In March 2021 , Israeli irrigation manufacturer Netafim acquired Dutch gaoler greenhouse undertaking provider Gakon . The prescribed fresh name and logotype have been announced , and it was time to sit down with Gaby Miodownik , CEO of Netafim , to discourse the plans of Gakon Netafim and the ontogeny they see in the market place . “ We ’ve invested in a market that we ’re positive will continue to grow , ” he said . “ We see , among our customers and in the market in worldwide , that a spring up number of investment funds are being made in hold environmental agribusiness . We ’re well fit out to offer this mart unequaled solutions . ” Gaby revealed that the Gakon acquisition may not be their last investiture in horticulture . “ We ’re always looking for answer that take us forrad . We require to be a mankind leader in this manufacture . ”
“ Netafim has always been in the USDA business , and has always held a sight of helping James Leonard Farmer produce more with less , ” Gaby sound out . He explain how trickle irrigation , Netafim ’s core business sector , is very much related to to horticulture , as more than 90 % of greenhouse in the world use drip irrigation . “ We have been irrigation supplier for over 60 years and continuously adorn in our technology to ensure we ’re on the cutting edge of preciseness . In the last 20 - 25 years , we ’ve also undertaken greenhouse projects , with a specific focus on polyethylene and net structure . Two days ago , we adjudicate to place more effort into becoming a human race loss leader in this field . We realized that , while our own brand name is hard , we needed an M&A ( Mergers & Acquisitions ) to attain the call for expertise and positioning . The Gakon acquisition involve us there . ”
There are many M&A natural process in the horticultural industry , and almost all Dutch jailor provider nowadays are acquainted with private equity investors . “ This illustrates the fact that it ’s a strong market that will probably get in the upcoming decades as the pauperism for salubrious , local food production evolves , ” says Gaby . “ What ’s different about us , equate to private equity , is that we ’re making a strategical investment for the long term . Gakon ’s activities conflate and synchronize well with ours : agriculture , mechanization , and irrigation . All nursery raiser use drip irrigation , and an irrigation client could be a potential nursery client in the future . leverage our mien of local teams on the ground , we ’re able to approach our be irrigation customers with our other offerings including intent , facility , and agronomic living . "
orbicular expansionWith the greenhouse grocery presently emerge across every continent , there are sizeable chance in the 100 + countries where Netafim is currently active – and there is plenty of room for further growing . By employ existing relationships create by both companies , Gakon Netafim can strengthen its footing across areas such as North America , Australia , China , and the Middle East to drive its horticultural offer . On top of the motivation for local intellectual nourishment product , aesculapian marijuana cultivation will also remain a focus point . Both Netafim and Gakon , under the brand name of Dicans , have been alive in the legalized , permitted part of this emerge market .
“ For growers all over the world , piss and labor scarcity beat major challenges . Department of Energy is also a very spicy issue , as well as sustainability in cosmopolitan . In addition to raiser approaching us , there are also investor come in this grocery store that do not necessarily know anything about farming , but who desire to invest in sustainable businesses concentrate on intellectual nourishment production . We can help them by offering more sustainable ways of spring up . In today ’s worldwide grocery , there is a lot of chance for enlargement and by combining our violence , all that becomes potential . We have people on the ground in more than 40 countries who can endorse granger when they begin new nursery projects with us . ”
Gaby explains that the complete offering of polyethylene nursery , nethouses , and glass nursery allow for better service for the growers as they can take from a arrant offering . “ To us , it does n’t count what greenhouse they choose ; our only goal is the prospicient - term family relationship with the grower and thus their long - term achiever . We require to betray what ’s best for them : a sartor - made result that suit their circumstances and the level of investment they are concerned in . economical support , being there for the farmer day after day , not just doing the labor and then terminate the relationship , that is what is important for us . We can offer the agriculturist the full package , including design , induction , and eventually also after - sales event services as we have local teams on the ground . ” As Netafim has now incorporated extensive cognition on gamey - tech greenhouse cultivation it hopes to further develop its action . “ We have a stiff team in Gakon - Netafim and are look to expatiate , as together we can benefit growers greatly . ”
As an instance , he talks about the Cottonex nursery in Kazakhstan , where , prior to the acquisition , Netafim completed a polyethylene ( PE ) greenhouses project include the internal fixtures . “ With Gakon ’s expertise , we can now help these clients even better . ” Then there is the Steiner project , a complete nursery project using geothermal passion , or Fri - El , where Gakon lately complete an expansion . “ With our combined presence , it will be easier to realize such labor . ” A net case is in Australia , where Gakon build up the Katunga Fresh labor . “ To organize this from Holland was quite ambitious , especially during the Covid pandemic . In the next phase , our local presence will hold sales , death penalty , and aftersales – an example of how our collaboration bring benefits to raiser . ”
More funding for more growers“Our main message is that we ’ve invested in a market that we ’re positive will carry on to mature . Both companies have been combat-ready in offer agriculturist all over the world the puppet to produce local , healthy food . We complement each other in the production that we offer and in our knowledge of crops . We can support growers globally on a local basis and convey decades of horticultural knowledge in vegetables and marihuana to the table . At the end of the day , it ’s good to the customers , ” Gaby concludes , revealing that it might not be the last acquirement for Netafim . “ We ’re not limiting ourselves to the accomplishment of Gakon . We ca n’t give away any details of candidate for investment , but together with Gakon , we ’re going through a full operation of analyzing our competitory position : what are the technologies in the market , what engineering are relevant for the coming year to satisfy our clients ’ need ? We may search into technological investments that complete our current offering . At this detail , we do n’t have a quarry list of companies , but we ’re always front for solutions that further congratulate us . It ’s part of our scheme moving forward : adding engineering science and services that can avail growers even more . ” That , Gaby accent , has always been and will continue to be the genuine goal .
For more information : Gakon Horticultural Projects(+31)174 225 700[email protected]www.gakon.nl
© FloralDaily.com/Arlette Sijmonsma
