Certhon joins Wageningen University & Research Club of 100

As one of the top companies in greenhouse construction worldwide, Certhon may also join the Club of 100 of Wageningen University & Research, BU Greenhouse Horticulture. For over 125 years Certhon is active in the greenhouse horticulture sector and with various projects and trials, also in cooperation with WUR. In addition, at the end of 2021, the inspiring company was recognized by Hillenraad100 as the winner of the HillenraadTECH50: the fifty most high-profile and promising companies in horticultural technology. It is therefore understandable that joining the Club of 100 could no longer be delayed.

“We see opportunities in the food transition to achieve a more sustainable and healthy food system,” explains John van der Sande, Chief Innovation Officer. “Complex cultivation systems are needed to achieve this transition and you can’t do it in a day, and certainly not alone.” Certhon works every day with growers, researchers, investors, and other innovators to create a better system. “The Club of 100, with its network, is an excellent source of knowledge and expertise and we are also happy to share our experiences with this network so that we can improve the world’s food systems together,” Van der Sande says.

Already on the wish list
Jan Willem de Vries, Founding Father of the Club of 100, had his sights set on this high-tech greenhouse builder for some time. It was mid-2014 when he approached the company for the first time. “I know Certhon as an innovative company that is constantly innovating. That is a nice addition to the Club,” says De Vries. At the time, it just wasn’t the right time for Certhon. “We are therefore very pleased that Certhon has now joined the Club of 100 of the Business Unit Greenhouse Horticulture of Wageningen University &Research.” This Business Unit deals with strategic applied research and the members of the Club of 100 work together on innovations, often in cooperation with the government in PPPs. De Vries believes that the interaction with researchers but also with other members of the Club of 100 will bring Certhon a lot. “The statement by Haruhiko Kato (CTO at Certhon) hits the nail on the head: ‘Certhon should join the Club if only to inspire our employees.’ You can’t get a nicer compliment as a Club,” said De Vries.

About strategic applied research of Wageningen University & Research
The members of the Club van 100 work together on innovations and make them applicable to covered crops. By doing research together on themes that determine success in greenhouse horticulture, this type of research contributes to a sustainable and perpetuated competitive sector and is about innovations for the longer term, with an uncertain return on investment. In recent decades, such research has produced important innovations and breakthroughs in biological crop protection, new cultivation systems, water purification, energy conservation, and much more, and is something we want to continue to do together. It is then pre-competitive research that lays the foundation for the future of the sector.