Growing orchids in the most environmentally friendly way, with IIVO

CosMic Plants has been a loyal Hoogendoorn customer for many years. They started cultivation in 2004, expanded in 2016, and Hoogendoorn has been an integral part of their cultivation process throughout. In 2020, CosMic Plants Inc. became an early adopter of our new IIVO system, using it as the beating heart of their Phalaenopsis greenhouses.

Connecting nature and technology to grow the most optimal orchids

CosMic Plants Inc. recognized the importance of sustainability in their business operations. In 2020, they chose to install the IIVO process computer to create the ultimate connection between nature and technology for their unique production process. Unlike many other orchid growers, the Phalaenopsis orchids at CosMic Plants have a longer growth cycle, receive more space and light, resulting in more flowers per plant, stronger root systems, resilient plants, and extended shelf life, according to the company. In their greenhouse, equivalent to 7 football fields in size, thousands of orchids are grown, packed, and distributed daily across North America's East to Midwest regions (Canada & USA).

Horticulture is in their blood

CosMic Plants has its roots in the earliest stages of what is now known as Westland's Glass City. Horticulture runs in their blood for over 125 years. In the summer of 2004, they established CosMic Plants on the Niagara Peninsula in Ontario, shortly after immigrating to Canada. From a sustainability perspective, they chose a locally situated production location, close to their customers, reaching the northeastern quadrant of North America within 10 hours by trucks.

To learn more about CosMic Plants, check out the customer story featuring Neil van Steekelenburg: 

Growing and delivering orchids in the most ethical manner

Sustainability plays a significant role in the business operations of CosMic Plants Inc. Numerous sustainability aspects are considered in all their strategic, tactical, and operational decisions. Neil van Steekelenburg, co-founder of Cosmic Plants, describes, "Our goal is to grow and deliver beautiful orchids in the most ethical way possible. Planning for the future is inherent to our company. We minimize our energy consumption by utilizing the high-tech process control system IIVO, employ organic crop protection techniques, recycle rain and irrigation water, focus on relatively local marketing of our products, and much more."

IIVO: Growing more with less

At Hoogendoorn Growth Management, we take pride in contributing to a more sustainable horticulture sector with our solutions. CosMic Plants utilizes IIVO not only to minimize energy consumption but also to achieve more with less. IIVO optimizes the light level in the greenhouse by combining natural sunlight with screen manipulations. Efficient light usage results in optimal photosynthetic processes in the plants, leading to healthier plants and increased production quantity and quality.

Additionally, IIVO contributes to efficient temperature, humidity, ventilation, and irrigation control for CosMic Plants. Neil Steekelenburg adds, "While we continue to strive for improvement, we are proud of how far we have come in terms of environmental sustainability. To quantify our efforts, we are working towards an MPS certification starting in 2022. Moreover, I believe that Hoogendoorn's new IIVO system helps us create the perfect climate to sustainably grow our beautiful orchids."

Ready, Set, Grow sustainably

At Hoogendoorn, sustainability is at the core of our company. In November 2021, we achieved the Global Sustainable Enterprise System sustainability certificate with an A-rating. This accomplishment demonstrates that Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) policies play a significant role in our company and products. Our strength lies in supporting innovative growers like CosMic Plants with smart and efficient process automation solutions to grow sustainably. In doing so, we contribute to sustainable growth for the Orchid Art.