Floraculture January 2016

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JA N UA R Y 2016

FloraCulture The business magazine for worldwide floriculture

Table of Contents

January 2016 Volume 26 Number 1

East-meets-West market represents growing opportunities Taking centre stage at the 5th edition of Turkey’s premier horticultural trade show Flower Show Istanbul/Eurasia Plant Fair was a wide range of nursery stock products from home and abroad.

by Aldo Colombo and Ron van der Ploeg

FloraHolland delegation opens trade doors in China

Asoneoftheelitebusinessrepresentativesina Dutch trade mission to China, FloraHolland CEO Lucas Vos signed three Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) to establish strategicbusinessdevelopmentpartnerships with e-commerce business YiHaoDian, online flower delivery service OurBloom, and Tencent, the holding company of Chinese social platform WeChat.

by Ron van der Ploeg

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Everything’s coming up roses for Rosa Eskelund

Taking on the male-dominated rose industry, the owner of Roses Forever ApS, Rosa Eskelund, calls herself “a little bit crazy” but has definitely found the path to success using Scandinavian perseverance, Sicilian charms and a keen eye for selecting roses with high potential.

by Ron van der Ploeg

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Germany: in between smooth sailing and rocky waters Germany is often considered to be the economic powerhouse of Europe. The unemployment rate is low in comparison to other European countries and exports are booming. Despite many problems in Germany that dominated the news for months, the business climate in Germany in many sectors is very good.

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by Anke Bührmann

Teutonic tenacity in the face of business challenges

Veiling Rhein-Maas’ corporate anniversary is anexcellentopportunitytocommunicatewith its audience – growers, customers, prospects, employees, and beyond. FCI sat down with CEO Ruud Knorr to get the full story.

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by Ron van der Ploeg

Offering specialty orchids during periods that no one else can’

Dutch Dendrobium growers Arjan and Marco de Hoog choose LED fixtures to controlrisingenergycostswhiletheyincrease yield and productivity.

World News Advertising Index

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By our own correspondent

Departments

25

Columns 08 55

From the editor

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39 January 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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FloraCulture The business magazine for worldwide floriculture

Editorial & Administration Offices Angie Duffree

FloraCulture International Postbus 1000, 1430 BA Aalsmeer, Netherlands T +31 6 533 46 605 Circulation Administration: FBW Woerden P.O. Box 612, 3440 AP Woerden, the Netherlands T (31) 34 84 31 393 E info@fbw-woerden.nl Editors:RonvanderPloeg(ron@floracultureinternational.com) Editorial team: William Armellini, Chris Beytes, Alicja Cecot, Aldo Colombo, Arturo Croci, Audrey Gerber, John Ingwersen, Jaap Kras, Marie-Françoise Petitjean, John Sutton, Anthony Tesselaar and Jennifer Zurko.

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World Wide Advertising Office Europe, Africa, Asia/Pacific International Accounts Management: FloraCulture International, Postbus 1000, 1430 BA Aalsmeer, Netherlands T +31 6 533 46 605 Angie Duffree (angie@floracultureinternational.com) Dr. Sun Italy, Southern France: Jing Xian Arturo Croci, (acearturo@yahoo.it) USA, Canada, Central America: Paul Black (pblack@ballpublishing.com) Ball Publishing, 622 Town Road, PO Box 1660, West Chicago, IL 60186, United States T (1)6 30 23 13 675 F (1)6 30 23 15 254 Miami: William Armellini (william@floracultureinternational.com) China: Dr Sun Jing Xian (consultingflower@yahoo.com.cn) Niranjan Deshpande India: Niranjan Deshpande (team@kisan.com) T (91) 20 302 52 000

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From the editor

by Ron van der Ploeg

Taking place in Rotterdam on the former cruise ship SS Rotterdam, the ‘Shaping the Future of Floriculture Conference’ hosted by Union Fleurs, MPS and VGB, brought together an impressive group of key stake holders in ornamental horticulture.

Having tottered my way up the gangplank, I decided to make a shortcut first to go directly in the ship’s galley. Not because I felt like enjoying a four-star meal, but because I wanted to ask the cook for some extra forks to stick them in my ears as I wanted to be well-protected against a tsunami of buzzwords that are so often used at these events. How did we come to just vague, blanket terms as synergy, big data, win-win or game changer? Meanwhile, I am still trying to piece together the puzzle to find out why some lean six sigma companies want to make themselves sound like a muscle-building diet plan?

I guess an average grower would be just as puzzled if I would walk into his greenhouse one morning and order him to grab a spade, dig deep and anchor himself firmly into the soil as disruptive innovation (one of the conference’s sub-themes) is quickly coming his way. I have nothing against unprecedented challenges, new mindsets and innovation, but what bothers me is that they are heralded as something completely new. Ever imagined how disrupted our ancestors were by the first fire, phone call or steam engine?

The disruptive innovation philosophy is the brainchild of Clayton M. Christensen, a professor at the Harvard Business School. In his 1997 (!) book “The Innovator’s Dilemma,” Christensen explained why well-managed companies fail: they are so much absorbed in the daily routine they must follow to succeed that they often overlook the disruptors who create a new product or business model so different they can’t compete.

Back to the conference and its host Karl Raats from Belgium who invited FloraHolland CFO Rens Buchwaldt on stage to share his view on disruptive innovation. Unsure about the real consequences, Buchwaldt gazed into a crystal ball and divined a future where some scientist creates a magic potion that gives cut flowers an eternal youth. In this hypothetical future, on time delivery, cool stores and even the auction will no longer be relevant and overall prices will decrease with consumers enjoying their flowers for months instead of one week.

Marcel van der Hoeven is CEO of Van Dijk Flora, a floral wholesale company specialising in retail shelf ready bouquets. Just back from the Dublin Web Summit 2015, Van der Hoeven encouraged his audience to expand their insights, to look beyond their own industry while making efficient use of big data and social media. “One thing is sure, disruptive innovation always comes from outside your business.”

The star of the event was the host himself who, in a blend of humor and elegant British English, urged attendees to refine business models. “Only eight percent of companies actively investigate their business model. And please, don’t be tempted by commonplaces. Only a profitable business will allow you to innovate and not the other way around,” said Raats, adding that often Less is More.

“Forget about the next big thing. Cut out the useless and don’t follow paths that lead you to nowhere,” said Raats who pointed to the different kinds of groups of people – the nay sayers, the supportive types and the true believers. “The true believers are vital in moving business forward. But for that there is no need to endlessly trying to motivate your workforce. You’d better ask how to stop demotivating them!”

All this made me thinking of Theodore Roosevelt who was a visionary disruptor in his time when he stated in 1880 that: “The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.” Disruption comprehensiveness at its best!

FloraCulture International is published monthly.

Worldwide distribution. ©2016 FloraCulture International magazine.

All rights reserved. No portion of editorial may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher.

Publisher is not liable for advertisements using illegally obtained images.

Send address changes to FloraCulture International magazine, Postal address: Postbus 1000, 1430 BA Aalsmeer, Netherlands

Ron van der Ploeg, editor ron@floracultureinternational.com

January 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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World News The Netherlands

Drones soon to take off in bulb fields?

A new survey among about 850 flower bulb growers by AgriDirect says that 22.3% of bulb farmers are (very) interested in using drones on their bulb farming for crop observation.

If tomorrow drones will legally be able to monitor crops, a sizeable number of bulb farmers would be ready to use this new highprecision technology for crop monitoring.

Nearly one-quarter (21.1%) of Dutch bulb farmers reported being interested in using drones in their bulb fields, while 1.2% declaring being extremely interested in this new technology.

Overall, almost one quarter of the Dutch bulb farmers see the clear potential of drones.

AgriDirect carried out its annual telephone survey, the Bulb

Scanner, in November. Over 850 flower bulb growers responded to a questionnaire including issues affecting the bulb industry such as future strategies and investment plans. In a sample survey 350 Dutch bulb growers were invited to answer specific questions about the use of drones in combination with crop monitoring.

According to the White Paper 'iFarm and Connected Cow' (CRM Partners, 2015) many see drones as a real game changers.

And there are many ways these flying apparatuses can revolu-

tionize farming. Drones can be a useful tool for easy and accurate aerial data acquisition that will

allow farmers to take targeted actions. They could be used for plant count, livestock and crop monitoring or be send on a heatdetection mission or to study water. |||

The Netherlands Bercomex announces Board changes Kampen–based AG Schouten Beheer BV last month announced that it has purchased the Bercomex’ family remaining share, taking sole ownership of the company as of early 2016.

In 2012, Schouten took over 50% of Bercomex shares from company founder Roland Kroese. In consequence of the decision by the Kroese family to retire entirely from the business, the remaining shares will now also be transferred to Schouten.

In connection with this transfer, Hayko Kroese will be succeeded as managing director by Gerben Schouten as of 1 February 2016, when Hayko Kroese will be leaving the company.

To augment the board, Bercomex has engaged Wim Hartog as the new commercial director, effective as of 1 January 2016. Hartog joins the business from Boon Edam, a company where he has fulfilled

various management roles.

He has been the director of Koninklijke Boon Edam BV since 2010. |||

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | January 2016

Israel Danziger partners with Kolster BV Danziger and Kolster BV have announced a cooperation agreement making Kolster BV the official and exclusive distributor of Danziger’s exciting range of cut flowers in Europe (except Italy, Spain and Portugal).

Kolster BV is a renowned company in the cut foliage and cut flower industry, and has a strong presence in Holland, the UK, Germany, Switzerland and several other European countries. Kolster BV will be the official and exclusive distributer of Danziger's products in Europe, excluding Italy, Spain and Portugal. |||

The Netherlands Powerhouse in glasshouse technology earns coveted HortiQ certification No fewer than five global innovators in glasshouse technology have announced that their manufacturing process, organisation and core products have been successfully certified as meeting HortiQ standards.

The certification places aluminium structures company Alcomij, hothouse builder Bosman Van Zaal, and horticultural engineering companies Certhon, Enthoven Elektrotechniek and Snelder among the best in the greenhouse industry worldwide.

Loek Hermans, chairman of the horticultural business network Greenport Holland, presented the certificates to the proud company representatives at a business meeting in De Lier on December 1.

To receive a HortiQ certificate, companies are tested on their internal processes, organisation and product quality. The demands are based on the

NEN standards as recorded in three quality handbooks. These handbooks have been drafted by the 'Stichting Kwaliteit voor Installaties Nederland' (KviNL, the Dutch organisation for monitoring the quality of installations). Checks on companies are performed by KIWA/Gastec; an independent certification organisation. The certificate is valid for three years, with intermediate annual checking. The handbooks are continuously updated to reflect the current level of technology and are also available in English for the international market.

The five newly certified companies join an already existing family of HortiQ

members including Dalsem Tuinbouwprojecten, Enthoven Elektrotechniek, Gakon Horticultural Projects, Hoogendoorn,

J.M. van der Hoeven, Kubo Tuinbouwprojecten, PB Techniek, Van der Hoeven Greenhouse Builders, Van Dijk Heating and Zantingh. |||

United States

DVFG acquires two branch locations from Cleveland Plant & Flower Company The Delaware Valley Floral Group, Inc. (DVFG) has acquired the assets of two branch locations from Cleveland Plant & Flower Company (CPF), through an asset purchase agreement completed on December 7, 2015.

The branch locations acquired are located in Binghamton, New York, and Syracuse, New York. With corporate headquarters in Parma, Ohio, CPF is one of the largest wholesale floral products distributors in the USA and operates through 8 locations in 4 states. The Binghamton and Syracuse locations will be consolidated into DVFlora, a division of DVFG.

The customers of the Syracuse location will continue to be served from the current CPF Syracuse facility, which will become a new DVFlora sales and distribution center. The customers of the Binghamton location will be served through DVFlora’s existing Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania location. Salespeople and other key personnel from both locations will be joining DVFlora. |||

January 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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Turkey Taking centre stage at the 5th edition of Turkey’s premier horticultural trade show Flower Show Istanbul/ Eurasia Plant Fair was a wide range of nursery stock products from home and abroad. Dutch flower auction FloraHolland was at hand to reinforce the first word in the show’s brand name.

East-meets-West marketclearlyrepresents growing opportunities T

he three-day event was held at the Istanbul Fair Centre in Yesilkoy, Istanbul, November 26-29, 2015. Leading up to and following Flower Show Istanbul/Eurasia Plant Fair were a numberof(geo)politicaleventswith Turkey playing a major role: the nation’srulingJusticeandDevelopment Party (AKP) won a critical parliamentary election and top of it all there, there was the downing of a Russian warplane that Turkey claimed had violated its airspace near the Syrian border. In the aftermath, Russia not only urged its citizens to find an alternative destination for their holidays but also to ‘say no’ to Turkish-grown fresh produce. As a result, hundreds of trucks carrying Turkish exports were blocked from entering Russia and stranded at border posts awaiting clearance in the beginning of December 2015.

Optimism for the future

by Aldo Colombo and Ron van der Ploeg

Despite all the turmoil, the Flower Show Istanbul/Eurasia Plant Fair, saw a great deal of optimism for the future. Walking the aisles, one could literally feel the pulse of progress. The halls were full, with attendance peaking on Thursday and Friday.

The show hosted over 350 exhibitors which filled the three halls of the fairground to the brim.

Flower Show Istanbul/Eurasia Plant Fair is typically a show where booth visits by a handful of people, representing local authority park departments, can really make the difference and be financially rewarding, as these people mostly talk big, publicly-funded projects.

Cities and counsels are hungry for ‘instant garden plants’ and as such the show floor was crowded

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | January 2016

FloraHolland market developer Monique Heemskerk.

by plant and tree nurseries from abroad. Dutch, German and French firms offered young plants to local growers. Italy, who traditionally has dominantpresence,showcasedlarge specimen trees for the domestic market and re-exports to both the Middle East as and relatively new markets in Central Asia. An absolute first for the show was a Polish collective stand hosting six tree companies.

FloraHolland

Prominently present was Dutch flower auction FloraHolland. In a country with a young, dynamic and increasingly wealthy population, designer clothes and brands were the inspiration for the FloraHolland House of Opportunities stand, a floralextravaganzaofniche-typecut flowers.

FloraHolland market developer Monique Heemskerk outlined some details on the auction’s Turkey Development Programme which aims at helping growers, breedersandtradersovercomecertain tariffs, Plant Breeder’s Rights (PBR) issues, taxes and trade

restrictionswhenexportingflowers and plants to Turkey. Also at stake is the exchange of market research to help FloraHolland’s customers reach more Turkish customers.

Today, the annual per-capita consumption for flowers and plants in Turkey is €4; while the number is low there is plenty of room for business growth. Further growth and improvement can also be reached attheretaillevelwithsupermarkets lookingforwaystoincreasethesize and sophistication of their floral departments to generate impulse purchases.

A visit to Istanbul’s auction SS Flora and an extensive farm tour in the Yalova area, 100km southeast of Istanbul, provided the FloraHolland delegation valuable market insight into the Turkish market.

