N I E U W K O O P G L O S S Y

Edition 15

The meeting place of the year!

IPM Essen is the meeting place for the agricultural sector! With over 1,500 exhibitors and 60,000 visitors, it is the world’s largest

trade fair in the field of plants, flowers and horticulture-related articles. This trade fair takes place this year from 22 to 25 January.

We will also be there at IPM Essen, of course, and we are pleased to invite you to visit our stand 1B14 – Hall 1. What can you expect

to see? At this fair we will be presenting the brand-new Baq label.

We hope to see you at the fair!

2 43

Dear Reader,

The end of the year is in sight. With only two short weeks to go, we

can look back on a good year. A year in which the demand for green

continued to increase. It looks as if Dutch flower and plant exports in

2018 will equal the 2017 record value of €6 billion. It is no surprise to

us that a large share is due to plant sales.

Not only Nieuwkoop Europe but also the entire sector has invested a

lot of time and resources in recent years in giving green the attention

it deserves. The positive effects are now beginning to bear fruit. Plants

are increasingly being associated with, among other things, a healthy

living climate, increased productivity and reduced sickness absence,

resulting in an increasingly widespread plant market. For example,

we are finding more plants in hospitals, schools and offices.

But there is no time for sitting down - we must continue to innovate.

In 2019 our new build project will offer us an opportunity to continue

innovating, both on the production side and in logistics. In addition,

digitisation and sustainability will be important themes for Nieuwkoop

Europe in 2019. This will enable us to continue offering you the best

advice and support in the realisation of your projects.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish you a very merry

Christmas and look forward to working with you again in 2019.

Board of Directors, Nieuwkoop Europe

Henk Nieuwkoop & Danny Gerritsen

AGENDA

22 to 25 January 2019

IPM Essen

Essen – Germany

6 to 7 March 2019

Royal FloraHolland Seasonal Trade Fair

Naaldwijk – the Netherlands

Subject to change

ColophoNText/Photography:

Nieuwkoop Europe & Ki Plant Concept

Draft and idea: Ki Plant Concept

Published by: Nieuwkoop Europe

Graphic Design: You’re On!

NiEuwkoop EuRopEHoofdweg 111

1424 PE De Kwakel

The Netherlands

+31 (0)297-363163

copyright © Nieuwkoop Europe BV 2018

A pedestal for your plantPlace plants on a pedestal. Placing products on a pedestal

is the ideal way to draw attention to them. Plants will then

receive the attention they deserve!

3

ABOUT The cOver:Philodendron pertusem, also known as Monstera or Swiss

cheese plant. Who hasn’t heard of it! Its large green leaves are

used as patterns on many things, such as on Hawaiian shirts.

The plant originates in the tropical rain forests of southern

Mexico all the way up to Panama.

4 Ravenala madagascariensis

6 Grainy

7 Modern nostalgia

8 Green makes ‘healing’ environments

10 The solution for green in hospitals

11 Looking back on successful days

12 Meet Baq

14 Solid series

15 Up-Smart series

16 Trend series

17 Elegant series

18 De Klerk

20 EILO excursion

22 A quirky stem

23 Stubborn plant

24 From the greenhouse to the project

26 Philodendron onyx

27 Dracaena surculosa cantik

28 Cooperation is the key

29 Don’t give too much water

29 Extremely cold-sensitive

30 Real ‘non-living’ plants

32 The interior of 2019

36 Taxonomic plant name

37 Sander’s column

38 RUOF

40 Nostalgia on the wall

41 Maaike de Wildt

42 Enjoyflowersformuchlonger

43 A pedestal for your plant

44 The meeting place of the year

Edition 15 - December 2018

1104

12 32

38 41

4

Ravenala madagascaRiensisThenamesaysitall:madagascariensis.‘Ensis’isaLatinsuffixthatmeans‘originatingin’.InthiscaseoriginatinginMadagascar.

