-end value chains, in which multiple links in the supply chain are covered by the HortiQ quality label. This new development enables HortiQ to make an important positive contribution to further improving the Dutch cluster’s competitive strength in the rapidly evolving international market.
HortiQ Next Level
This ambition is a direct outcome of the HortiQ Foundation’s HortiQ Next Level vision. “We developed HortiQ Next Level for the whole greenhouse technology sector,” comments Harm Maters, President of HortiQ. “In collaboration with turnkey greenhouse builders and the insurance giant Achmea (Hagelunie, Interpolis, and Avéro Achmea), we concluded that it is now particularly important for the Netherlands to further reinforce its international reputation for quality.”
Changing customer demands
Besides the fact that greenhouse projects are getting bigger, the technological setup inside is also becoming more complex. Additionally, on an international level, the customers are often no longer experienced family businesses, but rather large investors or governments who lack horticultural knowledge and are therefore looking for turnkey solutions. “Investors also make higher demands in terms of the risk management element and want to know more about the hardware and definitely also about transparent quality standards,” continues Maters. "It is important for the Dutch sector to keep pace with these changing demands and to combine its two unique selling points (USPs) – Technology and cultivation – with a transparent quality label focused on product quality."
Commitment from Achmea
Achmea supports this vision and will adapt its own policy with respect to new greenhouse construction projects accordingly. This trend will gradually evolve into an acceptance policy over the coming years, and the HortiQ label will eventually become an insurance condition for new-build projects. Achmea will take the first step towards this for the Dutch market in early 2022.
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