© Ziegler Erden
German soil and substrate producer Ziegler Erden has officially inaugurated a new production facility for professional horticultural substrates in Talsi, Latvia. The family-owned company invested around €5 million in its subsidiary ZIBU Ventspils SIA. The facility was completed in just five months and is now fully operational.
"Demand for high-quality substrates is strong worldwide, as more and more countries aim to grow healthy food domestically. A good peat-based substrate forms the foundation for this and remains an essential raw material for global food security," says Managing Director Matthias Ziegler.
Gregor Ziegler GmbH, headquartered in Stein near Plößberg (Upper Palatinate, Germany), is an internationally active, second-generation family business. The decision to invest in Latvia was driven by rising demand for professional horticultural substrates and a decline in demand for peat as a raw material in the hobby sector. "With this step, we have set the course to continue marketing our Latvian peat resources in the best possible way," Matthias adds.
© Ziegler Erden
Weak peat harvest
Despite a historically weak peat harvest this year due to unfavorable weather conditions, the company remains positive about overall market developments. As one of Germany's largest independent soil manufacturers, Ziegler is regarded as a pioneer in peat-free substrates—a strength that proves valuable in challenging years. "We have decades of experience developing and producing peat-reduced substrates at our German site. Especially this year, that expertise allows us to incorporate peat alternatives to compensate for limited peat availability," says Matthias.
© Ziegler Erden
© Ziegler Erden
Ziegler Erden has been active in Latvia for more than 20 years and now employs around 60 staff members, managing approximately 1,000 hectares of peatland and substrate production areas. Ninety-nine percent of the products manufactured in Latvia are exported worldwide.
Sales are handled primarily through distributors—either under their own labels or under Ziegler's PLANTOP brand. "We want to focus entirely on production and invest all our know-how into achieving top quality and productivity," Matthias explains.
© Ziegler Erden
The company produces substrates in a wide range of formulations tailored to customer needs. Peat is screened into various fractions—for example, 0–5 mm, 0–10 mm, 10–30 mm, or 20–40 mm—and compressed into big bales for export to customers around the world. The company has also invested in a hood-stretching system to ensure weather-resistant protection for its substrates. Packaging sizes from 20 to 250 liters are filled on two fully automated packaging lines. Printing with detailed labeling is standard.