Economic activity in Yalova started in the 1940s when the first cutflowergrowerssettledinYalova and the Princess Islands. Today, the 1000ha Yalova area is home to approximately 1,500 family-run businesses which predominantly focus on nursery stock an pot plant production. |||

Trade mission FloraHolland delegation opens trade doors in China T As one of the elite business representatives in a Dutch trade mission to China, FloraHolland CEO Lucas Vos signed three Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) to establish strategic business development partnerships with e-commerce business YiHaoDian, online flower delivery service OurBloom, and Tencent, the holding company of Chinese social platform WeChat.

heir majesties King WillemAlexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands paid a state visit to China at the invitation of President Xi Jinping from Sunday October 25 through Thursday October 29, 2015.

Trading troika

On their five-day visit, the royal couple was accompanied by a large trade delegation. Among the participants were FloraHolland CEO Lucas Vos and two of his colleagues, business development manager Ms Ina Tillema and World Flower Exchange project/ programme director Guido de Wit. The FloraHolland trading troika was invited to join an exclusive trade mission led by Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Bert Koenders.

200 elite Dutch business reps

by Ron van der Ploeg

The delegation comprised more than 200 elite Dutch business representatives, making it the largest ever Dutch trade mission to China. The tour included visits to Beijing, Shanghai and the eastern city of Hangzhou.

For FloraHolland this trip was a significant milestone marking the World Flower Exchange project’s first phase. It was an excellent way to explore new market opportunities, build new relationships and boost flower trade between the Netherlands and China.

YiHaoDian

In Shanghai, the King witnessed the signing of a Memorandum Of Understanding between FloraHolland and YiHaoDian, markingthebeginningofincreased cooperation between the world’s largest flower auction and one of China’stope-commercebusinesses.

The first shipment of high end flowers bound for China is set to be transported by plane in 2016.

Yihaodian ranks among China’s tope-commercebusinessesandwas acquired by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. three months ago. The company continues to operate under its own name and stands apart for its

in-depth knowledge of the needs of online consumers in China. The partnership will help FloraHolland better understand how Chinese consumers shop on the web and through mobile.

OurBloom and Tencent

Two other business development agreements were formalized in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province. The first was a MOU signed between FloraHoland and OurBloom, an emerging online flower delivery service connecting customers with the nation’s best local florists.

The final agreement was signed betweenFloraHollandandTencent, the company behind WeChat, one ofthelargestsocialmediaplatforms in China.

In addition to formal agreements, FloraHolland’s trade trip to China provided media coverage, market access and leverage with top officials. |||

January 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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Breeding Everything’s coming up roses for Rosa Eskelund S Taking on the maledominated rose industry, the owner of Roses Forever ApS, Rosa Eskelund, calls herself “a little bit crazy” but has definitely found the path to success using Scandinavian perseverance, Sicilian charms and a keen eye for selecting roses with high potential. FCI sat down with today’s most dynamic rose breeder to hear her thoughts about the next big thing in rose breeding.

upplying over half of the jobs in Europe and the Americas alone,familybusinessesrepresent a vital part of many economies around the world. Building a successful, and sustainable, family business in rose breeding are husband and wife team Harley and Rosa Eskelund who founded their production company Rosa ApS in 1988 in Sabro, near Aarhus, Denmark. Eight years later, they set up their breeding company Roses Forever ApS, also in Denmark.

When the times come the Eskelunds will hand Roses Forever totheirsonandsecondgeneration, Anders. While he is a natural in the business, he is currently learning about the industry to help himself, and his future company, reach full potential. “He is 26 years old, loves to travel and has specialised in greenhouseproductionandmarketing,” Rosa Eskelund said. “He has to define his own standards and as such he is currently employed by a rose grower in Japan learning the ropes of survival on his own.”

Nowhere near done

by Ron van der Ploeg

Please,please,don’tgetRosawrong - she is still far away from retiring.

But after a year of high license sales,

Rosa Eskelund: “Roses simply stun me.”

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | January 2016

New: Rosa’s line of romantic, bourbon-shaped and slightly scented cut roses which will be sold under the Rosa Loves Me® brand.

awards,andextensivebusinesstravels and trade show participation, a long-term perspective with a focus on breeding is needed to ensure thatRosesForever®’srosescontinue toliveuptocustomerexpectations.

“We promise we’ll always put our customer’sbusinessonestepahead, because their success is our most important reward. As such, top priority should be given to extending our Roses Forever and Infinity® lines of miniature roses as, among growers,thereisaconstantdemand for new products,” Rosa said.

At this year’s IPM ESSEN show in Germany, a new yellow Infinity rose will make its début. “Yellow is important in all colour mixes. But there is much more in the pipeline.

My efforts will be geared toward creating a good red and orange variety which will make the Infinity family complete. Out in the fields in Denmark and the Netherlands

are over 800 unnamed test roses, impatiently waiting to be further selected,” Rosa said.

Show ponies and working horses

RosabreedsatherhomeinFaaborg where she finds inspiration in her surroundings, from the Danish horizon to the waves and vastness of the Kattegat Sea. “I am a dreamer,” she said. “Roses simply stun me. Roses are superior to any other flower. All of them are simply beautiful.”

That said, she is quick to avoid any further purple prose. Show ponies should also be good work horses. Rosa was clear about her highexpectationswhenitcomesto roses: “A successful rose combines beauty, disease resistance, productivityandexcellentshelflive.

Luckily I can rely on my 33 years of experience in growing cuttings

The coveted accolade has fueled demandamonggardenrosegrowers. ”As their one-and-a-half year crop time is relatively extensive, they attach great importance to growing only reliable varieties.”

Today, Roses Forever is truly an award-winning business with many of the most sought after accolades earned at international rose trials and trade exhibitions such as the 2014 Roeulx Rose Trials in Belgium, the 2014 nursery stock trade show Plantarium and the 2013 Flormart (Italy) and IPM ESSEN (Germany) horticultural trade shows.

Rosa Loves Me

Field tests.

into readily saleable plants while creating novel roses. My breeding focuses on beautiful, hassle-free flowersforcommercialgreenhouse growers and end consumers alike.

The ultimate mini rose is extremely uniform, boldly coloured and only sheds its petals after a very long time. It has an excellent shelf life and perfectly fits high-density greenhouseproductionwithquick turnarounds. The criteria for a good garden rose is much more about top quality, plant health, and clever marketing by using logos, tags and printed pots. It is equally important to create a buzz and become a part of rose societies communities around the world by sharing ideas, reactions and experiences.”

Speaking of marketing, Rosa added, “This summer we launched our Plant’n’Relax® I Am Grateful garden rose, which was awarded the Gold Medal at the renowned Baden-Baden Rose Trials in Germany. For us it meant a lot, as our roses have been extensively put to the test during two years of assessments by rose experts from around the world.”

The real breaking breeding news is Rosa’s newly-launched line of romantic, bourbon-shaped and slightly scented cut roses which will be sold under the Rosa Loves Me® brand.

“Production has already kicked off in the prominent cut rose producing countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia, Colombia and Ecuador,” she said.

Rosa has a strong belief in this new line of cut roses. “I am not much of an fan of using too much gardenrosebloodwhichcausesthese roses to shed their petals quickly.

Rosa Love Me roses, however, keep their petals firmly for a long time. They are as strong as mini roses and are slightly scented as extra benefit.”

Passion Roses Forever Pink Moscow

Rosa, who at17 took her early education and Beder, a noted college for horticulture, said that

there was never any doubt that she would pursue her passion in horticulture.“Anapprenticeshipat three different pot plant companies was part of my study. I got to work with different crops and during class hours I specialised in greenhouseproductiontechniques.

I developed a keen interest when I took biology and the teacher inspired me when lecturing on genetics,” she said, adding that Roses Forever loves to share their knowledgeofrosegrowingwithcustomers. “We breed more than just plants. We give growers advice in keeping a pot rose greenhouse up and running; crop support is given by our consultant who travels worldwide. Greenhouse trainings in our production greenhouses in Denmark is also possible.”

World Rose Convention

Asked about future plans and goals, Rosa concluded that the outlook is very, very rosy. She said new markets are emerging such as South America, Chile and Argentina, and there are plenty of opportunities to produce and sell mini roses locally. Rosa added that Asia is still growing at a rapid pace with big demand from Chinese growers.

“We are passing through all stages of development. Over the past few years we have invested a lot in building our brand. Now it is time to concentrate more at the core of our business: rose breeding. Meanwhile anticipation is building as the World Federation of Rose Societies is preparing for the 18th World Rose Convention, which will be held in Copenhagen June 28 - July 4, 2018.

Here a member of the Danish royal family will follow a tradition of naming a new rose…a new rose bred by Roses Forever of course,” Rosa said.

She stressed that a world convention is the perfect platform for an internationalbusinesssuchasRoses Forever. “We sell grower licenses in Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Italy, France, Mexico, Spain, Canada, Korea, Australia, China, India, Germany, Sweden, the UK, Finland and Poland and South Africa. Pretty amazing isn’t it?” |||

January 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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Germany Germany is often considered to be the economic powerhouse of Europe. The unemployment rate is low in comparison to other European countries and exports are booming. Despite many problems in Germany that dominated the news for months – Greek debt crisis, hundreds of thousands of refugees asking for asylum, the Volkswagen scandal and increasing terror threats – the business climate in Germany in many sectors is very good.

by Anke Bührmann

In between smooth sailing and rocky waters A

survey by the renowned Institute for Economic Research (IFO) stated that Germany’s Business Climate Index in manufacturing, wholesale and construction rose markedly in autumn 2015. So far, the country’s economyremainsunaffectedbythe increasinggeopoliticaluncertainty worldwide, not everyone is optimistic. According to IFO President Hans-Werner Sinn, retailers were considerably less confident about sales in the months ahead.

This correlates with the latest news from Germany’s largest market research institute, the Society for Consumer Research (GfK).

Consumers are also in poor spirits,

astheyexpectaneconomicdownturnandincreasedunemployment in the near future due to the high influx of refugees.

Surprisingly the GfK stated that, despitethepoorexpectations,consumption has not yet suffered.

Whatdoesthismeanforornamental horticulture? How did 2015 turn out, and what is expected from 2016? FCI took a closer look at different segments of the horticultural industry:

Ornamental plant production

In early December, the AMI, Agricultural Market In­formation Agency, published their latest

results of a survey regarding production and economic trends in bedding and balcony plant pro­duction.

More than 300 companies took part. The results were better than expected. Many growers were generally quite satisfied with the turnover from spring through autumn 2015 and they expect continued, positive turnover through March 2016.

Additionally, the demand for stems was very high in 2015. Forecasts predict more specimen plants and hanging baskets in 2016, while the productionofsingleplantsinstandard sizes will be reduced slightly.

German DIY chain Praktiker, recently declared bankruptcy, meaning a familiar sales channelforsurplusandoverhangsis now gone. As such, the market will be smaller and companies will need toplantheirproductionaccordingly.

Two new marketing campaigns

To remain competitive, florists must distinguish themselves as the experts for flowers in terms of service, individuality, customer orientation, quality and the creativity they offer.

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | January 2016

Despite the positive general economic situation in Germany, a goodturnoverdoesnotnecessarily meansufficientmargins.Therefore, horticultural organisations and the industry in Germany must intensify their marketing activities.

As a result, Germany launched two campaigns for plants and flowers in 2015 – “1000 Good Reasons” and “Naturally Beautiful Moments” – targeting mainly theyoungergeneration.Thesetwo valorisation projects are aimed at improving the image of plants and flowers, mainly by using the internet and different social media channels(www.1000gutegruende. de and www.natuerlich-schoeneaugenblicke.de).

Floristry

The feedback from the members of the Fachverband Deutscher Floristen (FDF), the German Florist Association, was ‘neither verybadnorverygood’.Theweather was moderate and florists saw impressive sales with Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. Both are important flower-giving occasions in Germany. In addition Valentine’s Day was on a Saturday which was beneficialasthebouquetscouldbe enjoyed by the consumer for the whole weekend.

Reaching out for younger customers

To date, the 2015 average yearly expenditureforcutflowers,around €37 per capita, is relatively stable, but the German consumer is very price sensitive.

The FDF expects that 2016 will not be much different. However, there iscontinued,increasedcompetition from supermarkets and other out-

letsfromoutsidethesectorwhichis worrying.

It is increasingly important to raise the appreciation for both the skills of florists and the value of flowers.

Both new horticultural marketing campaigns are therefore strongly supported by the FDF. To remain competitive, florists must distinguish themselves as the experts for flowers in terms of service, individuality, customer orientation, quality and the creativity they offer.

It is also necessary to develop innovative concepts for the younger generation.

Consequently, the FDF is presenting new ideas at IPM 2016 to help reach this target audience which favours online shopping and lives more in the digital world.

The market volume for cut flowers was stable at about €3 billion.

Retail

The German Garden Centre Association (VDG) is looking back on a fairly normal year. The turnover

is ending on a slightly positive note: the tree nursery sector was again somewhat under pressure, potted plants were stable and cut flowers slightly positive.

The 2015 winners in terms of financial success were potted herbs and vegetables as well as patio plants.

Gardencentersincreasinglyfeelthe competitionfromsupermarkets,as many customers use their weekly shopping trip to buy flowers or plants there. Therefore, the rate of garden center customers is declining.

Atthemoment,largerpurchasesare compensatingforthisdevelopment, partlybecausethesecustomersbuy larger amounts or better quality, and they are willing to pay more for better products. It is a challenging time for the garden centers and increasedeffortsareneededtoattract customers.

Young consumers are no longer the only ones using the internet for information. Online sales will >>>

January 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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Germany therefore become more important for horticultural products as well.

Gardencentreshavetoadapttothis changeandtechnologicaldevelopments carefully.

Wholesale

According to the Association of the German Flower Wholesale and Import Trade (BGI) and AMI, the market for cut flowers and pot plants recovered in 2014 but decreased again by September 2015.

AMI expects that 2015 will still be better than the results of the crisis year2013,butduetoweakdevelopments in the classical pot plant sector, it is still lower than in 2014.

Sales of indoor plants, bedding and balcony plants, and woody plants suffered in 2015 with consumers buying smaller amounts for lower prices.

The increase in sales of herbs and perennials could not compensate, due to the relatively small size of the segment. Large perennials, which are blooming at the point of retail, are gaining more attention, the flower bulbs segment proved to be stable and the interest in herbs is still growing.

At time of printing there was still a chance for figures to improve for beddingandbalconyplantsbefore the closing of 2015, as heathers sawthesecond-highestturnoverin 2014 after geraniums. Poinsettias could also end on a high-note after Christmas sales are tallied. This it so be released.

Less classical indoor plants sold

The 2015 per capita spending on ornamental plants and cut flowers was about two Euros lower than in 2014. On average, consumers spent

only five Euros per capita for nonfloweringindoorplantsandthirteen Euros for blooming indoor plants.

The market volume for cut flowers was stable at about €3 billion.

At consumer level, a decline in the spendingwasvisibleandtheprices for mono bouquets went down slightly, while consumers paid a bit more than in previous years for mixed bouquets.