Did you know that the airline company Air Madagascar portrays the ‘fan’ of this Ravenala in its logo? You can see the Ravenala

head-on in this logo. In this photo you can see the fan directly from below, which provides an equally beautiful picture.

5

6

GrAiny

This Schefflera has not been growing

very long as a hydroculture plant, and

yet the first roots are already visible.

Apparently, this plant feels very much

at home between the hydro granules. It

will therefore not be very long before it

issufficientlyrootedandsomeonecan

decorate their interior with this beautiful

green plant!

7

Modern nostalgia

Retro style is extremely popular! Shapes, colours and mate-

rials from the 60s can be seen in many interiors today. These

‘Refinedretro’plantersareagoodexample.Theslender

wooden legs give these planters a typical retro look, but with

a modern twist.

The series is available from the beginning of 2019.

8

PHOTO: Mika Huisman

9

gReen makes ‘healing’ enviRonments

What does the concept of the healing environment bring to mind? Perhaps you are reminded of

a wellness centre or a therapeutic health centre. The term ‘healing environment’ literally means

a healing or restorative environment. It is a way of setting up rooms in care institutions to help

people heal faster or make the situation of being ill less unpleasant.

The effect of healing environments

In the 80s, the scientist Roger Ulrich researched

the effect of green environments on patients. He

compared two groups of patients whose gall bladder

had been removed. During the recovery period, one

group had a view of a beautiful natural environment,

while the other group saw only a grey brick wall.

The results were evident. The group that enjoyed the

green view had a shorter hospital stay and clearly

used fewer painkillers.

Various research studies now show that a relationship

exists between being able to see nature, e.g. plants,

and health improvement. An explanation for this is

that nature gives us the unconscious message that

we are allowed to relax, the so-called restorative

effect.

Creating healing environments

In a healing environment the focus is mainly on the

use of natural elements, such as plants, daylight,

fresh air and tranquillity. Moreover, an image of a

naturallandscapeor‘life-like’artificialplantsappears

to have a similar effect on mental health.

Maggie’s Centres are beautiful examples of such

healing environments. After Maggie Keswick Jencks

heard in 1993 that she did not have long to live as

a result of recurrent and metastatic breast cancer,

she used the time that she still had left to realise

her dream together with her husband Charles. That

dream was to create a nice healing place for cancer

patients. Maggie died in 1995 and a year later the

firstMaggie’sCentrewasopenedonthegroundsof

the Western General hospital in Edinburgh.

There are now 18 similar centres in England and

Scotland, which have all been designed to have

views of nature and with attention to light and

cheerful accents that make people feel welcome and

at home. Let’s hope that this is a source of inspiration

for developing more green healing environments in

hospitals and care institutions.

10

the solution foR gReen in hospitals

In the previous article attention was given to the effect of

plants in hospitals and care institutions. And it appears that

‘green’ in hospitals is making a comeback. Yet we still see

many ‘white’ hospitals, in which green plants are lacking…

The solution for more green in hospitals is hydroculture! This is because

the hydro granule substrate is very clean. This is a great advantage

for hospitals that want to keep a clean and sterile environment.

Hydroculture is less susceptible to fungi, pests and plant diseases.

11

looking back on successful days!

We can look back with pleasure on three very success-

ful Open Days. We had the opportunity to welcome

many of our business partners to De Kwakel, includ-

ing many familiar faces, but also new contacts who

wished to visit the company.

There was, of course, a lot of attention for the new Baq brand,

whichwasofficiallylaunchedduringtheOpenDays.TheBaq

collectionswerepresentedtothepublicforthefirsttime

duringthisevent.Soitwasafirstforeveryonewhovisited

our Open Days!

In addition, visitors were able to participate in several inter-

esting sessions on current themes and developments in our

sector.

12 13

the subliMe connection between plant and interior

Plants create the right atmosphere in an interior, but

do not underestimate the role of the planter. Because

the right planter can make an interior shine! So meet

Baq, the new premium-grade planters.

