Let’s improve together By joining forces, we keep the horticulture sector in the lead
S-Gravenzande - Inspiring and motivating 500 growers, that was the aim of Royal Brinkman in advance during the innovation seminar Let's improve together on Thursday 20 June 2019. How can we keep the horticulture sector in the lead? What are the issues that concern our sector on a daily basis?
A warning is appropriate, because all kinds of technological developments are taking place worldwide, including in other countries, which seriously threaten our position. Only through joining forces, deploying new technologies and collaborating on innovations with growers, suppliers, startups and other organizations can the Dutch hortis sector maintain its leading position.
Forward-looking themes were on the program with the aim of brainstorming together and working together on innovations for a healthy future for the horticultural sector. What does the far-reaching digitization and climate change mean for my company? How do we prevent the use of plastic from threatening our crops? As a grower, how should you deal with the increasingly limited package of plant protection products? And are there opportunities for the Netherlands in the cultivation of medicinal cannabis? Issues that concern our sector on a daily basis. During the innovation seminar, speakers such as Steven van Belleghem, Reinier van den Berg, Rob Verhagen (Rethink Plastics), Kamel Beliazi (Bayer Cropscience) and Laust Dam (Aurora) shared their views on these topics.
Constantijn van Oranje, special representative of StartupDelta, concluded the innovation seminar with a keynote on digital innovation strategies and startups. Constantijn van Oranje; “It is important that the hortis sector is open to changes while it is still performing well. The question is whether this sector will still have a global leading position in ten years. It is important to start changing now while that pressure may not be there yet. Because that things are going well now is no guarantee for the future. Use new technologies from outside the sector and find the connection with companies and startups that can help you innovate. ”
During the seminar, Royal Brinkman unveiled its new promise: Let’s improve together. This turned out not only to be the name of the seminar but also the way in which the company will operate in the coming years. With "Let’s improve together", Royal Brinkman wants to enable entrepreneurs in the horticultural sector to continuously improve by offering knowledge, expertise and innovative solutions. Royal Brinkman does not do this alone; Collaboration is more than ever an important value in the horticultural sector. The company expands its network with valuable partners and believes in the power of connection.
During the seminar it was announced that Royal Brinkman is investing more in innovations and the development of new concepts and solutions. It is also one of the first participants to join the new Horti Heroes Innovation Hub, the open innovation platform for the Food & Flower Industry, where challenges are matched with the solutions of startups and scale-ups. This new platform hortiheroes.starthubs.co was officially launched during the innovation seminar.
Gold in hands
The innovation seminar took place at a historic location, in a former auction hall of Vegetable Auction Woutersweg, on the Royal Brinkman site on Woutersweg 10 in 's-Gravenzande. "It was an exciting program," said CEO Ton van Mil: "As a sector, we literally have gold in our hands with our knowledge and experience and we have to share it with each other. By connecting the right people and parties to each other, we come up with innovative solutions that take the hortis sector further! Let’s improve together!
