GrowSpan Greenhouse Structures has announced the grand opening of its new Venlo greenhouse at their Dyersville, Iowa campus. To celebrate this milestone, GrowSpan will be hosting a ribbon-cutting event on Thursday, April 3rd from 12:00 p.m. CST to 3:00 p.m. CST at 1440 Field of Dreams Way.
The event will feature a formal ribbon-cutting at 1:00 p.m. CST, followed by guided tours of the structure, providing attendees with a firsthand look at this groundbreaking addition to GrowSpan's greenhouse product line. Guests will also have the opportunity to connect with industry professionals, enjoy food and beverages and purchase fresh produce grown on-site.
For more information or to RSVP, click here.
"As the only U.S. manufacturer of the Venlo, we have a unique opportunity to expand our reach and provide innovative solutions to both existing and new customers," said Will Hopkins, Business Development Manager for GrowSpan. "For operations needing a structure over 15,000 square feet, it's an easy choice. It's the most efficient system available, backed by Dutch technology that sets the industry standard."
"Our customers look for greenhouse systems that maximize profitability. The Venlo structure will allow them to produce large harvests at the lowest cost, giving them a clear edge in the marketplace," said Tania Tomoroga, VP of Sales and Marketing for GrowSpan.
"We've always believed in the quality of our greenhouses, but the Venlo showcases GrowSpan's ingenuity," said Martina Bockenstedt, GrowSpan's VP of Operations. "From the initial research and development to integrating new design software, and then manufacturing and constructing a greenhouse system of this magnitude and quality, we've shown GrowSpan's ability to work collaboratively and raise the industry standard."
Spanning nearly one acre, the facility boasts approximately 25,000 square feet of dedicated growing space. Its frame is constructed from hot-dipped galvanized steel, which is then clad with 4 mm glass on all sides and employs motorized, cable-driven climate screens for total control over light diffusion and light restriction.
"With glass, the structure allows around 90% of natural sunlight to come through," said Jena Jepson, Head Grower for GrowSpan. "The taller roof and large open space also help create a more homogenous growing environment compared to a traditional greenhouse, and by using components like steel and glass that are better suited to harsh weather conditions, we're really able to maximize the lifespan of your investment."
Partition walls are used to divide the growing space into three distinct zones, each one tailored to an individual crop type. In the first zone, lettuce is produced in a deep-water cultivation system with above-ground ponds and polystyrene rafts. The second and third zones feature suspended gutter cultivation systems, incorporating drip irrigation with leachate collection to yield tomato and strawberry plants.
"For us, we wanted this greenhouse to be a showcase where we could display a variety of growing systems and equipment," said Jepson. "Deciding the growing systems was based on what we are seeing as industry standard and what our customers might like to see. That also carried through to many of the equipment choices we made, as well as what new technologies were going to promote energy savings and sustainability."
The structure's attached headhouse, designed with two levels, provides over 10,000 square feet of supplemental production space. The lower level houses rooms for harvesting and processing, mechanical equipment and storage, while its upper mezzanine level comes complete with an office, conference room and viewing platform to offer a panoramic look into the greenhouse's three distinct growing zones.
For more information:
GrowSpan Greenhouse Structures
www.growspan.com