Baq offers a wide choice, consisting of several beautiful collec-

tions, ranging from sleek simplicity to luxurious designs. Due to

this wide choice, the brand offers a suitable planter for every

project that lets both the plant and the interior shine!

With a capital Q for Quality, the brand focuses on high-quality

planters.Thisisreflected,amongotherthings,inthehand-

madeproductsthathavebeenfinishedwithcare,downtothe

tiniest detail. But also ‘smart’ applications, such as a liner that

makes planting easier.

Allow the various collections on the following pages to inspire

you.

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solid seRiesThe Solid series is characterised by a sturdy and robust character. The planters in this series form a powerful and stylish addition to any interior.

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up-smaRt seRiesThe Up-Smart series is characterised by a simple design in combination with a subtle upgrade through the application of, for example, smart accessories or stylish elements.

16

tRend seRiesThe Trend series consists of various planters which, thanks to their modern design, are perfectly in keeping with the spirit of the times.

17

elegant seRiesThe Elegant series is characterised by exclusive and luxurious designs that have been finished to perfection. The planters in this series are genuine eye-catchers.

18

Jos van der hulst:

inteRioR landscaping de kleRk b.v.

The growth of the company in Eindhoven began at Philips where De Klerk supplied the flowers and they approached

him in the 1970s to take care of the entire office landscaping. The company seized this opportunity with both

hands. De Klerk specialised in hydroculture and provided plants to all the offices of Phillips. Jos van der Hulst

even went to the home of Frits Philips: ‘I see this cooperation, which is based on complete trust, returning.’

Jos’s parents met at De Klerk, just like his aunt and uncle. As a

small boy he held his father’s hand as he walked around the

company. Later, he worked there on Saturdays and during the

holidays to earn some extra money. Jos says: ‘When Mr De

Klerk died in 2002, my father became a major shareholder.

Yet he regularly had his hands in the green bin, and within a

year he cultivated something beautiful in his own greenhouse

at home.’

As a director and owner, Jos is responsible for general manage-

ment and for sales and marketing. Does he prefer the business

side? Jos: ‘With almost more than

fiftypeopleinitsemployment,

the company is no longer a

“hobby”. My passion for the

business remains the basis, but I

am also fascinated by the growth

side of the company. I see new

opportunities every day, too many to implement. For example,

we entered the online market early. We have a good system

connection with Nieuwkoop Europe, which has enabled us to

link real-time data such as stocks to our system. We have now

developed eight websites, we work throughout the Benelux

andweareeasytofind.’

You spoke of the personal contact with Philips; does such

cooperation between business relationships still exist? Jos:

‘Our special connection with the Philips family went so far

that we only had Philips appliances at home. I am convinced

that such cooperation, which is based on complete trust, will

return to the green sector.’ We discover that, ultimately, it’s

all about passion for the business and mutual trust, and not

about a business that wants to squeeze out every last euro. In

that respect, Nieuwkoop Europe and De Klerk are compatible,

because apart from purchasing products, there is something

that binds us together. The

passion, the quality and the

friendly contact. It feels familiar

and good to be there.’

You have recently completed

other projects, such as at

Workbrands in Eindhoven,

ASML in Veldhoven and KPMG in Amstelveen. Jos: ‘That

certainly also includes the project at Agio. We have earned

their trust and were given the opportunity to present and

implement our own ideas. This cooperation has resulted in

both the EILO jury award and the audience award. For the

Workbrands project we won second prize for interior land-

scaper of the year. We were given free rein here too. That’s

when a genuine love of the profession emerges.’

‘Working together on the basis of complete

trust is returning to the green sector.’

19

20

euRopean connections incReasingly impoRtant foR the inteRioR landscapeR

Every year EILO organises an international excursion,

and every year it attracts more and more European

interior landscapers, because looking beyond the

borders is inspiring! This event provides an ideal

opportunity to exchange valuable experiences with

professionals in related fields from various countries,

and this time there was even a clear indication that

more international cooperation, particularly in the

field of sustainability, was needed. The latter was

prompted by the presentation given by Nieuwkoop

Europe on this subject.