It is not clear why consumers are, for the fourth consecutive year, spending less on indoor plants, but image problems of the classical indoor plants could be to blame. The product range at retail shelves is changing, but novelties

It is not clear why consumers are, for the fourth consecutive year, spending less on indoor plants, but image problems of the classical indoor plants could be to blame.

Germany’s population shrinkage The impact of Germany’s population shrinkage, coupled with the ageing of society is clearly on the industry's radar. It not only spells big problems for pensions, health and welfare systems, but it will also severely impact floral purchasing behaviour.

“Surveys from Randstad reveal that, while Germany is now still the biggest country in the EU, it is likely to see its population drop by 12 million by 2060. The floral consumption per capita in Germany is currently €100. Eighty million Germans multiplied by €100 is an €8 billion consumer market. But if the consumption per capita drops from €100 to €90, and the 80 million inhabitants decrease to 70 million, the floral consumption will be €1 billion less. These are the hard facts,” Veiling Rhein-Maas CEO Ruud Knorr said.

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might not yet have reached the consumers’ mind. The way the consumersperceivetheassortment seems to differ totally from that of the horticultural industry. Time will tell if the new generic public relations campaigns will influence andincreasetheindoorplantsales.

A very volatile situation

At time of printing it was too early for final conclusions as the Christmas season could still change the final results, and the opinions reflect only a part of the industry. Overall, however, the researchabovecanindicatetrends.

One thing is for sure: The economicsituationinGermanyseems to be more unpredictable than in recent years.

In addition to the weather, unstable political developments will play a role. The two new marketing campaignstargetingnext-generation consumers are therefore very important, and new markets need to be tapped into. ||| Sources: IFO, GfK, FDF, VDG, BGI, AMI and interviews with industry experts.

NightSky, a (Fleuro)Star is born Since winning the FleuroStar Award last June, Petunia cultivars NightSky from the German breeder Selecta Klemm is poised to conquer the market.

Election as the 'Winner with the Wow Factor' and the subsequent PR and marketing support have boosted this variety’s pre-ordering. The international PR and promotion campaign has introduced NightSky to growers, exporters, wholesale and buyers.

As part of the FleuroStar winner package, lifestyle photos have been made for promotional use at retail/consumer level. NightSky attracted a lot of attention at the FloraHolland Trade Show in Aalsmeer (NL) and at the Spoga+Gafa Garden Trade Fair in Cologne (DE). Matching pots have been developed with Desch PlantPak and NightSky labels are available through Floramedia.

Perfect companion NightSky offers growers one main advantage: cultivation as part of any main Petunia programme. Unlike many other special Petunias, this new phenomenon with innovative colour pattern can be produced perfectly in combination with existing varieties on the market. The FleuroStar panel of more than 30 judges gave this newcomer top marks for both ‘point of sale attractiveness’ and ‘commercial potential’. NightSky has already caught the eye of retailers in North-America, Europe and Japan. OBI, Intratuin, Truffaut and Home Depot are only some of the names where this beauty will be for sale in the 2016 season. A PR campaign towards the international consumer press will be conducted in the upcoming months. |||

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Germany Veiling RheinMaas’ corporate anniversary is an excellent opportunity to communicate with its audience – growers, customers, prospects, employees, and beyond. FCI sat down with CEO Ruud Knorr to get the full story.

Teutonic tenacity in the face of businesschallenges F

rom humble beginnings in November 2010 to five years of steady growth and blooming results, it’s Happy Birthday to Veiling Rhein-Maas!

Growers on the German and Dutch sides of the Euroregion (see ‘Euroregion’) had, for many years, marketed their flowers and plants through three different auctions within a 15 km radius ‒ the potted plant auction in Lüllingen, the Landgard auction in Herungen (formerly Straelen and Neuss) and FloraHolland Venlo (formerly auction Grubbenvorst) ‒ while longing for one, strong marketplace. So, when Veiling Rhein-Maas finally opened its auction rooms on November 29, 2010 a dream for so many growers became reality.

Industry-wide support

by Ron van der Ploeg

The Veiling Rhein-Maas is the first auctionhousetobringtogetherthe intertwined Dutch and German ornamental flowers and plants markets. On this fifth anniversary, CEO Ruud Knorr tells us how it all began. “Since Veiling RheinMaas’ foundation five years ago, the industry has been there with its support. In both The Netherlands and Germany, the key stakeholders strongly believed in the potential of one single auction, convinced that this would be in the interest of Dutch-German ornamental horticulture at large. This support, coupledwithanextraordinarydrive forsuccess,hasbeentheformulafor building a strong auction business.

The plan existed for many years, but often ideas crawl before they walk. You need the right people, the right place and the right time.

By entering into a joint venture

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in 2010, Landgard and FloraHolland truly bolstered horticultural development in the Niederrhein and Venlo area.”

Knorr stressed that clear business goals for the auction were in place right from the start and progress towardachievingthemwasquickly shown. “It was immediately clear that the new auction needed to haveanindependentstatuswithindependent price setting. All efforts were to be geared toward creating a broad and deep product range enablingexistingandfuturebuyers to be competitive on the market place. On the grower’s level, the bottomlinehasbeentostrengthen the relationships with existing supplierswhileattractingnewones.

Landgard’sEarningsBeforeInterest and Taxes (EBIT) metrics serve to enhance our revenue model and

contribute to a certain financial basis for both parent companies.”

Substantial contribution

When asked if the merger has proven to be a financial success, Knorr replied, “Absolutely. But things needed time. We quickly learnt how to bridge the gap betweentheoryandpracticewhen, in 2011, we finally filled in some void spaces in the cost structure regarding employees and logistic levies. As a result, the targets of 2011 remained unachieved, but we were financially healthy from the beginning. Never was there any loss! From 2012 onward, we performed very well and the past fewyearswehavebeenhappytobe slightly over or under budget. It is good to see that we have delivered a substantial contribution to both

possiblethroughenormousefforts of the management board aswellasemployeesandpro­ducers, supportedbytheinternationalconsultancy firm Ebner Stolz,” Knorr explained.

Cross-border initiative

parent companies in times when both FloraHolland and Landgard were going through a heavy restructuring process.”

Landgard

While minor shareholder FloraHolland has definitely found its way to future growth, majority owner Landgard is still working to re-finance with banks.

“Landgard is on track for the future now. In the financial year of 2014, Landgard once again significantly improved the group result, with an EBITDA indicating the operative earning power of €53.3 million, thereby achieving the best result in the company’s history. Within the current business period, Landgard has been performing even better andthemanagementboardexpects asignificantlyimprovedandclearly

positive company result at EBT level. Over the past few months, Landgard has been working with a group of banks on a new, long-term financing structure. It should come into effect as of March 1, 2016, and the organisation hopes to sign the contracts before December 31, 2015. This means that, in early 2016, they will have officially completed the restructuring process,” Knorr said.

What was the tipping point for Landgard? “From 2008 to 2011, Landgard acquired many companies. There was a lot of mismanagement and the overall goal was growth at any cost.

Landgard needed an intensive periodofrestructuringtoovercome the effects of that period. The turnaround was achieved by improving former hot spots, which was only

Veiling Rhein-Maas CEO Ruud Knorr.

One of the most-unique characteristics of Veiling Rhein Maas is that it is a cross-border initiative and a prime example of how to successfully blend Dutch and German language and company cultures.

Research indicates that a sizeable number of multi-national joint ventures fail largely due to cultural and ideological differences. What isthesecrettoremainingsuccessful insuchachallengingenvironment?

“Most importantly, we adopted a freedom-intensive approach to business culture. There was no policy, we didn’t pretend anything.

The parts of our business which originally appeared to conflict have now merged seamlessly,” said Knorr.

He added that much of working successfully with people of two different cultures was learned ‘on the job’. In German, for example there are two distinct forms of address – 'Sie' and 'du' and choosing between the informal 'du' and the formal 'Sie' can be tricky. At Veiling Rhein-Maas peopleaddresseachothertheway they are most comfortable. Veiling Rhein-Maas’ motto is ‘Verstehen um verstanden zu werden’. Which looselytranslatesto‘Understandto be understood’.

Knorr stressed that one should focus on similarities rather than differences. “The 2012 Floriade show in Venlo, a few kilometers away from the German border, offered the perfect platform for the exchange of ideas. It reminds me of a workshop I attended that highlighted one funny difference between Germans and Dutch.

It talked about ‘Kaffee’ and ‘Krawatte’. Bluntly put: in Holland nothinggoeswithoutacoffeewhile inGermanynothinggoeswithouta tie.Therewillalwaysbedifferences, but ultimately it is my task to bring the best of both worlds together.”

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Germany Sentiments in the trade

Breaking into new markets in Belgium and France is high on the auction’s agenda as demand within the domestic market is currently sluggish. According to the latest October 2015 figures of the Association of Wholesale Trade in Horticultural Products (VGB), Dutch exports of flowers and plants to Germany, historically Holland’s main flower and plant export destination, fell by 4% totaling €1.3 billion, Landgard’s GfK-Pflanzenpanel reports lower sales for three quarters in a row (cut flowers are down -0.3%, pot plants -5.8% and garden plants -2.5%).

“Luckily, we are seeing substantial growth in demand from new customers abroad. Last year, we hired a French-speaking account managerforBelgium,Luxembourgand France. Additionally, we attended the Nordic Expo show in Malmö, Swedenandmetwithgrowersand buyers in Poland. There was also a noticeable increase in Dutch remote buying (KOA) customers,” outlined Knorr.

Meanwhile, the market for ornamental life style products has also been badly hit by Russia’s troubled economy and political problems throughout the Ukraine. There are no direct exports from Germany to Russia as a result of the E.coli outbreak in 2011, but the impact is felt nevertheless, according to Knorr. “Dutch Chrysanthemum prices, for example, when they are under pressure, prices are equally

low here in Germany. Above all, the industry continues to be in the midst of a buyer market with significant overproduction. Some call it self-sufficiency through domesticproductionbutitdepends on how you approach things. In houseplants, Germany is hardly self-sufficient.Duetothehighenergy costs, almost all of the plants are grown in the Netherlands. In bedding plants, on the contrary, there is a dramatic overproduction. We see that and feel that. Then there is theprofessionalizationandgrowing marketshareofdiscountsupermarketsthatsellpredominantlysmaller potsizes.Ithasbecomeincreasingly difficult to sell these sizes at the clock as the traditional German wholesaler, the Fachhandel, is battered by brutal competition from these discounters. In an attempt to turn the tide, we have launched the Veiling Rhein-Maas ‘Premium Product Category’ which includes big pot sizes. This should allow the wholesalerstofocusonhigherlevel, higher quality products.”

Discounters

With discount food retail being a quintessential German invention, the question is whether there is untapped potential for Veiling Rhein-Maas. “Retailing is not the segment we are aiming at,” underlined Knorr who previously workedasafloralwholesalerservicing supermarkets. He continued, “I know that an auction is not interesting for retailers. This group of buyersrequirelong-termcontracts,

Euroregion Veiling Rhein-Maas is located in the Euroregion, one of the 70 cross-border regions in Europe today, operating under names such as ‘Euroregions’, ‘Euregios’ or ‘Working Communities’. Although some of these initiatives date back to the 1950s, the 1990s saw a large increase in cross-border regions (CBRs) all over Europe. In fact, today there are virtually no local or regional authorities in border areas that are not somehow involved in cross-border co-operation (CBC) initiatives, often backed by EU funding. Asked how his company benefits, Knorr preferred to first put things into perspective. “What’s a name? What would someone from China call this area? For a lot of Chinese, Western Europe is just a dot on the map, left aside the Euroregion.”

Knorr also said, “The problem is that there is no real brand awareness built around the Euroregion, it is merely about joining the halves on each side of the border to make a circle. Sometimes there are financial benefits of working the Euroregion. An ‘Interreg IV A’ project, the daily groupage service between Herongen and Roeselaere (Belgium) was set up thanks to EU funding for the region.”

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | January 2016

big volumes and usually works with tenders. The auction is simply too expensive. Our strength lies in providing a wide and broad range of products, in smaller amounts, sold to small-to-medium-sized wholesalers. Supermarkets, with all due respect, follow the Pareto principle -with 20% of the products -breadandbutter-generating80% of the turnover. On the other hand, Landgard continues to run its bouquetserviceandtheydodeliver to supermarkets.”

A tailormade, personalised approach is the key to a successful relationship with supermarket customers, Knorr said. “Everything depends on customer structures, their demands and their needs. Our own customer profile allows us to sell 83% through the clock and 17% through mediation. But, the majority of bouquet services at FloraHolland buy through the former Connect Mediation Service. Supermarkets need contracts instead of clocks. That’s why you saw parity to the 2014 FloraHolland turnover with 50% generated by mediation and 50% clock.”

pate in the online JahresanliefermeldungandtheWochenmeldung, an annual and weekly pot plant supply prognosis. Knorr said, “The idea launched in 2012, following a year of extreme oversupply – with on one single day 500 trolleys with cyclamen under the clock. The goal was to have a much more balanced supply and to better streamline our operational process.”

And these surveys are providing youqualityinformationoncustomers’ needs? “There is still room for improvementasthereissometimes a 20% difference between the growers’weeklyprognosisandwhat we encounter in our cool stores in the end of the day. Reducing the bandwidth to 10% would allow us to better control our logistic process. Why plan 100 personnel today for the distribution area if you already know that tomorrow 70 will be sufficient? One of the nice things is that FloraHolland’s advisory board is following this initiative with interest,” said Knorr.

Future clock sales

German discounters continue to muscle into the market. What concernsdoesthisraiseforfuture clock sales at Veiling RheinMaas? “We are facing an uphill battle. How long will we be able to maintain clock sales at a +0 level? Of course, we would like to expand our sales via mediation, pre-salessystemsore-commerce such as Floramondo. Like it or not, discounters will get an increasinglypowerfulgriponthe market in the future. Impulsebased trade has been losing ground to the supermarkets for years. Take the flower delivery service Fleurop which in its heydays had 10,000 member florists of which today only 6,000 are left. These florists are among the majorcustomersofthewholesalers. In turn, wholesalers are auction customers,” said Knorr.

In terms of clock sales, Veiling Rhein-Maas takes a pro-active approach, surveying its customers to help bolster the auction clock. In pot plants, for example growers were invited to partici-

Reliable information In terms of clock sales, Veiling RheinMaas takes a pro-active approach, surveying its customers to help bolster the auction clock.

Knorr is strongly convinced that as long as clock sales ensure topquality products, there will always be room for a live auction. But it’s about more than just quality. “Providing the correct, 100% reliable information to your buyers is also key. If, as of tomorrow, one decides to sell only lower quality flowers, and everything is done to communicate that to customers, nothing is wrong with that,” Knorr said. He continued, “Our customers are facing fierce competition from the retail industry and they canonlydifferentiatethemselvesby competing on quality and service rather than price. That’s why we teamed up with our growers to launchthecream-of-the-croplabel underwhichonlythehighest-quality plants are sold. The market share oftheseproductsshouldbefrom10 to15%ofthetotalsupplyotherwise there’s a risk of devaluating our already reliable A1 quality.”

