KUBO is the first Dutch greenhouse builder to open an office in China. The office is based in the commercial district of Hongqiao in Shanghai. KUBO China will be responsible for sales and marketing and for managing greenhouse projects’ construction. 95 percent of KUBO's turnover currently goes abroad. China is an important country, with huge ambitions to produce more food locally for its own population.
Just five years ago, KUBO completed its first greenhouse project construction in China. ‘China is ready for products with good food safety. And that requires modern high technology. We are therefore seeing a rising demand for greenhouses in the higher segment. The country also experiences many extremes climate conditions. In the north, it is very cold, while summers on the east coast can be hot and humid. As a leader in semi-closed greenhouses and the inventor of the night cooling system, KUBO has a solution to the challenging climates,’ says KUBO director Wouter Kuiper. ‘But if you really want to achieve something in China, you need your own office, in the same time zone, with people from the same culture who speak the same language, to be able to offer a higher level of service.’
Robert Keizer
Chinese staff
KUBO China will support the sales operations in the country. Project management will also be coordinated from Shanghai. To do this, Chinese staff have been recruited. Before the office was opened, manager Jiao You spent two years working for KUBO in Monster. Jiao: ‘The time difference, the travel, and distance to the market make growth in China extra challenging. By being there, we can visit customers more often, speak to them in their own language, and generally provide added value.’
Strategically located
Shanghai was chosen for a reason, says Jiao ‘This is one of the most international and most modern cities in China. And Shanghai is strategically located for transport by water and road. The Hongqiao district is close to the airport and railway station; so there are good connections with other big cities.’ Jiao expects growth in China will continue. ‘Consumers do not always have confidence that food is produced safely. Modern horticulture technology can improve food safety in China. The potential for greenhouses is huge. The government was already supporting that development and tensions with the United States and the pandemic meant an even greater focus on its own production.’
Local service point
The Dutch answer to the growing demand from China not only includes technology but also knowledge. With Smart Growing, KUBO set up its own service to support the business operations of growers all over the world. It also has its own data platform, PYLOT, which registers data relating to climate, harvest plans, incident management, and the use of gas, water, and light. The office in Shanghai will act as a local service point for both services. Wouter Kuiper: ‘Particularly with respect to optimizing cultivation, we can do a great deal in China, but that's actually the case worldwide. The Chinese are really serious about these issues and definitely intend to make horticulture a success.’ KUBO is expanding internationally and will soon be opening offices in North America as well.