London, a city full of ecosystems

Have you ever visited the city of London? If so, the number of

green hotspots in the city will not have escaped your attention.

During the international excursion, two beautiful locations

were visited: the Crossrail Garden and the Sky Garden. The

Crossrail Garden in Canary Wharf was laid out as a courtyard

garden three years ago. The plants are thriving in this garden

and are literally growing out of their planters. The healthy

ecosystem can easily accommodate the hundreds of daily

visitors.

The other location that was visited was, of course, the Sky

Garden in the Walkie Talkie building. Visitors to this building

have a spectacular view over the city, but they are mainly

surprised by two indoor gardens arranged in descending order

21Text: Marieke Karssen | Into Green

Sky Garden, Walkie Talkie building

from tropical to Mediterranean. The tropical plants in particular

are already growing up to the roof. Outside, across from the

entrance to the skyscraper, an enormous green wall has been

installed.

Biophilia and ‘working naturally’ are major

trends

The international excursion was kicked off by none other than

biophilic design expert and interior architect Oliver Heath. He

said that interior landscapers should focus less on the plants

and more on the employees. People have a natural affection

for green and feel more at ease in a natural environment

in which plants and light play an important role. If interior

landscapers orientated themselves more broadly and learned

to reason more from the client’s problem, such as burnout

complaints, green will automatically be given higher priority.

Thomas Palfreyman of Urban Planters endorsed this message

and added that the millennials group was the biggest chal-

lenge for them, but also a huge opportunity! This target group

nolongerwantstositinastuffyoffice.Theyfeelbetterand

alsoperformbetterwhenanofficeisfurnishedaccordingto

their taste: a cosy and pleasant room. Dewi Hartkamp elabo-

rated on this by stating that the green sector focuses too much

on the plant. However, the HRM target group is interested in

the welfare of its employees. They believe that the plant is

part of a bigger story. A story in which plants naturally play a

major role, but one which also includes multiple factors such

as light, food, noise and stress reduction.

Crossrail Garden, Canary Wharf

22

A qUirky sTemThe Ficus Ginseng is well known for its twisted

roots and quirky stem. In the wild these plants

can sometimes live for up to 500 years and

develop an enormous stem.

23

stubborn plantThe Dioscorea is a unique and wilful plant that

decides for itself when it is time to shed its

old leaves and form new ones. This process

therefore does not run synchronously with

our seasons or with the amount of available

daylight. Giving the plant extra water would

not be a good solution because the Dioscorea

will only become irritated by its wet feet.

Neither would it be wise to plant two or more

of these stubborn plants in one pot. Each plant

has its own growing period and therefore one

plant will require more water than the other.

24

fRom the gReenhouse to the pRoject...Anyone who has visited the greenhouses at Nieuwkoop Europe

will undoubtedly remember the amount of large tropical plants

growing there. You immediately get the feeling that you have

landed in the middle of a jungle. But how do these enormous

plantsfindtheirwayfromthegreenhousetothefinalproject?

Selecting the right plant

Naturally, we will start at the beginning, and that is by

selecting the perfect plant. To ensure that the right plant for

the project is selected, our customers are always accompanied

by one of our specialists who are there to offer advice. This

advice takes into account aspects such as the amount of

daylight, the characteristics of the plant, the required care

and any obstacles presented by the project, such as narrow

entrancesorasecondfloor.

A red label indicates reserved

Now that we know which plants have been selected for

the project, a red label is attached to indicate that they are

reserved. It is important that the plants remain where they

are until they are fully acclimatised. This is how we guarantee

the quality of our plants.