Veiling Rhein-Maas also likes to turn its quality control into a unique selling proposition. “While in the Netherlands FloraHolland decided to cut back the number

of quality inspectors, here at Veiling Rhein-Maas we believe the individual grower can’t be made responsible for his quality control.

But some adjustments are needed as we prefer to move away from the traditional quality controller, in German known as Qualitätskontrolleur, to a quality coach. If the BI reliability index indicates that your reliability as a supplier is 99%, only random checks are required.

And we prefer to have these checks on the spot, in the greenhouses,” outlined Knorr.

Cheating your customers

The product specifications of the Association of Flower Auctions in the Netherlands, known as VBN codes, are also used to identify and communicate about a product throughout the trade and retail chain. Knorr calls for a change to this process. “VBN codes need to be retooled. Retails chains such as Obi work with volumetric pot sizes, while the auctions still work with pot diameters. The problem today isthatsomegrowerssuddenlyswap their 10 cm pots to 12 cm pots, while this doesn’t automatically correspond to a 12 cm pot volume but more likely a 10.8 pot volume.

It’s misleading,” said Knorr.

He added, “In a way, this is cheating your buyers, so we would like to havetwodifferentcriteriaregarding pot volume and pot diameter. This way, the buyer knows exactly what kind of pot we are really talking about, which will help him or her tomakeamore-informedpurchase decision. It will stop current claims of buyers stipulating that they bought a 12 cm pot that is basically a 10 cm pot with an extra rim.”

Dutch-German entente florale remains challenging

During an interview with FCI one year ago, Knorr said that there is a long way to go with Dutch buyers, stating they sometimes ignored the existence of Veiling Rhein-Maas.

Where does this stand today?

“Over the past few months, we have been lucky to see an increase in Dutch KOA buyers and more brand awareness. This is thanks in big part >>>

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Germany

toourpresenceatinternationaltrade exhibitions. We are also building the Veiling Rhein-Maas brand via three trucks featuring the auction’s logo andidentity.Seenthousandsoftimes a week by potential customers, the trucks are one of the most cost-effectivemeansofadvertising.Meanwhile, wecontinuetowelcomedelegations of Dutch buyers, but things remain difficult. Primarily it is about legislation, business culture and language,” said Knorr.

If buying at Veiling Rhein-Maas really would save Dutch buyers money, why are they not more engaged? “The question is how informedtheyareabouttherealcost savings. I believe a sizeable number ofDutchbuyershaveneverdonethe math. The truth is, the time from theHerongenmarkettotheGerman market is short and really can save money. Or are other arguments – the language barrier, the legislation, the difference in culture - so big that they keep the Dutch trader away from an appropriate business opportunity?” Knorr questioned.

“I am not sure of the real answer.”

Germany instead of China?

There is some concern in the industry about the future buying power of Germany with an aging anddecreasingpopulation.Thismay lead one to believe that the Dutch

Building the Veiling Rhein-Maas brand via three trucks featuring the auction’s logo and identity.

industry should focus on the German market, as it has been the primary exportdestinationforDutchgrowers for decades. Would you rather have FloraHolland embark on a royal trade mission to Germany instead of China? Knorr replied, “We are all looking at the opportunities in the United States and China through the World Flower Exchange project, and I believe it was very wise to participate. Today, Alibaba is China’s biggest e-commerce site reporting a single day turnover of €9 billion.

Chinese consumers are way ahead with digital purchases and this trade mission offered FloraHolland the perfect opportunity to gain more indepth knowledge of the needs of online consumers in China. No one can deny the 4% decline in floral exports from The Netherlands, but you will also have to find new, global markets.

Even if it is easier to look just around the corner,” said Knorr.

What other countries does he see as key markets? “Actually, I think FloraHolland is lucky that the UK market is very strong albeit volatile.

And the US Dollar/Euro appreciation boosts exports toward the USA. This doesn’tmeanyouhavetoexcludeone thing to do the other. Holland can still continue to focus on its main exportdestinationssuchasGermany, France and the UK, while keeping focus on the market at home.”

Knorr added, “On the domestic side,

Dutch can tap into the skills of the Flower Council of Holland. But it would be irrational to neglect China. Only think of the 1.3 billion Chinese consumers. If you can do businesstherewhynot?Ifweneglect the market, it will be taken by direct flows from Africa to China.”

Future plans

Regarding plans and goals of Veiling Rhein-Maas for the next five years, Knorr said, “We will keep track of developments at both parent organisations. We will continue to answer the questions internally ‘What does FloraHolland’s 2020 strategy plan mean for us, what does the new auctioning and the World Flower Exchange mean?’

The same goes for Landgard.

What is their Fachhandel strategy about? But we will also continue to focus on global market developments, on disruptive innovation, demographic shifts (‘Germany’s population shrinkage’, page 16’), internationalization, energy issues and e-commerce. All those things are embedded in our long-haul strategy.”

The 2020 strategy of FloraHolland remains a big challenge, concluded Knorr. “On paper it looks plausible and exciting. But the proof is in the pudding. Now, FloraHolland will have to implement, and this is by far the most difficult part.” |||

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Lighting Dutch Dendrobium growers Arjan and Marco de Hoog run a highly advanced pot plant nursery with a total greenhouse area of 40,000 m2 and a focus on ecofriendly cultivation.

They produce about 1.8 million Dendrobium nobile orchids per year in their greenhouses, which are equipped with the latest technologies, including an energyefficient Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system and container transport system. LED lights are used to improve yields and plant quality

‘Offering specialty orchids during periods that no one else can’ B

ack in 2010, Arjan de Hoog contacted the Philips Horti LED group to explore how he could use LED lighting to improve his orchid production.

At that time, he was growing all his orchids in a single layer under Philips high pressure sodium (HPS) lighting modules which generated a great deal of heat. An orchid only blooms once a year and it requires a period of relatively cool temperatures to initiate flowering. At that time, during summer months, air conditioning was used to cool down his greenhouse to insure good bud initiation. A very costly and inefficient way of working.

Philips specialists measured the light levels and provided advice on the light recipes. The ultimate goal was to reduce energy costs in the cooling cell used to initiate flowering, increase the number of flowering buds on plants, and achieve year-round production of difficult-to- grow orchid varieties.

The solution By our own correspondent

As a result of its thorough LED tests, the company constructed a

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | January 2016

new greenhouse and equipped it withthelatesttechnologiestogrow Dendrobium nobile year round in a special cooling cell. The cooling cell has been equipped with three vertical layers, each illuminated by Philips GreenPower LED production modules using a defined light recipe. Lifts are used to move the plants, grown in 12cm pots on rolling tables, from the greenhouse to the cooling cell. Here the plants are grown for a set period in a controlled climate under the ideal color and levels of light. Each growing layer in the cooling cell is about 1000m2. About 2,000 LED modules are used to achieve the desired light levels.

This greenhouse is also equipped with Combined Heat and Power (CHP) technology: heat that is pumped out of the cooling cells with LED lighting is used to heat otherpartsofthegreenhousewhen needed. The cooling cells have screens to filter out excess sunlight during the day, reduce light emissions, and save energy at night. A container system transports plants to different areas of the nursery.

Benefits

De Hoog said, “With the LEDs, we have achieved results we couldn’t achieve using HPS lights.

The LED lighting gives us a real competitiveadvantagebyinducing more flower buds on a plant, even the difficult orchid varieties, year round.”

De Hoog believes this is the first LED installation of its kind for large-scale production of orchids.

“We’venoticedahugedifferencein the heat levels in the LED cooling cell. It’s much easier to keep it cool compared to HPS. This is ideal for the cooling period that our orchids need.”

Energy savings with the LEDs will be substantial. “LEDs are ideal for our orchid production because this type of lighting lasts longer, is easier to maintain, and allows us to influencecertainplantcharacteristics, like flower budding, the number of buds, and flower clustering that are critical for our business.

LEDs also allow growers to precisely plan the moment when the endproductisreadytobettermeet the demands of customers.” |||

It is the right moment to get ready for the upcoming IPM ESSEN. Now in its 34th year, the primary sourcing and selling opportunity for the entire ornamental horticulture floristry and gardening industry, is unrivalled in size, product range and visitor attendance. This year’s event will host 1,600 exhibitors from 45 countries showing their portfolios of products and services: from the newest

2016

Guide to IPM Essen January 26-29

plant breeds via innovative technology and floristry on the highest level right up to equipment for efficient marketing.

Dates: 26-29 January 2016 Opening hours: 9.00 -18.00 For more details please visit www.ipm-essen.de

26

New Fair Tradethemed area and Guatemala's blooming début.

Optimistic outlook forecast for 2016 IPM ESSEN F rom plants to technology, floristry and equipment – the entire horticultural value chain will be under the spotlight at the 2016 IPM ESSEN. From 26 to 29 January 2016, around 1,600 exhibitors from over 45 nations will present their innovations to top trade and industry visitors from all over the world. The world’s leading trade fair for horticulture is accompaniedbyacomprehensive programme. Fair Trade will have its own exhibition area for the 34th IPM ESSEN.

IPM Essen quick facts Dates: From Tuesday, 26 January to Friday, 29 January 2016.

Organiser: Messe Essen GmbH in cooperation with the Landesverbände Gartenbau Rheinland e.V. und Westfalen-Lippe e. V. (Rhineland and Westphalia-Lippe Federal State Horticultural Associations) and the Fachverband Deutscher Floristen e. V. Bundesverband (Trade Association of German Florists – Federal Association), sponsored by the Zentralverband Gartenbau e.V. (ZVG) (Central Horticultural Association) Venue: Messe Essen exhibition centre, Norbertstraße 45131 Essen Opening times: Daily from 9:00- 18:00 Exhibitors: 1,600 from over 45 nations Exhibition space: 105,000m2 Admission: Adults €22, two-day ticket €33, four-day ticket €59.

Groups of 20 people or more: p/p €13. Trainees/students €13.

Ticket can be ordered and printed directly from the Messe Essen online shop. Messe Essen information, T +49 (0)201 72440. www.ipm-essen.de

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | January 2016

All the market leaders have confirmed their participation in the world's largest and leading trading and information platform for the greenindustry.Withabout105,000 square metres of exhibition space, the world's leading trade fair IPM ESSEN will once again occupy the entire Messe Essen exhibition centre. And the fair, which is under the auspices of Federal Agriculture Minister Christian Schmidt, can hardlybesurpassedininternational participation.

Fair Trade area

Fair Trade products are becoming increasingly important for sales.

Awareness is growing among end users.Aftercoffee,thesecondmost popular Fair Trade product in Germany is cut flowers. According to the latest annual report by TransFair, sales reached more than 118 million euros in 2014 and continue to rise. So Fair Trade, certification options and the various associated labels are playing an increasingly important role at the IPM ESSEN 2016.Acompactpresentationspace is planned for exhibitors whose productshavealreadybeencertified

with a Fair Trade seal. How does Fair Trade work? What does Fair Trade mean? What are the stan­ dards? These questions and others are answered for visitors and exhibitors at an accompanying information and discussion forum.

The UK is partner country

Great Britain is the partner country of the International Horticulture Forum on 28 January 2016. In cooperation with INDEGA – Interessenvertretungderdeutschen Industrie für den Gartenbau e. V. (Association for the Representation of the Interests of the German Horticulture Industry) and the Verlag Eugen Ulmer (Eugen Ulmer Publishing House), experts will be discussing the opportunities and challengesassociatedwithgardening in the UK. Sue Biggs, Director General of the Royal Horticultural Society, will emphasise the importance of the United Kingdom as a partner country. She will visit the IPM ESSEN 2016 and give a short welcomingspeechduringtheopening ceremony.

An avalanche of awards expected

The IPM ESSEN is traditionally the place where the latest varieties of plants and creations, as well as innovative technology, are first presented and given awards. Now anotherprestigiousawardceremony isjoiningtheNeuheitenschaufenster (“New Product Showcase”), Show Your Colours Award and the INDEGA-IPM Innovation Award: For the first time, the AIPH (International Association of Horticultural Producers) is handing out the “International Grower of the Year Awards” at Messe Essen. Plant breeders from all around the world are honoured for their outstanding achievements in the categories of finished products, young plants and cut flowers.

World-class floristry

In the Green City in the FDF Florist Event Centre, top international floristry is on the programme. The Fachverband deutscher Floristen e.

V. – Bundesverband (Trade Association of German Florists – Federal Association) (FDF) stage shows will put the stars of the scene in the spotlight. Marcel Schulz, German Master Florist and German participant in the Europa-Cup 2016, Mehmet Yilmaz, who started for Turkey in the World Cup for Florists in Berlin, and Elisabeth Schoenemann, 2010 Runner-up for Florists, State Prize Winner and Regional Master in North Rhine-Westphalia will be showing new best-selling floral arrangements.

The "Floral Design" Group from North Rhine-Westphalia will presentplanted,arrangedandpotted spring flowers.

At the Teachers of Floristry show, international teachers will provide insights into their teaching philosophy. The stage show will be moderated by Gregor Lersch and Brigitte Heinrichs.

The FDF will bring Korean top floristry to the IPM ESSEN 2016.

Oh Myeon, master florist and Director of the Floral Art School in Seoul, Lim Kyoungtaek, and Kim Hyang Hak will delight visitors with flower styles made in Korea. ||| For more details please visit www.ipm-essen.de

2016

Guide to IPM Essen IPM Essen 2016 is truly international The IPM ESSEN show is truly international, hosting not just exhibitors from Europe, but also from North and South America, Asia and Australia. Here is our pick.

BELGIUM – Around 40 Flemish companies are participating in the Belgian joint exhibition, which includes three stands again in Halls 2 and 12. In Hall 2, the focus is on ornamental plants, laurels, azaleas, rhododendrons and young plants. The six companies in Hall 12 are displaying trees, woodland and hedge plants, roses and ornamental bushes.

CHINA – Compared to 2015, visitors can expect far more offerings: The size has doubled and exhibitors have significantly more opportunities to present their extensive range of plants, seeds, flower pots and much more. Hall 7, booth 7A09.

DENMARK – Around 50 exhibitors are showcasing the entire diverse spectrum of potted plants from their country in the Danish joint exhibit. Breeders, producers and distributors are presenting ornamental plants, room and garden plants and plant concepts. Hall 5, booth 5A17 FRANCE – The French joint exhibition includes three booths with a total of 20 exhibitors, including four new exhibitors. They are bringing a variety of novelties to the IPM ESSEN 2016 including photinia, witch hazel, sweet mini peppers and cucumbers for the terrace, cyclamen and dahlias. The breeders see white cyclamen in all sizes as well as dwarf dahlias as trends.

Hall 2, booth 2B17; Hall 10, booth 11B11; Hall 10, booth 10B14.

THE NETHERLANDS – Flora Holland and BIZZ Holland are organising both Dutch booths.

