Ready for the Future
Flower nursery Van der Wekken is situated in Noordgouwe, Zeeland. Expansion was necessary in 2012. The company has gone from more than 2,000 m2 of greenhouses to 6,500 m2. Bosman Van Zaal installed the container system, together with all the electricity and heating.
The container system can be controlled by computer. Every day, Van der Wekken plants the same number of bulbs as the stems they harvest. That comes down to about 700,000 bulbs a week. The bulbs are transported via the system to the right place in the greenhouse. First, they get three weeks of cold, then they go to a warm greenhouse. After approximately three weeks, the tulips are ready to be processed on the bunch line.
Computer Controlled
The new computer-controlled system, with ISAL software from Bosman Van Zaal, operates during the growing season. On the computer, Van der Wekken can see exactly which colour tulip is where. Because the greenhouse has a façade in between, the temperature can be controlled.
This means there is no need to work on Sundays. During the tulip-growing season, 20 employees work at the nursery. Besides tulips, Van der Wekken also grows sunflowers and peonies for cutting outdoor. This ensures there is work almost all year round. Combining all this means Van der Wekken is future-proof.