Lifting up large plants

One forklift truck is used when lifting up large plants and one

person assists on the ground. For the really big plants weighing

more than 3,000 kilos, a second forklift truck is used. First of

all, we seal off the top of the pot entirely to prevent potting

soil from falling out when the plant is tilted. Next, we prepare

thestem.Dependingonthetypeofplant,thestemisfirmly

wrapped to protect it. The stem of the Veitchia Merrillii, for

25

example, is vulnerable and must be supported by wooden

slats to prevent it from breaking during transport. A noose is

then placed around the stem and the plant is slowly tilted until

it is horizontally balanced.

Cleaning and packing

Assoonastheplantarrivesonthepackingfloor,itismade

readyfortransport.Thisiswherewegivetheplantafinal

thorough cleaning, which includes the removal of any dead

leaves. The crown of the plant is then carefully wrapped and

madeasnarrowaspossiblesothatitwillfitinthetruck.

Several pallets and a low tempex are placed underneath the

stem to support it during transport.

Tip: We recommend loading plants separately. The

trolleys are often too big for the tailgate of the lorry.

Transporting plants separately in the lorry will save

valuable time and effort during unloading.

Planting on arrival

Last but by no means least, we advise our customers on the

type of equipment they can hire for moving and planting the

plants on arrival. If required, we can offer advice or contact

specialists to come and help you.

26

PhilOdendrOn Onyx

The Philodendron onyx is a feast for

the eyes! When we saw this plant,

we were immediately charmed by

its shiny, dark green leaves which

are almost perfectly oval. A perfect

example of mother nature and a

jewel in any interior! The name

‘onyx’ is therefore very appropriate

since it refers to a deep black

gemstone.

27

drAcAenA sUrcUlOsA cAnTikMeet the Dracaena surculosa cantik,

the little brother of the ‘standard’

surculosa. Both plants are very

strong and suitable for locations

with less daylight. The difference

between the brothers can be seen

in the leaves. The leaves of the

cantik are more pointed.

28

In the Paris Agreement on climate change (2015),

174 countries agreed to reduce greenhouse gas

emissions and the greenhouse effect to under 1.5

degrees Celsius in comparison with the pre-in-

dustrial era. The various governments will take

measures that will require companies to conduct

business responsibly. This means that sustainability

is no longer something that is ‘nice to have’, but a

‘must have’ for organisations.

Sustainability and corporate responsibility are high on the

agenda in an increasing number of sectors. This is also the

case in the ornamental plant sector. Many growers are

highly aware of the need to improve water, nutrient and

pesticideefficiency.Inaddition,sustainabletransportis

increasingly being used. But there is still a lot of progress

to be made in terms of sustainability...

If we really want to be successful, we must all contribute

to sustainable development. Perhaps each party does

contribute to sustainability in its own way, but we believe

that the sector is ready for the next major step: ‘the circular

economy business model’. Contrary to the linear business

model that consumes and wastes resources, we need to

develop a system that is based on the reuse of resources.

To organise this, parties will have to make joint agreements.

We believe that collaboration and the involvement of all

parties in the chain are the key to the success of a sustain-

able sector!

We are currently working on an initiative of one of our

customers involving a process in which used culture pots are

returned to us and then returned to the source for reuse or

recycling. This is just one example of a number of initiatives

that we can develop together to realise our sustainability

ambitions. Let’s develop many more sustainable initiatives

together! Interested in knowing more? We will be happy to

talk to you about how we can join forces to achieve this.

coopeRation is the key…

29

don’t give too Much water

Strangely enough, plants are given too much water

as opposed to too little. This is harmful to the plant

because the excess water remains at the bottom of

the pot and drowns the roots which then rot. This

reduces the possibility to absorb nutrients and the

plant will eventually die. Therefore always be careful

when watering plants. It’s better to give too little

than too much.

extreMely cold-sensitive

Some plants are extremely sensitive to cold, such as the

Aglaonema, Anthurium and Dracaena massangeana. If you

take plants from indoors and carry them outside in cold

conditions, for example to load them into a car or van, it

would be wise to cover the plants with a plastic plant cover.

coopeRation is the key…

30 31

reAl ‘nOn-livinG’ PlAnTsDo you want the atmosphere of real green plants, but

living plants are not an option, or do you not have enough

time to maintain them? Mummy plants are the perfect

solution for you! Mummy plants are real plants that have

had the moisture in their leaves replaced by an envi-

ronmentallyfriendlyanddegradablepreparationfluid.