Under the auspices of BIZZ Holland, companies from Boskoop, Opheusden, Venlo and Zundert among others are exhibiting the latest decorative hedges, water plants and street trees. The plants submitted for the Show Your Colours Award 2016, which is organised by BIZZ Holland together with Messe Essen, are prominently displayed at the entrance of Hall 12 and the BIZZ Holland booth. Flora Holland: Hall 1, booth 1B10; BIZZ Holland: Hall 12, booth 12A13/12A22.

POLAND – There is strong participation again

by Polish companies at the IPM ESSEN. 19 companies are exhibiting at the joint booth.

Exhibitors are displaying a large variety of plants – trees cultivated in fields or grown in containers, bushes, perennials, vines and fruit plants of different sizes. Hall 9.0, booth 9A55 and 9B42.

SPAIN – The Spanish joint booth occupies over 1,100m2, where 34 member companies are exhibiting their products. All exhibitors use a system for ensuring the quality production of flowers and ornamental plants – including PPQS (Plant Production Quality System). Hall 9, booth 9A17.

UNITED KINGDOM – Under the umbrella of the Commercial Horticultural Association, companies are presenting their products at a total of three booths. Among them are many first-time exhibitors who are bringing new products to Essen – including new carnation varieties, clematis for small gardens and planting bags for tree breeders. They are also presenting solutions for greenhouse construction, heating and air circulation. Hall 10, booth 10C13 and 10C17; Hall 3, booth 3B37.

USA – The Southern U. S. Trade Association (SUSTA) supports plants producers from southern states participating in trade fairs. In 2016, the booth will be fully occupied again with companies from Florida, California, Puerto Rico, Louisiana and Tennessee. Hall 2, booth 2A31.

ITALY – The focal point, as in previous years, is Hall 6, the "Italian Hall", where primarily nurseries from all regions of Italy are presenting their products. There will be Mediterranean plants and trees in all sizes. Other Italian companies are presenting the latest developments in greenhouse construction and agricultural technology in the technology area in Halls 3, 7 and 8 Visitors can find young plants "made in Italy” in Hall 2.

January 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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2016

Guide to IPM Essen Green Products B.V.

Unmatched quality in propagation systems Green Products BV specialises in the production of paper pots (Greenplugs) with diameters from 8 to 28 mm. These consist of a sowing or cutting medium surrounded by a biodegradable coating that allows easy root penetration.

Klasmann-Deilmann Group

Providing a vital basis for plant growth Klasmann-Deilmann is the leading corporate group in the international substrate industry, with numerous sales and production companies in Europe, Asia and America.

All over the world, our growing media provide a vital basis for plant growth, and for the success of our partners and customers who are active in the commercial-horticulture sector. Our most important raw materials include white and black peat that we extract from our own sites, as well as wood fibre andgreen-wastecompostthatisproducedandprocessedinourownfacilities.

Wearedevelopingawiderangeofactivitiesinthefieldofrenewableenergyand resources. In so doing, we are placing our confidence in the expertise we have acquiredovermanydecadesinmanaginglandonalargescaleandinutilising biomass,andweareexploitingsynergiesbetweenthesedifferentoperations.

Withaglobalheadcountofmorethan950,weachieveconsolidatedturnover of EUR 175 million in 2015. Our production totals over 3.30 million m³ of growingmedia,pottingsoils,green-wastecompost,woodfibre,andbiomass from short-rotation forestry plantations.

Our ambitious sustainability strategy includes reporting in line with GRI standards and a carbon footprint verified to ISO 14064 as the basis for our company’s future development. Our goal is sustainable growth and lasting success in all of the company’s activities. In this, our employees are a foundationalasset,playingacrucialroleinmovingourorganisationforwardas we help them to excel.

Our guiding principles – based on our certification to the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards – are among the benchmarks by which we measure our responsibilityforpeople,theenvironmentandsubsequentgenerations.We carryoutenvironmental-protectionmeasuresthatresultinthere-waterlogging of several thousand hectares of former peat extraction areas.

Seedsandyoungplantsarenurturedwithintheplugtogerminatefasterinto young seedlings and plants of the finest quality.

GreenProductsusesadvancedproductionmethodsborrowedfromthetobacco industrythatguaranteeperfect,homogeneouslyfilledplugsthatretaintheir shape. This makes them ideal for efficient automated processing.

Green Products create the right combinations of airy soil and the required nutrientsforeachindividualcrop.Indeterminingwhichtypeofsubstratetouse forourGreenplugswealsoconsideryourcultivationsystem.GreenProducts hasalltheexpertiseneededtocomposetherightgrowingmediumtomeetthe requirementsofbothyourspecificcropandyourcultivationsystem.Wecan also help you choose the most ideal type of tray and plug volume.

Visit us at the IPM Essen, stand GA45

Georg-Klasmann-Str. 2 – 10 49744 Geeste, Germany T +49 (0) 5937 31 0 info@klasmann-deilmann.com www.klasmann-deilmann.com

Ertsstraat 3 8263 BN Kampen The Netherlands www.paperpots.nl info@greenproducts.nl

January 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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2016

Guide to IPM Essen Varinova

Shining examples of Cyclamen breeding Dutch breeder Varinova continues its quest for new and improved colours in Cyclamen.

Brandkamp GmbH

Committed to offering only the finest young plant material Brandkamp is a family-owned company from Germany that prides itself on having over 50 years of experience in breeding and propagation of Chrysanthemums and bedding plants.

The company delivers both unrooted cuttings and rooted plugs to customers at home and abroad. German-speaking countries such as Switzerland and Austria rank among the traditional export destinations while Eastern European markets such as Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic,Croatia,RomaniaandBulgariahaveopenedfollowingBrandkamp’s appointment of new agents over the past few years. The company operates fromitsgreenhousestructuresinIsselburg-Anholt,neartheDutchGerman border and exports its plants as far afield as the Far East.

PremiumqualityandanextensiverangeofproductsarekeytoBrandkamp’s success. Relying on an establish network of agents, Brandkamp GmbH Jungpflanzenvertrieb is committed to offering only the finest young plant material, backed by service that is friendly and prompt.

AlleffortsoftheBrandkampteamaregearedtowardexpandingitscustomer base worldwide, while developing long-term customer satisfaction. Small wonderthattheGermanyoungplantsupplierisamongthemost-respectedin the industry for their product and service quality.

During the recent Varitrials (Varinova’s annualCyclamentrials)Shinecolourswere thecentreofeveryone’sattention.Shinecolouredvarieties,aneasily-recognizable group of Cyclamen featuring durable colourswhicharecontrastingwithbroad white margins, have been added to the Picola and Melody Outdoor® series, while more impressive Shine colours are in the pipelineforthecomingtwoyears.Melody Outdoor® Shine Purple, Shine Pink and Shine Wine Red are shining examples of Cyclamen breeding.

Anothernewseries,theFacila,includesmini Cyclamenin9-12cmpots.Theseriesisnow available for order in seven colours.

Large-floweredMaxoraCyclamenarestill available on the market but will soon be replacedbyContiga,aseriesthatincludes ten colours and is suited for growing in 11-15cm pots.

MagniahasthelargestflowersofallVarinovaseriesandissuitedfor14-20cm potsandissuretobringgreaterprofitabilitytoCyclamengrowing.Magniahas limited availability.

Inkeepingwithtradition,VarinovahasextendeditsPythagorasmerchandising concepts creating mixes of three Cyclamen colours in one pot. The new RococoandminiShinePythagorasincludethreecoloursandaresuretoattract consumersacrossEurope.Placedintowickerbaskets,PythagorasCyclamen are the ultimate gift for friends and family.

Alsoappealingtocustomersaretheaward-winningVarinovaGobletShineWine RedandPicolaShineRed,whichhavebothgainedconsiderablemarketshare.

An absolute first for Varinova is the Outsider Cyclamen. The Outsider, with limitedavailability,combinesbotanicalCyclamenbeautywithpetiteflowers andsmallsilverleafs.Outsiderwillbelimitedavailablefororderinfivecolours.

The Varinova team will be pleased to welcome you at their Booth E28, Hall 1 attheworld’slargesthorticulturaltradeexhibition,IPMEssen,whichwilltake place January 26 – 29, 2016.

Occupying pride of place in Essen will be the Shine members of the different Cyclamen families as well as the Pythagoras colour mixes and the premium brands Contiga and Facila.

In der Flora 6 46419 Isselburg - Anholt T +49 (0) 2874 91 36 0 F +49 (0) 2874 91 36 22 info@brandkamp.de www.brandkamp.de

Albert van ’t Hartweg 54 2665 MJ Bleiswijk T +31 10 5111 340 T +31 10 5111 586 info@varinova.nl www.varinova.com

January 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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2016

AIPH INTERNATIONAL GROWER OF THE YEAR AWARDS

From the President

An exciting time to be involved in the Awards

Bernard Oosterom, AIPH President

TheInternationalAssociationofHorticulturalProducers(AIPH)InternationalGroweroftheYearAwards2016 recognisesbestpracticeinhorticulturalproductionbythetopornamentalproductionnurseriesfromaroundthe globe, celebrating the expertise and energy they give to horticulture.

ThisisanexcitingtimetobeinvolvedintheAwardswithnewcategoriesandabrandnewvenue.Toincrease entrants’chanceofwinningwehavethreenewcategoriestosuitdifferenttypesofgrowerbusinesses.These havebeenintroducedsotheAwardscanbetterrepresentthewiderangeofgrowersoperatingaroundthe world and therefore giving businesses a better opportunity to win an award. The categories are - Finished Plants & Trees - Growers of plants and trees that are ready for final sale, Young Plants - Growers of cuttings, plugs, liners, seedlings etc., which are sold for growing on, and Cut Flowers - Growers of flowers and foliage which are cut for indoor decorative use. Bronze, Silver and Gold will be awarded, where applicable, to each category, and each of the category winners will be judged for the final and most prestigious award – the coveted Gold Rose, awarding them the global status of AIPH International Grower of the Year.

These Awards are a great opportunity for businesses. As a winner, a company’s profile is raised on a global scale,instantlybadgingitasaleading,highqualitygrower.AnAIPHInternationalGroweroftheYearAward isalsoapricelessmarketingtool,supportedbyglobalcoveragefromtheinternationaltrademediaproviding winners with maximum coverage.

The Awards will be hosted during IPM Essen in Germany, the world’s leading trade fair for horticulture. The Awards Gala Dinner will take place at the Messe Essen, Hall Europa. On the night we will welcome a global audienceofhundredsofinternationalguestsprovidingareallyuniquenetworkingopportunityandafabulous night of good food, entertainment and celebration for businesses and their guests.

TheInternational Grower oftheYear Awardsisa‘not-to-be-missed’businessawardeventthatshould bein everyone’s business diaries for 2016. I wish all finalists the best of luck.

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Finalist • Arcadia Chrysanten, Netherlands

Making sustainability a top priority Arcadia Chrysanten, Netherlands, specialises in the cultivation and marketing of bunched and disbudded chrysanthemums, producing 50 million high quality branches a year for sale in both Eastern and Western Europe.

Constantly looking for innovative shapes and colours, the 20ha company produces 20 varieties of chrysanthemum which are market and customer-oriented. It has expanded its range with disbudded chrysanthemums in particular, as well as through new species and by adapting to the season.

Arcadia is socially responsible, making sustainability a top priority. It regularly reviews its cultivation processes to identify ways to become more energy efficient and as a result, is a leader in The New Cultivation (Het Nieuwe Telen) in which it seeks to optimise both technique and cul-

tivation. It is also closely involved in a number of new innovative developments, such as "Next Generation Cultivation" which includes a 25% reduction in energy use. For example, Arcadia’s new location utilises a new type of glass that allows 7% more light to pass through, improving

light distribution and removing shadows. Another innovation improves the maintenance of plant quality during transportation by using vacuum cooling. For each of these innovations Arcadia is either a pioneer or working in partnership to implement them. www.arcadiachrysanten.nl

Finalist • Costa Farms, USA

It starts and ends with the consumer experience Costa Farms is one of North America’s largest growers of ornamental plants regularly bringing new products to retailers on an international scale. It grows a wide range of plants, including houseplants, orchids, indoor and outdoor cacti and succulents, tropical shrubs, annual bedding plants, and perennial bedding plants.

Costa Farms actively tests hundreds of new varieties in its Trial

Gardens every year to find best-inclass products to offer to custom-

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | January 2016

ers. It invests heavily in research and development and is continually trialling new growing techniques to improve product quality, company efficiency, and give a better ex­ perience to end consumers. The Costa Farms family also takes sustainability to heart, seeking to make the business more sustainable and reduce its climate change impact.

Founded in 1961 by Jose Costa, Costa Farms is a third-generation, family-owned business with more than 60 years of experience in growing quality finished plants.

Today Costa Farms employs more than 3,400 people in the United States, Dominican Republic, and

China, and has some 4,200 acres of production globally. Along with thriving indoor and bedding plant divisions, Costa Farms operates merchandising and young-plant production divisions as part of its infrastructure, with operations domestically in South Florida and North and South Carolina, and abroad in the Dominican Republic and the Far East. www.costafarms.com

2016

AIPH INTERNATIONAL GROWER OF THE YEAR AWARDS Finalist • Dutchmaster Nurseries, Canada

On-hand availability of disease resistant plant material Dutchmaster Nurseries is one of the leading wholesale nurseries in Ontario producing trees, shrubs, and perennials for wholesale purposes and shipping throughout Eastern Canada and the Eastern United States. It prides itself in being the best it can be at growing and supplying its products, and knowing that there are many excellent growers in Canada and beyond, the company looks for ways to set itself apart.

Finalist • Dashun International Flower, China

Innovation is a key focus Dashun International Flower Co. Ltd. is the largest pot plant grower in China supplying 10,000,000 finished plants to the market. Dashun focuses on the production of plants with colourful flowers, leaves and fruits for the home and office. Its award winning product range, recognised for its best new varieties and high quality, includes Anthurium, Medinilla magnifica, Bromeliaceae, Marantaceae, Rieger Begonia and Kalanchoe.

Dashun International Flower Co. boasts 300,000m2 greenhouses which are built and equipped with modern technology, such as geothermal, sub-irrigation, automatic environment control and automatic spraying systems. The company established a quality control system for all aspects of its production, is certified to ISO9001 quality management system and uses an electronic grading system for its finished products.

Innovation is a key focus for Dashun International Flower Co. which has introduced new equipment and facilities from manufacturers including Priva and Stolze, new varieties from

Aside from providing quality plant material and good customer service, as most customers have come to expect, Dutchmaster Nurseries also focuses on constant availability.

Another competency is very fast turnaround time even for last minute orders. At Dutchmaster Nurseries, crop selection is very important and it is an avid purveyor of disease resistant cultivars. Improvements in areas

such as automation techniques, waste minimisation, research and development are essential to the company. In addition, Dutchmaster Nurseries engages in a number of practices in order to be a leader in environmentally friendly initiatives. www.dutchmasternurseries.com

Anthura, Exotic Plants, Queen and Greenex, and production techniques more widely used in developed western countries. It has also adapted the new technology to its environmental and production conditions. The company has set itself high standard for sustainable production. www.flower-china.cn

FloraHolland is Headline Sponsor “FloraHolland has been a member of AIPH for years. The cooperative also supports the Horticultural Entrepreneur Award where the most innovative and enterprising company from the Dutch horticultural sector is awarded. Winners of this competition are also recommended for the International Grower of the Year Award. We feel strongly about promoting innovation and successful entrepreneurship in this sector and warmly support both awards.”

