Netherlands: Germains invest in their future

Germains commitment to R&D was underlined at the International Seed Federation Congress in 2011 when it announced that its EU Horticulture business was planning to invest in its own R&D facility. The facility would be focused solely on horticulture treatments and would be situated in Enkhuizen, the Netherlands, the home of the seed industry and known by all as the ‘seed valley’.

A year later, the site is operational and celebrating its official opening. Business Director, Daniel Johnson, says of the investment “The Enkhuizen facility is an important part of our Horticulture vision. To grow our business we need to be recognised for bringing differentiated, value added seed solutions to the EU seed industry. To do this we understand that we need to be working more closely with our key customers and technology partners to ensure that we bring developments and innovations that maximise the potential of our customers’ seed and have a real benefit in the fields and glasshouses of Europe. By building a team and facility in Enkhuizen we have put ourselves at the heart of the seed industry. The facility will be our EU hub for R&D and Commercial operations. I am excited about the opportunity and am sure that it will provide the Horticulture business with a strong foundation from which to grow in the future.”

Getting the right treatment can take time but Germains are clear that it is about finding the right solution that counts. EU R&D Manager, Ab Aarnoudse, based in Enkhuizen, said “Our EU Sales Team are now in the process of launching two improved pellet technologies; ProDrill Direct & ProPill Select. The launch of these products is in direct response to our customers feedback about changing requirements. This is just the start. Working in conjunction with our R&D facilities in the UK and US we will be launching some exciting treatments from our pipeline in the years to come”.

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