This helps to preserve the natural appearance of these

non-living plants for many years. This method was used

by the old Egyptians on the bodies of their dead.

Alternative for living plants

Sometimes environmental factors inhibit natural plant

growth, such as temperature, draught or light intensity.

Mummy plants are a suitable alternative in this case.

Bear in mind that mummy plants are only for indoor

use and too high humidity levels (higher than 70%) are

detrimental to the overall quality.

Low maintenance

Mummy plants are very low-maintenance. Dusting them

nowandagainissufficienttokeeptheircolourlooking

fresh and beautiful for a long time to come. Depending

on the environment, the lifespan of mummy plants could

be as long as 10 to 15 years.

32

The interior

of 2019Earlier this year, trend watcher Aafje Nijman presented her vision of the style

trends for the coming year in collaboration with Bloemenbureau Holland.

According to Aafje, the world is changing rapidly. As a result, we sometimes

feel the need to allow ourselves to fall on to a large soft cushion on which we

can relax and unwind. The style trends for the coming year are therefore: soft,

round, futuristic and sustainable.

33

soft and fluffy

This style trend mainly includes round shapes and soft

materials. For example plants with a high ‘caressability

factor’, and even hard materials such as plastic, have a ‘soft’

look thanks to round shapes.

shapes: Roundandinflatedshapes

colours: Soft pastel shades from creamy white to soft lilac

Materials: Plastic and semi-transparent materials

plants: Plantswithsoftleavesorflowers

34

futuristic and adventurous

In this style trend we see geometric and futuristic shapes

combined with exciting and unusual colour gradients. In

addition, nature and technology are coming closer together,

suchasmeasuringsapflowtoidentifyplanthealth.You can

read more on this in edition 12.

shapes: Geometric or futuristic shapes

colours: Exciting colours that merge together

Materials: Metal, glass and glazed ceramics

plants: Enchanting plants

35

sustainable and recycled

In this style trend sustainability plays an important role.

Everything for the preservation of our planet. Plastic is

history and we mainly use natural and recycled materials

withanunfinishedlook.

shapes: Coarse and irregular shapes

colours: Natural colours with lots of green

Materials: Wood and recycled materials

plants: Plants with striking colourful leaves or spotted

patterns

36

TAxOnOmic PlAnT nAmePeople learn plant names very quickly the moment

they start working in our sector. This is mainly true

in terms of written communication, because in the

spoken language the emphasis can suddenly be

entirelydifferenttowhatyoumightexpect.Theoffi-

cialnameismadeupofahierarchicalclassification,

in other words a taxonomic rank.

We will take the Ficus carica as an example.

As everyone probably knows, the name ‘Ficus’ is

the genus name. But there are also several taxo-

nomic ranks in which the plant receives its own

name. Below you will see which ranks these are:

Kingdom: Plantae (plants)

Stem: Embryophyta (land plants)

Class: Spermatopsida (seed plants)

Order: Rosales(floweringplants)

Family: Moraceae (mulberry family)

Gender: Ficus

Species: Ficus carica

A distinction is made at the highest level between

floraandfauna,suchasplants,animals,fungiand

bacteria. The question remains: under which cate-

gory does the stick insect fall?

37

guest coluMn by sander

Who is the eye-catcheR heRe?It is still dark and quiet. I feel a pleasant tropical

breeze - climate control! This tropical princess is

already looking forward to the new working day.

The workplace has recently undergone a green

metamorphosis and I am the three-metre high

showpiece. From their favourite seat under my

green leafy canopy, the employees cannot stop

talking about my personal growth... My colleagues

are a little further away, Monique next to the coffee

machine and Xanadu next to Reception. The plant

man comes once every two weeks. I get a pat on

the head, my fingernails are given a manicure and,

finally, I get a refreshing shower.