Floris Olthof, Manager Cooperation & Communication, FloraHolland Headline Sponsor of AIPH International Grower of the Year Awards 2016

January 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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Judges Chair - Vic Krahn AIPH Past President Andras Treer Hungarian Ornamental Horticulturists Association Bill Stensson Sheridan Nurseries, Canada Tim Edwards Boningale Nurseries, UK Tetsu Nomura Japanese Landscape Contractors Association, Japan Jaap Kras Lawyer, Netherlands Peter van de Pol Management Schoneveld Breeding, Netherlands

Finalist • Flash Tarim Urunleri (Flash Flowers), Turkey

Delivering high quality, competitive price and limitless service Founded in 1992, Flash Tarim is one of Turkey’s leading producers and exporters of cut flowers packing more than 1.5 million stems per week to export to more than 20 countries. It produces 16 different kinds of flowers with over 160 varieties, including greens, foliage and carnations.

Growing fast, the company’s production area has increased from five hectares in 1992 to 70 hectares in 2015. Starting small, today Flash Tarim has eight different production sites in and around Antalya using high-tech growing standards along with the 23 years of staff ex­perience.

By delivering high quality,

competitive price and limitless service, Flash Tarim leads the Turkish flower sector with its experience, modern facilities, innovation and competitive structure. Its flowers are packed in boxes that were specially designed according to market demand with all packaging material being 100% recycled

and environmentally friendly.

The company is proud to supply Turkish flowers all over the world with consignments transported via land, air and sea. www.flashflower.com

Finalist • Florensis, Germany/Netherlands

Catering for a unique product assortment Florensis is an innovative, second-generation family business that has proven its success over the years. Since 1941 it has provided professional growers with new varieties and plant propagation material.

More than 2,000 devoted and skilled employees in Europe (with its head office in the Netherlands) and throughout the world produce more than 900 million young plants from seed and cuttings each year.

The company specialises in annuals, perennials, pot plants, primroses, pansies and cut flowers. It supplies growers with an unrivalled assortment of more than 4,000 different varieties of

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | January 2016

plants and flowers of the very highest quality, grown using the most innovative and sustainable technologies. Florensis is also skilled in marketing these products successfully.

Florensis international locations in Kenya, Ethiopia and Portugal contribute through production of unrooted cuttings and seeds. Furthermore, largescale contract production takes place in different countries. The

company works closely together with the most renowned breeders in the industry to produce a unique product assortment. www.florensis.com

2016

AIPH INTERNATIONAL GROWER OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Programme AIPH 18.00 – Welcome drinks reception & sponsors’ showcase.

19.00 – F our course Gala Dinner followed by the Awards ceremony and an evening of live entertainment and international networking.

Finalist • Kunming Hongzhihua Gardening, China

Respects and promoting plant breeders rights in China Finalist • Majestic Trees, UK

Unlocking the market potential for direct supply of mature trees Majestic Trees grows finished plants and trees and has had resounding success in unlocking the market potential for direct supply of mature trees.

With trees from 12/14 up to 1.1 meter girth, 3 to 13 meters tall and 50 to 5,000 litres AirPots, the independently owned company grows, supplies and plants nationwide with its own fleet of heavy transport and custom equipment to ensure total customer satisfaction.

Majestic Trees, operating from a 20-acre nursery site in Hertfordshire, England, strives to provide excellent quality, exceptional service and exemplary profes­sionalism. From the painstaking efforts made to select only the finest tree stock to grow on; the pruning of the trees, potting and growing on in AirPot containers till they reach their full potential; and the marketing and thereafter devotion to customer service both at the nursery and at the point of delivery, overcoming any obstacles, however large the tree, Majestic Trees is renowned across Europe as a team of

passionate and dedicated horticulturists.

Key components of its inno­ vative strategy have included: early adoption of the AirPot container growing production system, cultivation of a uniquely wide range of varieties and sizes, a nursery conceived and developed to be entirely visitor friendly, provision of a high level of customer advisory support, pro­ vision of a complete, in-house supply-and-plant package, and the promotion of a teamspirited working culture to encourage professional pride and high staff retention. www.majestictrees.co.uk

Kunming Hongzhihua Gardening Co. Ltd. produces and sells cuttings and cut flowers of chrysanthemum. The company’s chrysanthemum cuttings are mainly exported to Japan. In 2014, the export volume was 140 million pieces, which accounts for over 90% of China’s total export volume of these products and 42% of the total import volume of Japan.

Kunming Hongzhihua Gardening Co. attaches great importance to scientific and technological innovations, respects and promotes plant breeders rights and carries out standardised production. It has the largest chrysanthemum germplasm resources center in China and even in Asia with more than 2,500 popular chrysanthemum varieties available. It has developed more than 50 new varieties, of which 15 have been authorised with plant breeder’s rights. The company has also become the largest exporter of Chrysanthemum cuttings targeting the Asian market. Kunming Hongzhihua Gardening Co. was

established in 2005 with a registered capital of RMB five million, registered in Yunnan Flower Demonstration Park of Songming County, Yunnan Province. The company’s production base in Songming covers an area of over 40 ha, of which 28 ha are modernised greenhouses. www.zhongguojuhua.cn

January 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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Finalist • Shanghai Yuanyi Seedling, China

Consistently driving sustainable and ecological development Shanghai Yuanyi Seedling Co. Ltd. is a leading and the largest horticultural enterprise which initially worked with plug seedling production in China. Bedding plant seedlings are the main products of the company, which include annual and perennial flowers, hanging plants, potted plants, vegetative plants, ornamental vegetables and fruits and mosaiculture materials.

It has set up three wholly-owned subsidiaries, nine modernised production units and owns more than 60 hectares of production area and 30 hectares of modernised intelligent greenhouses. In 2014, the total production and sales volume of various seedlings was around 300 million and the company’s average annual growth rate in the past three years has remained above 20%.

Yuanyi attaches great importance to technological innovation, its Seedling Research Institute has undertaken and participated in many state-level and municipal-

level projects, and won the First Prize of the Shanghai Scientific and Technological Progress Award in 2008. It strives to continuously improve competitiveness by using the best facilities, system integration, high volume production, technological innovation and industry services, and branding. www.yyseedling.com

Why enter?

Demonstrate your professionalism Raise your profile Get the edge over your competition Increase customer satisfaction Attract new talent and customers Boost staff enthusiasm and commitment Benefit from a valuable commercial marketing tool

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | January 2016

Big things happen if you are a winner in the AIPH International Grower of the Year Awards. As a winner you will raise the profile of your company on a global scale and improve your reputation as a leading, high quality grower.

With wider industry recognition your company will become even more desirable as a place to work, attracting new talent, increasing staff morale and decreasing staff turnover as a result.

An AIPH International Grower of the Year Award is a priceless marketing tool, supported by global coverage from the international trade media providing winners with maximum coverage. In fact winners receive an estimated €4,000 worth of trade media advertising.

PAST WINNERS “The whole team at Schoneveld were very proud to win the Gold Rose in 2014. Not only did winning this prize give our company international recognition but it has also provided us with a valuable marketing tool.

The recognition by the jury, of our strengths in co-operating through the supply chain and international validation of all we are striving to achieve and the recognition by our industry peers means so much.”

Peter van de Pol, Schoneveld Breeding, The Netherlands Gold Rose Winner 2014 “We were thrilled to have been awarded the Gold Rose in the 2013 International Grower of the Year competition. Global recognition like this really makes our business stand out from the crowd. It undoubtedly has helped us drive growth and the staff think it is wonderful too.

I would strongly encourage growers to enter the competition.”

Bill Stensson, Sheridan Nurseries, Canada - Gold Rose Winner 2013

2016

AIPH INTERNATIONAL GROWER OF THE YEAR AWARDS

2016

ExhibitionGuide

FloraCulture

2016 AIPH/FCI ExhibitionGuide The International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) is pleased to support FCI’s annual guide to horticultural exhibitions around the world.

Withamandateagreedbyaninternationalconvention,AIPHhasbeenapprovingandregulatingInternationalHorticulturalExhibitions,withits partnersBIE(www.bie-paris.org),since1960.Enthusiasmforsuchexposhascontinuedtogrow,withmillionsofpeoplevisitingexposhosted all over the world. Recent successes over the last three years include the horticultural expos in Venlo 2012 (Netherlands), Suncheon 2013 (South Korea) and Qingdao 2014 (China) which between them attracted over 10 million visitors.

AIPH has already approved five expos between now and 2022 in Europe and Asia. The exhibitions approved by AIPH are aimed at the end consumer;thepeoplewhowillbuy,plantandbenefitfromplants.Suchexposarehighlyeffectiveatstimulatingdemandforflowersandplants andforraisingtheprofileandstatusofthehorticultureindustryinthecountrythathoststhem.‘InternationalHorticulturalTradeExhibition’ is AIPH’s new category of exhibition for Business-to-Business trade fairs within the horticulture industry. AIPH welcomes applications fromexistingandnewinternationalfairsforthis.AIPHprovidesawiderangeofservicestoexhibitionorganisersandinreturnforapproval organisers pay a guarantee and license fee.

ThegoalofExhibitionGuideistodevelopaglobaldirectoryoftradeshowsandAIPH/BIEapprovedexhibitions,whichprovidesinformationfor both exhibitors and visitors allowing them to research and plan their expo experience ahead of time. We wish you a good reading.

Tim Briercliffe, AIPH Secretary General

Drawing on experience acquired over generations, AIPH provides organisers with expert guidance to create memorable horticultural spectacles. When AIPH approves an international horticultural exhibition there are numerous benefits for the organiser.

2016

ExhibitionGuide

Horticultural spectacles that live long in memory T

he benefits of organizing a horticultural exhibition under the AIPH flag are managed by a set of clear ‘Regulations for International Horticultural Exhibitions’. These have recently been revised and the new Regulations, applicable from October 2015, are available at www.aiph. org/marketing-and-exhibitions

Benefits of AIPH approval

• No competing expos permitted at the same time - Once approved then other similar exhibitions cannot be approved in the same period in the same world region.

• More international participants - AIPH members commit to only supporting international horticultural exhibitions that are AIPH approved.

• Invitations to other countries supported by international convention - A1 category exhibitions are entitled to invite participation

from other countries through governmental diplomatic channels.

• External guidance and advice – Annual progress inspections, accesstoexpertsonexhibitionsand horticulture,detailsofpastexpos and a library of guidance.

• World class competitions – Support in managing competitions and provision of jury members.

• Global promotion – Promotion of the exhibition through an internationalmediadatabaseanda global horticultural network using an increasingly significant global brand.

AIPH has also launched a guide that gives expo organisers advice on how to organise International Horticultural Exhibitions as well as useful information, facts, figures, tips and ideas.

Categories and future exhibitions

There are different categories of exhibition to suit different needs: A1 – ‘World Horticultural Exhibition’ These expos can last from 3-6 months and cover at least 50 hectares. There are strict rules around the frequency of A1 exhibitions; there cannot be more than one at any time, not more than five per decade and not more than one per decadeforanyspecificcountry.An application for an A1 exhibition should be submitted to AIPH at least six years before the opening date. AIPH provides an international jury for competitions which meets three times during the exhibition.

AIPH has approved three A1 exhibitions for the coming years: Expo 2016 Antalya (Turkey), International Horticultural Exhibition Beijing 2019 (China) and Floriade Amsterdam Almere 2022 (Nether-

lands).Accordingtointernational convention A1 exhibitions must also be recognised by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) which requires national governmentapprovalandenables invitations to be issued through diplomatic channels.

B – ‘International Horticultural Exhibition’ These expos are similar to A1, but there is more flexibility on the frequency of B category exhibitions. They must cover a minimumareaof25hectaresand last for 3-6 months and applications must be submitted at least three years before the opening date. Invitations for participation typically come from city or regionalgovernmentsandnotfrom national governments. AIPH provides an international jury for competitions which meets twice during the exhibition. AIPH has approved two B exhibitions for thecomingyears:2016Tangshan International Horticultural Exposition (China) and Taichung World Flora Exposition 2018/19 (Chinese Taipei).

C – ‘International Horticultural Show’ These expos last from 5 to 20 days and occupy at least 6,000 m2 and again there are restrictions on frequency.

D – ‘International Horticultural Trade Exhibition’ This is a new category of exhibition for Business-to-Business trade fairs within the horticulture industry. AIPH welcomes applications from existing and new international fairs for this. AIPH provides a wide range of services to exhibition organisers and in returnforapprovalorganiserspay a guarantee and license fee. |||

January 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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The Netherlands

FloraHolland Seasonal Trade Fair & Florist Event For years, the Seasonal Trade Fair has been FloraHolland's major spring fair. It is attended by thousands of trade visitors annually and provides a podium for more than 400 growers of green and flowering house and garden plants, as well as a number of flower growers.

The Seasonal Trade Fair is also an important opportunity to familiarize yourselvewiththesupplyoftubplantsforthecomingseason.Additionally, theFloristEvent,aninspiringnetworkingeventforflorists,takesplaceatthe FloraHolland House, home of opportunities, at the center of the trade fair.

Novelties Occupying pride of place will be a Novelty Showcase in the FloraHolland House,featuringthelatestbreedingbreakthroughsandretailingconcepts, including the 2016 Glass Tulip Award winners.

Florist Event Last year, the Florist Event was held for the first time at the FloraHolland Seasonal Trade Fair, and it was a hit! No fewer than 400 flower arrangers attended this exciting event.

TheFloristEventwillonceagainberealizedtogetherwithFlowerFactor,the inspiration platform for Floral design. Global stars of flower design will take partintheFloraHollandFloristEventwithdemos,displayedarrangements, presentations, workshops and more.

Save the dates in your diary! You can register to attend at www.floraholland.com/seasonaltradefair.

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | January 2016

Dates: 9-10 March 2016 Trade show hours: Wednesday 9 March 09.00 – 21.00 Thursday 10 March 09.00 - 16.00 Venue: FloraHolland Naaldwijk, Middel Broekweg 29, 2670 AE Naaldwijk, The Netherlands T +31 297 39 36 12 events@floraholland.nl www.floraholland.com/seasonaltradefair www.facebook.com/FHTradeFair www.twitter.com/floraholland #FHTF

2016

ExhibitionGuide

The Netherlands

FloraHolland Trade Fair Aalsmeer The FloraHolland Trade Fair Aalsmeer is THE place where the international horticulture industry gets together. More than 650 suppliers of plants and flowers from the Netherlands and from across the world will be exhibiting their new products and concepts to the attending exporters, wholesalers and customers.

A wide range of cut flowers and plants that are either available for order immediately or in the near future will be on show. There will also be many new products and product concepts present.

