In a former factory hall in Tibro, Ljusgårda is preparing to realize indoor cultivation with vertical towers. CEO Andras Wilhelmsson: "The first rocket will be harvested in the summer and before next year there will be fresh Swedish strawberries."
In the anteroom, rocket lettuce, dill and chives are grown in an ebb and flow system under a strong LED light. These halls have been used for many years by wood company Tivedslamell, but now it will be used to grow a great variety of plants vertically. At least, if the entrepreneurs of Ljusgårda manage to complete their plans, which are already well underway.
When youth friends Magnus Crommert, Christoffer Barath and Erik Lundgren from Tibro met again a couple of years ago, the idea sprouted to start an indoor nursery based on an American model. After they had been experimenting with vertical solutions in a garage, the found the system to be working and decided to start a company.
During the fall Andreas Wilhelmsson joined them and became the general director. An external board has been appointed, a production council, and a marketing council. The factory building at Järnvägsgatan was bought and the reconstruction of 7000 m2 could begin. A surface of 1000 m2, divided over two spaces, have been furnished to begin with.
Andreas Wilhelmsson: "We have installed a new floor, repaired the walls and the roof, installed lighting and ventilation. In total we have invested about a million euro."
In the former factory are two more spaces of equal space, and a bigger space which can be divided in different climate zones.
Magnus Crommer, responsible for the growth: "The beauty of a controlled inside growth is that we control everything ourselves: light, nutrition, water, wind, humidity and temperature are completely set for the crops we grow in a certain space. The crops grow in optimal conditions which means we do not have to use pesticides."
"We can provide the Swedish all year long with Swedish vegetables. We can grow anything that grows on a stalk, as long as it is not too heavy. Growing cucumbers is impossible, but strawberries are particularly well suited. When the new year's arrives we will have fresh strawberries."
Ljusgårda will at first be mostly growing different kinds of lettuce, but also dill, basil, and chives will see the light in the former factory hall. All products will be supplied directly to the chain stores.
Andreas Wilhelmsson: "We will already be able to start selling our vegetables in the early summer in Tibro and the surroundings, and in the fall we will be able to sell around five tons of lettuce per month."
For more info: ljusgarda.se
Source: Skaraborgs Läns Tidning