The end of the year is approaching. The invasion

of the ‘needle ladies’ will soon begin. Decorated

with bling-bling, lights, biscuits and a gold star,

the Christmas tree will be temporarily installed as

an eye-catcher. But I know better, because this

year our Christmas tree will not be given as much

attention. ‘O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree…’ is

no longer a Christmas hit in the workplace. The new

hit is going to be: ‘O Bucida, o Bucida…’

38

The German interior landscaper RUOF is part of the

Element Green Group, a network of German and

Austrian interior landscapers. The company was

founded in 1928 and in 1991 it was taken over by Hans

Martin and Brigitte Ruof. Ninety years of green history.

How has the company experienced this rollercoaster?

We spoke to the management team, Hans Martin Ruof

and Christopher Mansfield, about this.

Over the past ninety years, RUOF has seen some enormous

technical developments. ‘To give you an idea, our business

relationship with Nieuwkoop Europe has existed for 50 years

and we can still remember when Arie Koppelaar came to visit

us with a lorry load of plants. The orders were handwritten

for many years before the company bought a computer, and

nowadays we make “Computer-aided design” plans with

various architects. Our company has extensive technical equip-

ment and we can support architects with technical solutions

for the green sector. Biophylic design is a current theme and

we have been occupied with this at RUOF for 20 years.’

What does the management team consider to be the

challenges in this profession? ‘Every project has its unique

character, unique people, spaces and requirements. No two

projects are the same. It’s all about individuality. With each

new project we are confronted with new challenges and that

makes it interesting.’ Can a team mention a challenge which

they really had to sink their teeth into? ‘One of our recent

projectswasanofficebuildingwithahugeentrance.Wewere

asked to combine a vertical green wall with a water basin

in which Japanese Koi carp swim in this 20-metre-high hall.

Itwasadifficulttechnicalchallenge,becauseitmeanttwo

separate water circulations. To do this we engaged a specialist

Ruof RaumbegRünung

39

in Koi technology, among other things. The project took 18

months to complete.’

You often use vertical green walls in your projects, don’t

you? ‘Yes, that’s right. We have worked intensively with the

different systems right from the start of vertical greening. It

was a long and intensive learning process, but we eventually

developed our own version of this system.’

In addition, you developed special lamps. How important is

light? ‘Indoor plants and particularly vertical green walls often

get too little light. In cooperation with an LED professional,

we designed a lamp with a specially developed LED chip to

meet the needs of the plants. It includes a calculation program

with which we can calculate the amount of light needed, the

number of spotlights and the emission angles at the design

stage.’

What is the most recent project in which RUOF has worked

closely with Nieuwkoop Europe? ‘That is a project in which we

have realised modern workspaces in a former factory. This was

also an interesting challenge. The architect had high expecta-

tions. He had collected mood images via Google and Pinterest,

which gave us an impression of how he wanted it. Making

a concrete design from these photos and the underlying

philosophy was an intensive process. Various green plants

hang down from the ceiling and several beautiful large trees

from Nieuwkoop Europe have been installed there.’

‘Ninety years of green history: from handwritten orders to CAD plans.’

40

nOsTAlGiA On The wAllSeveral photos can be found hanging on the wall

in the canteen at Nieuwkoop Europe that give a

glimpse into the history of the company. Every

photo tells a story that makes our nostalgic green

hearts beat faster.

Inthisphotoweseeoneofthefirstlorriesof

Nieuwkoop Europe. At the beginning of the 1980s,

Henk Nieuwkoop – in his father’s employment

at the time – transported hydroculture plants in

this old Volvo to customers in Germany, Austria,

Switzerland and Italy. Laughing, Henk says that he

drove about 175,000 km a year in this lorry. That

is an enormous distance!