Dates: 2-4 November 2016 Trade show hours: Wednesday 2 November 9.00 - 17.00 Thursday 3 November 9.00 - 17.00 Friday 4 November 9.00 - 15.00 Venue: FloraHolland, Legmeerdijk 313, 1431 GB Aalsmeer, The Netherlands T +31 297 39 36 12 events@floraholland.nl www.floraholland.com/ tradefair www.facebook.com/FHTradeFair www.twitter.com/floraholland #FHTF

‘FloraHolland House’ Centraltothetradefairwillbe'FloraHollandHouse',themeetingplacefordiscovering the most exciting new products and major market and consumer trends. Under the motto‘Homeofopportunities’,TheFloraHollandHouseprovidesaninspiringlocation wherevisitorscanexchangethoughtswithexpertsfrominsideandoutsidethesector about making the horticultural sector future-proof.

It will inspire you!

Breeders More than 50 leading breeders of flowers and plants will be presenting innovativenewproducts,creatinganall-encompassingnetworkingandinspiration fair for floriculture.

Inspiration The FloraHolland Trade Fair is a dedicated trade show that brings together and offers inspiration and solutions for the ornamental horticulture and gardening industry. We are looking forward to welcoming you to the FloraHolland Trade Fair inAalsmeer!Doyouwantquickaccesstothetradefloor?Thentakeadvantageofthe preregistration at www.floraholland.com/tradefair and save yourself a lot of time.

January 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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France

The Netherlands

The Salon du Végétal is the French trade show for the flowers and plants industry. The layout of the whole fair has been redesigned around themed areas, with workshops and conferences about current issues.

Plantarium is the leading international nursery trade fair and will take place from 24 to 27 August 2016 on the International Trade Centre in Hazerswoude-Boskoop.

Expectedinattendanceareover14,000tradevisitors.Over500international exhibitors will be presenting a wide range of plants in Angers from 16 to 18 February 2016.

Participantsfrom15differentcountriesandtradevisitorsfrom44countries underlinetheinternationalnatureofthefairandmakePlantariumtheleading wholesale market for nursery stock products in Europe. The fair has a great dealtooffer,coveringeverysegmentofthehorticulturalsupplychain,from growers to breeders and from retailers to traders.

Trade visitors to Plantarium, which attracted over 17,150 visitors in 2015, are of high quality. Direct orders are still being taken at Plantarium (52% of participants),while85%ofparticipantsmakenewcontactsand98%saythat they maintain existing contacts at Plantarium (2015 figures).

ThehighlightofPlantariumisandremainsthenewplantawards.Everyyear, numerous novelties are launched at Plantarium. On average, around 125 novelties are entered for the awards. The entries are judged by an expert judging committee from the Royal Boskoop Horticultural Society.

Salon du Végétal

New format will allow for more efficient use of time and increased and enhance visitor’s experience “Just as we renew the layout in a store or the gardens in a town, we have redesignedthetradeshow,”saidtradeshowmanagerSergeTsvétoukhine.

Exhibitors will be grouped into five new feature areas: Retail/Distribution, Production,GreenSpaces&Landscaping,Floristry,andInnovations/Trends.

Notonly willitraisetheexhibitor’s visibility, it will also ensure attendees get the most out of their time at the 2016 Salon du Vegetal show.

Gardens in town: a contemporary and trendy topic Addressing multiple key issues affecting today’s industry, this year’s Salon du Végétal opted for a central theme: ‘Gardens in Towns’. “The theme is basedonincreasingurbanizationandthegreencityphilosophy.Theseglobal developmentsandideashaveprovidedinspirationfortheupcomingSalondu Végétal,” Serge Tsvétoukhine explained.

Many exhibitors will play on the ‘Gardens in Town’ motif and its sub themes such as job creation, sustainable practices and garden trends. Gardens in Towns will also be the theme for a series of conferences and product demonstrations.OneoftheGardensinTownhighlightswillincludea300m2 model garden.

LocatedinFrance’shorticulturalheartland,thePaysdelaLoire(some200km south west of Paris), the Salon offers the chance to go behind the scenes of localflowerandplantnurseries.TheorganisersoftheSalonwillhappytohelp you planning your farm tour.

Dates: 16-18 February 2016 Trade show hours: Tuesday 16 February and Wednesday 17 February 8.3019.00 / Thursday 18 February 8.30-18.00

Venue : Parc des Expositions, Angers, France T +33 2 41 79 14 17 F +33 2 41 45 29 05 salon@bhr-vegetal.com www.salon-du-vegetal.com Free of charge!

E-badge available at www. salon-du-vegetal.com

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | January 2016

Plantarium

Why participate in Plantarium?

• 300 exhibitors from 15 different countries • 20,000 visitors from 44 different countries • 70 journalists from 15 different countries • make new contacts and maintain existing contacts • direct sales • prepare the way for sales • decision-makers and influencers visit Plantarium • outstanding product presentation options • international platform for introductions and novelties • plenty of national and international trade press • current, realistic market test for products and companies The 34th edition of Plantarium will take place from 24 to 27 August 2016 in Hazerswoude-Dorp/Boskoop, the Netherlands. The fair is open from 9 am until 6 pm (except on Saturday, when the fair will close at 4 pm). Location: Plantarium building, International Trade Centre, Italiëlaan 4, 2391 PT Hazerswoude-Dorp/Boskoop.Around20,000visitorsareexpected.Visitors can attend the fair free of charge with a complimentary ticket and/or by meansofdigitalpreregistrationviawww.plantarium.nl.Otherwise,entrance tickets cost €10 per person.

Italiëlaan 4 2391 PT HAZERSWOUDE-DORP Postbus 107 2770 AC BOSKOOP T +31 (0)172 - 235 400 F +31 (0)172 - 235 450 info@plantarium.nl www.plantarium.nl

2016

ExhibitionGuide

Russia

FlowersExpo 2016 The 6th international FlowersExpo trade exhibition is set to take place at Crocus Expo in Moscow 13 -15 September, 2016. Crocus Expo is a truly worldclass venue, touted Russia’s most high profile convention centre.

Last year, FlowersExpo confirmed its role as a reference point for the ornamental horticulture and gardening industry. The exhibition provided its participants and visitors with extensive information about the state and high potential of the local market where demand for cut and pot flowers, nursery stock products, seeds, equipmentforgreenhouses,gardencentres,landscapecompaniesandfloristshopsis growing.

In2015,FlowersExpohostedover400exhibitorsfrom23countriesincluding Russia, the UK, Belarus, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Israel, India, Italy, Kazakhstan,Kenya,China,Colombia,Lithuania,UAE,Poland,Turkey,Ukraine,Finland, France, Ecuador and Japan.

True to the tradition, fresh cut flowers and pot plants (56%) occupied pride of place followedbynurserystockandlandscapeproducts(17%),floristrysupplies(14%)and technology (13%).

The 3-day event saw an influx of 15,000 visitors, a number that was considerably up compared to 2014. Over 70 percent of all visitors were professionals including top managers, businessmen, specialists, garden centre retailers, landscape architects and florists representing a wide circle of customers from 75 Russian regions and 35 countries.

Thisyear,Russia’sleadingtradefairforornamentalhorticultureonceagainwillhost atopnotcheducationalandbusinessprogrammeincludingconferences,seminars, productlaunchesandfloraldesignshows.Approximately4,000peopleparticipated in these business events in 2015. One of the 2016 FlowersExpo highlights will be the annual Open Russian Championship for Florists.

Dates: 13-15 September 2016 Trade show hours: Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 September 10.00 – 18.00 Thursday 15 September 10.00 – 17.00 Venue: Crocus Expo Moscow T +7 495 221 12 51 / +7 915 185 79 03 mail@flowers-expo.ru www:flowers-expo.ru

The show organizers receive high praise for their long standing track record in organizingsuccessfulflowershowexhibitionsandcancountastrongindustrysupport.

Truthbetold,itistheimpressivenumberofbusinessvisitorsandtheopportunitiesto furtherexpandbusinessintheRussianmarketthatmaketheshowsopopularamong the key stakeholders of the industry.

FlowersExpoistrulyakeytothepromisingRussianmarket.Theshoworganisersalong with all exhibitors look forward to welcoming you.

January 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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Turkey

EXPO 2016 ANTALYA For the first time ever, an international horticultural exhibition devoted to nature, the environment, children and future generations will be held in Antalya, Turkey from April to October 2016.

EXPO 2016 Antalya, with the motto ‘A green life for future generations’, invites the visitors on an around the world journey through flowers, beautiful plants, international gardens and landscape art.

ThefoundationforEXPO2016ANTALYA’sgreenlegacyforfuturegenerationsare flowers,symbolizinganeco-friendlyfuturewithamazingbiodiversityandtheright balance between natural areas and farmland.

Humankinddependsoncultivatedplants,asisevidentfromthepast10,000years ofagriculturalandhorticulturaldevelopment.Wecultivateonlyasmallvarietyof specieseverydaywhich,togetherwithclimatechange,putsnotonlybiodiversity but also food security at risk.

EXPO 2016 ANTALYA focuses on the vital connection between humankind and plant diversity, offering a perspective on the evolution of cultivated plants.

Subthemes are History, Biodiversity, Sustainability and Green City.

Theoverarchingthemeandsubthemesaimtoprovideinspirationtoexhibitors, promoting the topics as guidelines for building gardens, booths and pavilions.

Participantsarefreetodevelopthethemesfromdifferentangles;theycanchoose tofocusononeormoresubthemes,orcomeupwiththeirowninterpretation.EXPO 2016 ANTALYA aims to be the source for a new perspective on the future, with heavenlyscentedflowersandchildren’slaughterthroughoutthecitybringingwith them hopes for a greener world.

Visitors of EXPO 2016 ANTALYA will have a chance to experience academic, cultural and artistic events throughout the seven-month exhibition. There is an extensive programme of national and international congresses, panels and seminars.

Dates: 23 April – 30 October 2016.

Opening hours: 10.00 am – 02.00 am Venue: EXPO 2016 ANTALYA exposition site Aksu District, Solak Village, Antalya / TURKEY T +90 242 242 39 76 F 90 242 311 88 32 international@expo2016antalya.org.tr expoinfo@expo2016antalya.org.tr www.expo2016.org.tr

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | January 2016

The112haexpositionsite,whichwillbetransformedinapermanentparkoncethe exhibition has closed, will include several themed areas. Highlights include: • Expo Tower: Symbolizing the historical Hadrianus Gate, one of the most important landmarks of Antalya • AgricultureandBiodiversityMuseum:Themuseumwillfocusonthedevelopment of agriculture and civilization, and recuperation of biological diversity • Congress Centre: Its seating capacity of 9500 • Amphitheatres • Children’s Island • The

Science and Technology Centre for Children • Countryside Activity Area • Expo Lake - A peony-shaped terrace, which is the symbol of EXPO 2016 Antalya • Expo Hill • Expo Forest • Expo Square • Culture and Art Street • Restaurants to reflect Turkey’s architectural culture • Indoor Gardens • Turkish Biodiversity Theme Track: National plants, collected from three geographical plant zones of Turkey will be showcased.

• Rainforest Greenhouse

2016

ExhibitionGuide Turkey

2016 Eurasia Plant Fair/Flower Show Istanbul The annual Eurasia Plant Fair/Flower Show Istanbul, is now one of the world’s largest and most international horticulture trade shows. Ideally located at the crossroads of East and West, it is by far the most important trade exhibition in this rapidly growing regional market for ornamental plants, flowers and landscaping.

The event is now recognised as more than just a meeting point of two continents, it’s a global meeting point where top international buyers and sellers gather to do business.

The2015showfeatured319exhibitorsfrom21countriesproducingmorethan10,000different plantvarietiesandoccupyinganetstandareaofover11,500sqm.Theshowwelcomedastrong participationofinternationalexhibitorswithItaly,Germany,Netherlands,PolandandTaiwan particularlywell-represented.Ondisplaywerearecordnumberofplantvarieties,suitablefor allweatherconditionsandsoiltypes,thelatestmaterialsandtechnologiesforproductionof plants, along with landscaping equipment and services.

This comprehensive display attracted a record number of trade visitors with 14,865 buyers andspecifierscomingfrom52countrieswhotookthisopportunitytoviewandcomparethe latestandmostinnovativeproductsavailableandleadingtonewordersworthmanymillionsof US$.ExhibitorswerenotonlyabletomeetwiththekeybuyersfromTurkey’semergingsector, buttheymadevaluablebusinesscontactsinmanyotherexcitingmarketsincludingEurasia, Balkans,theCommonwealthofIndependentStates(CIS),MiddleEast,NorthAfricaandEurope.

Exhibitorsreportedmanyenquiriesfrompotentialbuyerssuchasnationalandinternational constructionandlandscapingprojectcompanies,hotelsandleisurefacilities,wholesalers, retailers e.g. garden centers, real estate management companies and over 150 different municipalities from Turkey alone.

BydeliveringauniqueinsightintotheornamentalplantsandlandscapingsectorinTurkeyand the region, Eurasia Plant Fair/Flower Show Istanbul 2015 again proved it is much more than justanexhibition.Exhibitorsandvisitorswereabletobenefitfromthisfirst-handexchangeof information and so plan with more confidence their future activities and investments.

Located on the old Silk Road, Turkey is one of the world's most strategic business hubs with Istanbulitscommercialcenterandtheworld'sonlycitylocatedontwocontinents.Boasting an outstanding and modern infrastructure with excellent transport and communication connections,IstanbulandmorespecificallyEurasiaPlantFair/FlowerShowIstanbul2016,isthe perfect place for both professional horticulture buyers and sellers to meet and do business.

Dates: 24 – 27 November 2016 Trade show hours: 24, 25, 26 November 10.30 – 18.00 27 November 10.30 – 17.30 Venue: Istanbul Fair Center, Yesilkoy/Istanbul Entry for industry professionals free of charge upon showing their business cards.

T + 90 312 442 28 20 info@cyffuar.com.tr www.flowershow.com.tr/en

January 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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Germany

IPM ESSEN The entire international green industry is invited to IPM ESSEN 2017. From plants to technology, floristry and garden features – the entire horticultural value chain is represented at the IPM ESSEN. No other trade fair provides such a complete overview of the market. From 24 to 27 January 2017, around 1,600 exhibitors from over 45 nations will present their innovationstotoptradeandindustryvisitorsfromallovertheworld.Allthemarket leadersparticipateinthe35thworld'slargestandleadingtradingandinformation platform for the green industry. With about 105,000 square metres of exhibition space, IPM ESSEN will occupy the entire Messe Essen exhibition centre.

Dates: 24 -27 January 2017 Trade show hours: 9.00 – 18.00 Venue: MESSE ESSEN T +49.(0)201.7244.226 F +49.(0)201.7244.513 ipm@messe-essen.de www.ipm-essen.de

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | January 2016

China HORTIFLOREXPOIPMBEIJING/SHANGHAI Powered by IPM Essen

The biggest trade fair for the horticultural industry in China is held every year in Beijing and Shanghaialternately.DuetotheoutstandingcooperationbetweenHORTIFLOREXPOCHINA and IPM ESSEN, expertise is pooled and flows successfully into the growth market of China.

