CosMic Plants | Growing Orchids in the most environment-friendly manner, with IIVO

CosMic Plants inc. has been a loyal Hoogendoorn customer for many years now. They started growing in 2004, expanded in 2016 and Hoogendoorn has been a part of their growing process the entire way. In 2020, CosMic Plants was one of the early adaptors using our new IIVO system as the beating heart of their Phalaenopsis greenhouses.

Connecting nature and technology to grow the most optimal orchid

CosMic Plants recognized that sustainability is an important consideration when running a business. In 2020, they chose to install the IIVO process computer to create the ultimate connection between nature and technology for their unique production process. Unlike many other orchid growers, CosMic Plants grow their Phalaenopsis orchids with are a longer growth cycle, and they are given more space and light. This results in more flowers per plant, stronger root systems, more resilient plants, and a longer shelf life according to the company. In their greenhouse with a size equal to 7 football fields, thousands of orchids are grown, packed, and distributed daily throughout North America's East to Midwest (Canada & USA).

Horticulture is in their blood

Cosmic Plants has their roots in the very first stages of what is now called Westland’s Glass City in The Netherlands. Growing is in their blood, already for over 125 years. In the summer of 2004, they established CosMic Plants in Niagara Peninsula of Ontario, right after they emigrated to Canada. From a sustainability point of view, they chose a locally located production site, close to the customers. They reach the northeastern quadrant of North America within 10 hours of trucking.

To learn more about the company CosMic Plants, view the customer story created with Neil van Steekelenburg here:

Growing and supplying orchids in the most ethical way possible

At CosMic Plants sustainability plays a major role in their operations. Numerous sustainability aspects are included in all strategic, tactical, and operational choices they make. Neil van Steekelenburg co-founder of Cosmic Plants describes: “Our goal is to grow and supply beautiful orchids in the most ethical way possible. It is in the nature of our business to plan for the future. We minimize our energy consumption by using the high-tech process control system IIVO, making use of biological crop protection techniques, recycle rain and irrigation water, focus on market our products relatively local to us, and much more”.

IIVO: Grow more, with less

We at Hoogendoorn Growth Management, are proud to contribute to a more sustainable horticultural sector with our solutions. CosMic Plants uses IIVO not only to minimize energy consumption, but the system also contributes to many other factors to grow more with less. For example, IIVO optimizes the light levels within the greenhouse by using natural sunlight paired with screen manipulations. An efficient light-use results in optimal photosynthetic processes in the plant. Ensuring healthier plants and an increase in production quantity and quality.

In addition, the IIVO contributes to an efficient temperature, humidity, ventilation, and irrigation control for CosMic Plants. According to Neil Steekelenburg, "Although we keep striving to improve, we are proud of how far we’ve come in terms of environmental sustainability. To quantify our efforts, we working on an MPS Certification for 2022 onwards. Furthermore, I believe Hoogendoorn's new IIVO system helps us create the perfect climate in a sustainable way, to grow our beautiful orchids”. 

Ready, Set, Grow sustainable

At Hoogendoorn, sustainability is at the core of our business. In November 2021 we achieved the Global Sustainable Enterprise System sustainability certificate with an A-rating. This result shows that the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) policy plays an important role in our company and our products. It is our strength to support innovative growers like CosMic Plants with smart and efficient process automation solutions to grow in a sustainable way. Contributing for example to sustainable growth for the art of Orchids.