2013 Ranking The Grower (Green Cultivation category)
Lans became the Ranking The Grower in the Green Cultivation category in 2013. The panel of judges, in particular, looked at energy management of horticultural businesses this year.
Ranking The Grower is an initiative of KAS Magazine, a product of TuinbouwCommunicatie. TuinbouwCommunicatie is also the publisher of GTT Magazine, HortiBiz Magazine, GroenteNet, SierteeltNet, TuinbouwTV, TuinbouwMarktplaats and TuinbouwJobs. The editors search for ‘pearls’ amongst horticultural entrepreneurs based on specific qualifications on a yearly basis. ‘The 2013 Ranking The Grower panel of judges had a very difficult task when having to choose between a number of very different entrepreneurs that all provided the specifics in their own fantastic way to energy saving,’ said Erik Titulaer, Tuinbouwcommunicatie Director and chairman of the panel of judges. ‘Some issues can barely be compared,’ he said. ‘We tackled it broadly with regard to choosing the most energetic grower and we considered different aspects: the history, vision, versatility, driving forces and the ambassador role that this person and company spreads on to the scene. This made the remit of the panel of judges very difficult and, therefore, the results in a few categories may perhaps be surprising.’ Titulaer said that 2013 Ranking The Grower is also a compliment for the Greenhouse as Source of Energy programme. ‘This programme means a lot to the sector and is currently in a difficult position because the Product Board for Horticulture (PT) has been shut down. We want to put the programme, growers and booked results in the spotlight one more time.’
Below the assessment of the panel of judges is given:
Lans deserves to be placed first because the company has a clear vision in which energy savings are a clear key area said the panel of judges. They have been innovating with regard to all types of issues that are related to energy for quite some years now. Lans already had the guts in 2006 to build a closed greenhouse without air windows (Optimakas greenhouse). Energy is indeed saved in this greenhouse, but less than was hoped and the yields turned out not to be structurally higher. Lans refers to the greenhouse to be at the bottom of the line and not a ‘profit possibility’. The crops in this greenhouse, however, did lead to very many learned lessons. The entire sector benefited from this while the weaknesses were at the expense of the company. ‘Everybody learns from their setbacks and especially with regard on how it should not be done,’ said the panel of judges. Much was, for example, learned about the air-conditioning units and the effects thereof on the climate and crop.
The firm vision about saving on energy also emerges from the broad range of other initiatives that Lans undertakes. ‘If they believe in something, it is also quickly tested on usability,’ said the panel of judges. They, for example, are working with agriculturists from Zeeland on a biogas system, the Groene Poort (Green Gate), they try to realise geothermal heat for the two companies in the Oudcamp polder and new technologies are being tested such as dehumidification of the greenhouse air.