Boris Prins and Brent van Paassen were first brought together by a project sale, and a short while later in 2021 the pair founded BBM Company. Starting in a shed next to a greenhouse in Maasdijk, the Netherlands, the company quickly expanded into a modern facility in the same town. At the same time, the young technical firm has developed a strong presence in Canada, where it established BBM North America Inc.—a step not often seen so early in a company's development.
"Every week we ship spare parts by air freight from here," says Boris Prins from the company's headquarters in Maasdijk. "Some systems cannot afford downtime, so service needs to be fast." From this office, he manages the team and maintains daily contact with Brent, who has been permanently based in Canada for the past two years. "When we started working together, expanding to North America was already part of the plan. Brent wanted to make that move."
Van Paassen, whose background is technical optimization, saw opportunities across the Atlantic. "I enjoy finding solutions and continuously improving systems. Through my father, I knew we had family in Canada. I contacted my uncle, who is a grower, and visited him. He had an issue with his rolling bench system, which I was able to resolve. He was satisfied and recommended me to other growers. That is how it developed."
© Thijmen Tiersma | HortiDaily.com Brent and Boris at their Dutch headquarters, important for the project preparation work.
Growing recognition in North America
Brent's stays in Canada gradually became longer. "I usually booked an open ticket," he says. "If there was a lot of work, I would extend my stay—sometimes up to three months at a time during the Covid period."
It was during that period that the first project under the BBM name was secured in Canada. "We had only been working together for two years, so Brent's move to Canada came relatively early in our development," Boris explains.
The decision was driven by opportunity. "We were solving technical issues for growers and building trust that way," says Boris. "Increasingly, new growers are approaching us directly and inviting us to tender for projects."
According to Brent, the company's position differs significantly between the two markets. "In the Netherlands, we are still a relatively small and less well-known company. In North America, that is quite different. Our name recognition there is much stronger."
Strong ties with the Netherlands
When looking for a location to establish a permanent base in Canada, the company selected a site in Wainfleet, Ontario. From this facility, BBM North America Inc. provides local service and supports the installation and commissioning of greenhouse systems. Brent and his local technicians also carry out work for several Dutch partners active in the North American market.
Several times a year, Brent returns to the Netherlands, typically four to six visits annually. These trips are intensive, combining family visits with meetings with international clients and project tours, often linked to industry events such as IPM Essen. He also meets with partners alongside Boris to stay aligned with developments in greenhouse technology.
"Our advantage is that we still have a presence in the Netherlands," Brent says. "To stay up to date and continue learning, I need to be here regularly."
Introducing Dutch innovations to Canada
With the establishment of the Canadian branch in mind, the company developed a dedicated brochure outlining its activities in North America. At the office in Maasdijk, Boris presents several reference projects, including CosMic Plants and Westland Direct Inc., where the Dutch-Canadian company has been involved.
In both cases, existing greenhouse facilities were extensively upgraded and renovated. BBM North America Inc. installed new Dutch greenhouse systems designed to optimize internal transport and irrigation processes.
"We are currently finalizing another renovation project," says Boris. "We are automating the processing area of a herb grower. The customer is transitioning to self-moving bench systems and wants to carry out propagation entirely in-house."
Dutch partners
Brent points out that there is strong demand in Canada for local technical support. "Growers abroad are often quite self-reliant, but that becomes more challenging when working with new, innovative technologies," he says. "We can play a role in introducing Dutch horticultural innovations to the Canadian market. By providing local service, we also safeguard quality."
According to Boris, the lack of fast, on-site support has sometimes led growers to choose established, older technologies over newer systems. "When growers tell us, 'Now that BBM has a permanent presence here, we feel confident choosing an innovative system,' that is a great compliment," he says.
The Canadian branch is responsible for service, installation, and commissioning. As much prefabrication work as possible is carried out in Maasdijk before systems are shipped to Canada in containers. From Maasdijk, the company also continues to execute projects in the Netherlands. For example, a climate room was recently relocated with support from the BBM team, and several weighing systems have been installed at various sites.
In-house development and sensor integration
Boris and Brent continue to explore new opportunities and partnerships. They are in daily contact, with a more extensive meeting scheduled each week.
Alongside their project activities, the company also develops its own systems, making use of the additional space at the Maasdijk facility. One example is a system designed to clean cultivation benches with water heated to 80 degrees Celsius. "This allows us to eliminate a large proportion of bacteria and remove stubborn contamination more effectively," says Boris. The custom-built system can be operated manually with a spray lance or integrated into a fully automated logistics system with moving benches.
Another development is being carried out in close cooperation with Wireless Value. "Together, we are integrating sensors into various cultivation systems," Boris explains. "These are wireless weighing systems built into cultivation benches and high-wire crops to improve irrigation strategies. The key advantage is that the systems do not interfere with the crop. The weight of each bench can be monitored throughout the greenhouse, while standard crop handling for high-wire cultivation remains unchanged. What we have developed together did not previously exist for this type of cultivation."
BBM Company supports the serial production of these systems. "We handle the engineering, assembly, installation, and commissioning," Boris adds. Several weighing systems have recently been installed in both the Netherlands and Canada.
A focus on automation
"I enjoy organizing and making things happen—that gives me energy," says Boris. Brent nods in agreement. "That's something Boris is very good at."
The two complement each other well. Brent is known for his creativity and steady flow of ideas, while Boris focuses on structure and organization. Whenever possible, Boris still works on technical drawings himself. "I still enjoy doing that, if I can find the time."
As the company continues to grow, they are working on internal systems to safeguard that time. "Many of our orders currently come in via WhatsApp and email," Boris explains. "We want to automate that process."
For more information:
BBM Company B.V.
De Derde Hoeve 9
2676 CR Maasdijk
[email protected]
www.bbmcompany.nl
BBM North America Inc.
43270 Pettit Rd
Wainfleet, ON L0S 1V0, Canada
+1 (905) 736-1114
[email protected]
https://bbm-na.com/
