Certhon builds high-tech research center for Axia Vegetable Seeds

It is with great enthusiasm that we announce the start of a groundbreaking project: the construction of a state-of-the-art research center for Axia Vegetable Seeds has officially begun! August 2024 marked the festive moment with the driving of the first pile, marking the beginning of a project that will radically change the future of horticulture.

The fruitful collaboration between Certhon and Axia has a rich history. What began in 2021 as a few promising cultivation trials at the Certhon Innovation Centre has now grown into an ambitious turn-key new construction project. The trials investigated growing without daylight, which led to the question: how feasible is it to realize growing entirely without daylight? This challenge brought the experts of Certhon and Axia together at the drawing board, where they combined their knowledge and drive for innovation.

This new complex, a paragon of technological progress, is specifically designed to support Axia’s visionary goals in phytopathology research and tomato breeding. Part of the building will serve as a state-of-the-art research center, while another part is optimally equipped for advanced (back-crossing) programs.

After a period of rising energy prices and the challenges surrounding the highly contagious tomato virus ToBRFV, both parties are determined to make this project an impressive success. This initiative is a great example of how Certhon and Axia are jointly building the future of horticulture. “We look forward with great confidence to taking this cooperation to new heights and opening the research center in the near future,” said Lotte van Rijn, CEO of Certhon. “Together we are laying the foundation for the next step in innovation and breeding technology, and making an important contribution to a sustainable and high-quality food supply for generations to come.”

(Picture: Axia Vegetable Seeds)