More and more Dutch growers are switching to perlite blocks. There are several reasons for this. There is the growing popularity of natural substrates. "We see a clear increase in the use of natural substrates," confirms Sven Willems, who owns Willems Perlite with his brother Niels. "That need does not only arise from the needs of growers, but also because retail and consumers are increasingly looking at the process of producers and how it might become more sustainable."
Easy to recycle
Another factor for growers to consider is the recycling. "For growers who work with substrates such as perlite and coconut, or a mixture thereof, a perlite pot is probably better because these can be disposed of,” says Sven.
More generative plants
Another incentive for the perlite market is the demand for a more generative plant - especially among tomato growers. Plant breeders can easily breed a more generative plant in perlite blocks. "As a result, several large growers switched to perlite blocks in recent years. The results are generally very positive. During cultivation, the plants produce more dry matter and roots, because perlite has greater oxygen capacity as compared to rockwool. Plants grown in perlite pots therefore develop a finer and more branched root system that manifests itself throughout the pot.”
Expand product range
"Every year we sell for several hundred hectares’ worth of perlite pots in the Benelux and Germany," says Sven. "Despite the difficult times, we would very much like to continue to invest and grow. We want to expand our product line in the future. For this we are looking for partners, and are encouraging people to invest. All in a bid to offer a complete solution to our customers."
More information:
Willems Perlite
Hulsdonk 37
9042 Gent Zeehaven
Tel. +32 (0)9 373 47 03
Gsm +32 (0)497 84 65 79
Fax +32 (0)9 373 48 02
info@willems-perlite.com






Announcements
Job Offers
- Head Grower Greenhouse Canada
- Post Entry Quarantine Facility Manager
- Economic Policy Officer Agri-Tech Kentucky
- Licensing Manager North America
- Junior Sales Executive
- Fruit Breeder/Trait Discovery Scientist
- General Manager
- Regional Sales Manager – DACH Region
- Country Manager – Italy
- Country Manager – Spain
"Tweeting Growers"
Top 5 -yesterday
Top 5 -last week
- “Black growbags could benefit vegetable crops as well”
- Latvia: First greenhouse to grow cucumbers under LEDs uses landfill waste to produce energy
- "Moisture is the big danger in the next two months"
- "Even light intensity at every spot in the greenhouse"
- US (OH): 80 Acres Farms makes layoffs as tech job crunch continues
Top 5 -last month
- How farmers are cutting out supermarkets
- Combining vertical farming and greenhouse horticulture to decentralize lettuce production
- Higher light transmission and lower heat demand with double foil greenhouse
- Fresh produce chain hit by Lakeside Produce’s bankruptcy
- 30MHz declared bankrupt, curator 'optimistic about restart'
Receive the daily newsletter in your email for free | Click here
Other news in this sector:
- 2023-01-23 “People tend to choose their coir pith based on EC, sand content and expansion volume”
- 2023-01-19 “Black growbags could benefit vegetable crops as well”
- 2023-01-05 Navigating through substrate shortages
- 2022-12-21 Jiffy coir pellets for Sri Lankan vertical farm
- 2022-12-19 New processing facility for Sri Lanka coir producer
- 2022-12-06 Towards peat-free potting soil and substrate
- 2022-11-24 Agriculture resource dive: peat
- 2022-11-11 Ireland: Addressing the challenges related to peat supply in horticulture
- 2022-11-01 Why should I shelter my substrate stock from wind and rain?
- 2022-10-21 New £1million RHS research project to accelerate horticulture’s transition to peat-free
- 2022-10-17 "We're well underway to steerable strawberry cultivation"
- 2022-10-13 Ireland: Shiploads of peat being imported for growers
- 2022-09-27 Automation and control are the main focus of the International Propagation Seminar
- 2022-09-23 "Compare it if you like with your 3-D printer for growing media"
- 2022-09-21 Using human hair to create hydroponic growing media
- 2022-09-21 Acrotelm and wood fiber as alternative to peat
- 2022-09-16 How to maintain the proper pH of a growing medium
- 2022-09-14 Peat moss is an emerging option in the global supply chain of substrate raw materials
- 2022-09-06 The power of compost: boosting production with composted biowaste
- 2022-08-30 Response to Defra announcement on the sale of horticultural peat