41

maaike de Wildt

In every edition of the magazine you can meet one of

our colleagues. This time we would like to introduce

you to Maaike! She has been working as a junior

account manager at Nieuwkoop Europe for 2 years

now, and is active in the sales team of Great Britain,

Ireland and Denmark. We asked Maaike to introduce

herself to you.

I started at Nieuwkoop Europe 2 years ago after my neighbour

(who also works for the company) received a tip that they

were looking for a new colleague for the sales department.

In addition to being a good neighbour, my neighbour is now

also my colleague!

I believe it is very important to offer the best possible service

to my customers. I therefore try to answer questions as quickly

and as clearly as possible. Even when I have less good news

to tell them. It is important that customers know exactly

where they stand. Of course I try to come up with a good

solution. In addition, a friendly smile always helps. When you

are happy, others also react positively towards you. It makes

communication between me and the customer a lot easier.

What do I like doing most? I particularly like introducing new

customers to the company. Nieuwkoop Europe is a beautiful

company with very beautiful products. When people visit us

forthefirsttime,theyareoftensurprisedbywhattheysee.

Their reaction motivates me! When these people place their

firstorder,IampleasedthatIhavebeenabletoconvince

them by our story.

2 43

Dear Reader,

The end of the year is in sight. With only two short weeks to go, we

can look back on a good year. A year in which the demand for green

continued to increase. It looks as if Dutch flower and plant exports in

2018 will equal the 2017 record value of €6 billion. It is no surprise to

us that a large share is due to plant sales.

Not only Nieuwkoop Europe but also the entire sector has invested a

lot of time and resources in recent years in giving green the attention

it deserves. The positive effects are now beginning to bear fruit. Plants

are increasingly being associated with, among other things, a healthy

living climate, increased productivity and reduced sickness absence,

resulting in an increasingly widespread plant market. For example,

we are finding more plants in hospitals, schools and offices.

But there is no time for sitting down - we must continue to innovate.

In 2019 our new build project will offer us an opportunity to continue

innovating, both on the production side and in logistics. In addition,

digitisation and sustainability will be important themes for Nieuwkoop

Europe in 2019. This will enable us to continue offering you the best

advice and support in the realisation of your projects.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish you a very merry

Christmas and look forward to working with you again in 2019.

Board of Directors, Nieuwkoop Europe

Henk Nieuwkoop & Danny Gerritsen

AGENDA

22 to 25 January 2019

IPM Essen

Essen – Germany

6 to 7 March 2019

Royal FloraHolland Seasonal Trade Fair

Naaldwijk – the Netherlands

Subject to change

ColophoNText/Photography:

Nieuwkoop Europe & Ki Plant Concept

Draft and idea: Ki Plant Concept

Published by: Nieuwkoop Europe

Graphic Design: You’re On!

NiEuwkoop EuRopEHoofdweg 111

1424 PE De Kwakel

The Netherlands

+31 (0)297-363163

copyright © Nieuwkoop Europe BV 2018

A pedestal for your plantPlace plants on a pedestal. Placing products on a pedestal

is the ideal way to draw attention to them. Plants will then

receive the attention they deserve!

42

enjoy floWeRs foR much longeR

Flowers… they make everyone happy! It’s a pity that they often die off after just one week. Enjoy flowers for

much longer with one of our artificial bouquets. These flowers maintain their daily freshness and look as though

they have just been plucked from the field.

ThesebeautifulbouquetshavebeenarrangedbytopfloristsintheNetherlands.Youhaveachoiceof10different,life-likebouquets,

delivered in stylish packaging.

N I E U W K O O P G L O S S Y

Edition 15

The meeting place of the year!

IPM Essen is the meeting place for the agricultural sector! With over 1,500 exhibitors and 60,000 visitors, it is the world’s largest

trade fair in the field of plants, flowers and horticulture-related articles. This trade fair takes place this year from 22 to 25 January.

We will also be there at IPM Essen, of course, and we are pleased to invite you to visit our stand 1B14 – Hall 1. What can you expect

to see? At this fair we will be presenting the brand-new Baq label.

We hope to see you at the fair!