Exhibitorsbenefitfromthesynergyeffectsandarethusabletosecuretheirbusinesssuccess in China, the growing market of the future.

Russia FLOWERSEXPO MOSCOW Powered by IPM Essen

Thetradefairforflowers,plants,horticulturaltechnology,floristryandlandscapedesignis yourkeytotheRussianmarket.Ithasbeengrowingcontinuallyoverthepastfewyearsand is an absolute must for specialists of horticulture and cut flowers in Russia and the CIS.

UAE IPM DUBAI/WOP DUBAI TheonlyinternationalplatformforthegreenindustryintheGulfRegionfocusesonthespecial requirementsofbuyersinthisarea:plants,horticulturaltechnology,floristry,salespromotion, plantcareandlogistics.Thesupportingprogrammeincludesflorist’saward,horticultural technicalaswellasgardenandlandscapedesignseminars.WOPDUBAI–theinternational perishables expo – held concurrently is the only trade fair in the Middles East which specializes in fresh produce and associated technology along the entire value chain.

2016

ExhibitionGuide

Dates: 11-13 May 2016 Trade show hours: 9.00-17.00 Venue: China International Exhibition Centre Beijing T +49 201 7244727 ipmworldwide@messe-essen.de www.hortiflorexpo-ipm.com

Dates: 13-15 September 2016 Trade show hours: 10.00-18.00 Venue: Crocus-Expo International Exhibition Centre, Moscow T +49 201 7244727 ipmworldwide@messe-essen.de www.flowers-expo.ru

Dates: 13-15 November 2016 Trade show hours: 10.00-18.00 Venue: Dubai World Trade Centre T +49 201 7244727 ipmworldwide@messe-essen.de www.ipm-dubai.com www.wop-dubai.com

January 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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The Netherlands

GreenTech 2016 GreenTech is the global meeting place for all professionals involved in horticulture technology in RAI Amsterdam, the Netherlands. With over 350 international exhibitors including all the market leaders, GreenTech focuses on the early stages of the horticulture chain and production issues relevant to growers of flowers and vegetables.

An unmissable event Knowledgeispowertheysay,andensuringthatknowledgeandbestpracticeis shared,isoneofthedrivingforcesbehindtheshow.ByvisitingAmsterdam,you joinhorticultureindustryprofessionalsfromaroundtheworldzoominginonall thetechnologiesrequiredforproducingcropsthroughoutthehorticulturechain.

GreenTech turns the spotlight on innovations as well as proven-in-practice products,applicationsandsolutions.Allthetechnologiesrelatedtomodern plant production will be on display, from seed to tomato or rose, ensuring professional flower and vegetable growers as well as manufacturers and suppliers from around the world gather in Amsterdam!

The perfect time GreenTechisorganisedinthesecondweekofJune.Duringthisweekarange of interesting parallel events are available, including the Flower Trials and Vegetables Tours. Held in close proximity to Amsterdam, the mix of trials andothertechnicalexcursionsprovidegenuineaddedvaluetointernational professionals.Afterall,whereandwhenelseistheresuchagreatopportunity to see a world of new and proven techniques under one roof, while also viewing them live in various professional, high-tech greenhouses?

Themes that matter Baseduponcloseconsultationwiththehorticultureandfloriculturesectors,the organisersofGreenTechAmsterdamhaveestablishedfourconnectedthemesfor theevent:Crops,Water,EnergyandBiobased.Nexttothattheshowincludesa VerticalFarmingPavilionandDemoareaforheavyequipmentandmachinery.

Dates 14-16 June 2016 Opening hours 10:00 - 18:00 hours Venue: RAI Amsterdam T +31 (0)20 549 12 12 greentech@rai.nl www.greentech.nl

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | January 2016

Come to GreenTech and join the horticulture community: • High tech and smart (mid) tech horticulture products and solutions • Innovations and best practices • Extensive seminar programme with clear subjects for sustainable and maximum crop production • Visit of live showcases by top breeders and suppliers • Meet colleague growers from all over the world Join ‑free- by subscribing to our enewsletter As a subscriber to the newsletter you will receive a free entrance ticket to GreenTech2016inAmsterdam,theNetherlands.Formoreinformation,please visit www.greentech.nl/newsletter

2016

ExhibitionGuide

The Netherlands/Germany

2016 FlowerTrials® 14 to 17 June 2016

During FlowerTrials® 2016 no fewer than 51 pot and bedding plant breeders will proudly present their new innovations, creative concepts and an incredibly wide range of crop assortments.

Fromtechnicalinformationtoretailinspiration,frombreedingbreakthroughstothe latest trends, everyone who works with and loves plants and flowers has a reason to visit the FlowerTrials®.

Whoisexhibiting?Anyonewhoisanyoneinthebreedingpotandbeddingplants exhibitsundertheFlowerTrials®flag.ExhibitorscomefromEurope,Israel,Japanand the U.S.A. Where? FlowerTrials® members hold open house at 30 individual locations in 3 key geographical regions: Westland & Aalsmeer in The Netherlands, RheinlandWestfalen in Germany. Each location is home to a single exhibitor or a group of companies sharing joint facilities.

What is on show? The very latest innovations in bedding plants, container plants andindoor&outdoorpotplantstogetherwithcropinformationretailconcepts,and inspiration on trends. Visiting a trade show offers only a taste of what is available, whereas at the FlowerTrials® the breeders are on location with a comprehensive offering of complete product ranges.

Who should visit?FlowerTrials® welcomes all ornamental horticulture and retail professionals from around the world. For growers the event showcases the very latestnoveltiesfortheupcomingseasonwithexpertsonhandtoprovidecultural support. For wholesalers and retailers FlowerTrials® is the key event to meet the breeders, examine the top varieties and concepts for next season and have the opportunitytoinfluencetrends.FlowerTrials® continuestodominatethePotand Beddingplantsceneandin2015FlowerTrials®increasedattendanceby11%while attracting visitors from 64 countries over all 5 continents.

Dates: 14 to 17 June 2016.

Opening times: All locations will be open from at least 08.00 - 18.00 Venues: The FlowerTrials® fully responsive website www.flowertrials.com gives a full overview of all venues, participating companies, their main crops and their innovations for the 2016/17 season. organization@flowertrials.nl www.flowertrials.com

FlowerTrials® 2016 – The Bedding and Pot Plant Event - Don’t miss it!

January 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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Poland

Green is Life Organized by the Polish Nurserymen Association and Agencja Promocji Zieleni, the Green is Life show is truly a plant-focused trade fair.

Green is Life is Central and Eastern Europe’s leading trade exhibition for the nurserystockandgardeningsector,showingornamentalandfruittrees,shrubs, perennials, patio and bedding plants, pot and cut plants, and seeds and bulbs.

Thefair,whichtakesplaceannuallyinSeptember,includesplantmaterialready forwholesaleandretailtradeaswellasthoserecommendedforplantinginpublic greenspace.Alsoondisplayareyoungplantsforfurthergrowingbyprofessional growersandnurserymenandawidearrayoftechnology,suppliesandequipment fornurserymen,gardencentres,gardenersandlandscapingcontractors.Tomake a long story short, Green is Life has something for everyone involved in nursery stock and gardening.

Dates: 1-2-3 September 2016 Trade show hours: Thursday, 1 September and Friday, 2 September 9.00 - 18.00 Saturday 3 September 9.00 - 17.00 Venue: EXPO XXI, Pradzynskiego Str. 12/14, Warsaw, Poland T +48 22 435 47 20-22 info@greenislife.pl www.greenislife.pl

www.FloraCultureInternational.com | January 2016

The exhibition, open annually right before the new autumn season also serves as a platform for the exchange of ideas and research findings between industry professionalsfromhomeandabroad.In2015,thethree-dayeventwelcomed16,000 visitors, including 6,317 professionals from Poland and 36 other countries.

GreenisLifeisespeciallypopularwithcustomersfromCentralandEasternEuropean countries. Exhibitors come from around the globe; in 2015 the show hosted 260 exhibitorsfromseveralcountries(Poland,Belgium,China,Denmark,France,Great Britain, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Germany, Russia and Italy).

More than 70 percent of Green is Life’s professional guests are decision makers –ownersandmanagersmakingkeydecisionsintheirfirmsorlineofwork.Green is Life welcomes a strong flow of international growers, wholesalers, landscape architects,buildersandgreencontractorsaswellmunicipalauthorities.“Thefirst twodays,ThursdayandFriday,aregearedtowardprofessionalsonly.Thebusiness characterofthefairisstrong.Lastyear,theattendanceoftradevisitorsincreased bysevenpercent,”saidAgnieszkaŻukowska,managingdirectorofGreenisLife.

Sheconcluded,“Wewillcontinuetotreatourbusinessgueststoanextensiveand top notch educational programme.”

2016

ExhibitionGuide Japan

International Flower Expo (IFEX) The International Flower Expo (IFEX) is Japan’s largest and most significant flower trade show featuring a wide array of products - from cut flowers to house plants, through nursery stock and bulbs, to greenhouses, machinery and crop protection products.

IFEX 2015 along with its simultaneously-held garden and agriculture shows, hosted 1,488 exhibitorsfrom25countriesandregions.Inaddition,over42,368tradevisitorsflockedtothe trade fair at Makuhari Messe in Tokyo, which ran October 14-16, 2015.

Theshowwasabuzzallthreedays,withexhibitorsdisplayingproductsfromaroundtheworld; predominantlypresentwereCanada,China,Chile,Denmark,Ecuador,Estonia,Ethiopia,France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Korea, The Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, the UK and USA. The show ended on a very positive note with many Japanese and Asian flower growers expressing their delight at the show’s footfall.

TheIFEXshowisuniqueinthatithostsaverystrongcontingentofJapaneseexhibitorsamong which were over 200 flower growers. These exhibitors were joined by industry peers from Taiwan,Indonesia,ThailandandSriLankawhosepresencereflectsastrongdemandforimport flowers.

Foroverseasexhibitors,Japanisaverystablemarketwithbusinessrelationshipsthatcanlast a life time. Not only is Japan a stable market, but it is also a growing market; the import of cut flowers to Japan has been steadily increasing.

Connecting the east and west, IFEX serves as a gateway to the profitable Japanese market.

First-timeexhibitorExpofloresEcuadorwasverysatisfiedwiththeamountofvisitorsandmade valuablecontactswithnewandrepeatedcustomers.Commentingonthe2015IFEXshow,an exhibitorfromThailandsaid,“Thefeedbackfromvisitorswasgreat.Wemetwithmanybuyers fromJapan,butalsofromPoland,China,TaiwanandIndonesia.”Accordingtoyetanotherfirst time exhibitor, the Japanese flower industry has a strong potential with a promising future lyingahead.Hebasedhiscommentsontalkswithimportersthroughoutthethree-dayshow.

IFEX is also the place where industry professionals can discover the latest breeding breakthroughs in cut flowers through its annual IFEX Flower Awards. This competition recognizesflowersandpotplantswiththelargestsellingpowerandhighestappealforflorist andfloralarrangers.Nominatedthisyearwere111varietiesdividedindifferentcategories:cut flowers,potplantsandoverseasgrower.Thewinnersareguaranteedtobepromotedinmajor flower shops and flower arrangement schools throughout Japan.

The 2015 Cut Flower Grand Prize winner was Corsage Lavender from Nakason Lisianthus, whilethehighesthonourinpotplantswenttoPrincettiaRosafromSuntoryFlowersLtd.Both are Japanse companies.

EcuanrosfromEcuadorscoopedthefirstprizeintheoverseasgrowercategorywithadeeppurple rose. See the full results of the contest at >> http://www.ifex.jp/en/Previous-Show/award/ Truetotradition,IFEXisheldannuallyinconjunctionwiththeinternationalgardenexpoTokyo GARDEX, Japan’s largest agricultural trade show Agriworld and Japan’s only trade show for hardwareandtools,ToolJapan.Togetherwiththeseexhibitions,IFEXexpandeditsshowfloorby 40%.FurthergrowthisexpectedthisyearasIFEXcontinuestostrengthenitsroleasareference point for Japan’s floral business. Registration for the 2016 IFEX is now open and bookings are already flying in. Please contact the IFEX show organisers for available booth spaces.

Dates: 12 - 14 October 2016 Venue: Makuhari Messe, Japan Trade show hours:10:00 - 18:00 (10:00 - 17:00 on October 14) ifex-eng@reedexpo.co.jp (exhibitors) visitor-eng.ifex@reedexpo.co.jp (visitors) pr-eng.ifex@reedexpo.co.jp (press) www.ifex.jp/en/

January 2016 | www.FloraCultureInternational.com

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AdvertisingIndex COMPANY PAGE WEBSITE Armada Youngplants..............................................6..........................www.armadayoungplants.nl Brandkamp.................................................................31.........................................www.brandkamp.de Corn Bak.......................................................................22........................................... www.bromelia.com CYF Trade Fairs (Flower Show Istanbul).......47.................................www.flowershow.com.tr Dutch Lily Day.............................................................2....................................www.dutchlilydays.com Expo 2016 Antalya..................................................46.......................www.expo2016antalya.org.tr Fiera di Rimini (Flora Trade Show 2016).......40.................................................www.floratrade.it Fleuroselect................................................................17..................................... www.fleuroselect.com FloraHolland...........................................................42,43.......................................www.floraholland.nl Florensis.......................................................................30.............................................www.florensis.com Floricultura B.V............................................................6.........................................www.floricultura.com Flormart........................................................................54....................................................www.flormart.it Flowers & Cents........................................................32.............................www.flowersandcents.org Flowers Expo (Moscow).......................................45........................................www.flowers-expo.ru FlowerTrials.................................................................51.......................................www.flowertrials.com Goyang Int. Flower Federation...........................6....................................................www.flower.or.kr Green is Life................................................................52..............................................www.greenislife.pl Green Products.........................................................29....................................www.greenproducts.nl GreenTech...................................................................50..............................................www.greentech.nl Hamilton Design Ltd.............................................32.........................www.hamilton-design.co.uk IFEX.................................................................................53......................................................www.ifex.jp/en Jungle Jack’s...............................................................55.................... www.junglejacksthailand.com Klasmann-Deilmann..............................................29...................www.klasmann-deilmann.com M. van Veen................................................................32.................................. www.mvanveenbv.com Messe Essen (IPM) 3,48,49 http://www.ipm-essen.de/ world-trade-fair/ Philips Lighting.........................................................56....................................www.philips.com/horti Plantarium..................................................................44............................................ www.plantarium.nl Pȍppelmann GmbH................................................4................................. www.poeppelmann.com Renner Print+Media..............................................28..........................................www.renner-print.at Roses Forever..............................................................1.....................................www.roses-forever.com Salon du Vegetal....................................................4,44............................www.salonduvegetal.com Selecta Klemm..........................................................17......................................www.slectaworld.com Supachadiwong Green Co. Ltd........................55 Varinova.......................................................................31............................................www.varinova.com Veiling Rhein Maas.................................................22..................www.veilingrheinmaas.com/en Vitroplus.......................................................................32..................................................www.vitroplus.nl

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