Feeding future urban populations - Introducing the vertical farm

Vertical farms are a very promising and sustainable solution to the growing needs for healthy, local foods in (over)populated urban areas. What’s more, at Grodan, we believe vertical farms will play an indispensable role in our future global food production. So, what is it all about?

Vertical Farming Picture

How it started

Producing more with less is in our roots. Since we invented hydroponic stone wool growing in 1969 we have continuously evolved the Grodan approach to sustainable growing. Our first customers started growing hydroponically to avoid disinfection of the soil which was done with methyl bromide, a heavy toxic chemical. Our growing media enabled them to provide the plants with water and fertilizer much more precisely and efficiently. By doing so the yield per square meter further increased, while at the same time saving water, fertiliser and subsequently saving on costs. Grodan can be seen as one of the Founding Fathers of Precision Growing for the horticulture industry. Today,growers make use of a wide range of innovative products for the entire growing cycle from the start of propagation till harvesting.

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Benefits of stone wool

The use of stone wool substrate offers many advantages. Thanks to the controlled manufacturing process, this growth medium is of a consistently high quality. The sterile production under extreme temperature ensures that the product is clean and sterile. Its unique hydrophilic fibre also makes the cultivation on stone wool substrate very easy to control. The grower can administer the amount of water and nutrients the crops need in a very directed and controlled manner, to achieve optimal growing results. Waste becomes a thing of the past. Efficient use of water and nutrients keeps yield per square metre high, and energy consumption per unit of product low. Additionally, the product is lightweight, making it easy to use. And last but not least, stone wool can be easily re-used. To sum up, it is a sustainable and environmentally-friendly product. 

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Grodan News

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KAS magazine interview
General
12 Jan 2023

Young Grodan employees discuss in KAS magazine their experiences working in horticulture

Two of our young colleagues gave an interview the previous weeks in the special edition of the Dutch KAS magazine about young people working in horticulture. Federico Puksic (Cultivation Specialist) and Emmanouela Alexopoulou (Technical Communications Manager) are two ambitious people that after their studies in Wageningen University they joined Grodan to contribute via their roles in “innovating for a greener and sustainable world”.

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Grodan
Grodan Plantop NG2.0 Conical Plugs / Standard Plugs
Article
25 Oct 2022

Automation and control are the main focus of the International Propagation Seminar

Grodan has organized the International Propagation Seminar for the 9th time. Plant breeders from home and abroad saw their expectations come true: current topics under the banner of automation and control were on the program. Topics within this theme ranged from robotization during the propagation process, the use of rock wool in strawberry cultivation to climate control and various types of light.

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Grodan
Plantop NG2.0 Funnel Plug Tray
Press Release
21 Sep 2022

Grodan Launches Vermiculite-Free Plantop NG2.0 Funnel Plug

Grodan Launches Vermiculite-Free Plantop NG2.0 Funnel Plug. Global leader in stone wool growing media solutions Grodan announces the launch of a new Funnel Plug. Unlike other stone wool plugs, the patented Plantop NG2.0 Funnel Plug does not require the propagator to add a layer of vermiculite after seeding. That means excellent results and a cleaner work environment, and is particularly important because vermiculite is becoming increasingly difficult to source.

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Grodan
Strawberry
Article
18 Mar 2022

Grodan launches new podcast series: Growing a better future

At Grodan, we believe that the greenhouse horticultural sector plays a leading role in the efficient, safe and local production of healthy and sustainable food, now and in the future.

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Grodan
Grodan, world expo, dubai, horticulture, high-tech
Press Release
01 Feb 2022

Grodan represents Dutch high-tech horticulture at the World Expo 2022 in Dubai

The Dutch horticultural sector binds forces and organizes a full two-day lasting Horticultural program at the Netherlands Pavilion, during the theme-week ‘Food, Agriculture & Livelihoods’ from 17 – 23 February 2022 at the World Expo in Dubai. The first day on Monday 21 February is organized by the public sector and the second day; on Tuesday 22 February is organized by Dutch companies. Grodan, is one of the more than 20 companies that shows how high-tech horticulture can make a sustainable contribution to global food security. The inspiring and interactive program takes place in our price-winning Netherlands Pavilion wherein we combine water, food, and energy. The total program of both Horticultural Days will be broadcast live from the Netherlands Pavilion.

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Grodan
Grodan, e-Gro, Update, harvest, reports
Article
01 Feb 2022

e-Gro Release: Optimised harvest planning for better prognoses and improved reports views

We kicked off the new growing season by a new release in e-Gro. As a result of interviews with top growers worldwide and continuous testing, we’ve increased the focus on optimisation in the Production Module and Reports Module.

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Grodan Newsletter

Do you want to learn more about Grodan? Feel free to sign up to our newsletter. Grodan ensures that growers can make optimum use of its products and services by interpretting the company’s knowledge of and experience with substrate cultivation in terms of up-to-date, crop-oriented advice. Ranging from tailor-made advice from crop consultants to newsletters, seminars and training courses and articles in trade journals.

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Part of ROCKWOOL Group

Grodan is part of the ROCKWOOL Group and committed to enriching the lives of everyone who comes into contact with our solutions. Our expertise is perfectly suited to tackle many of today’s biggest sustainability and development challenges, from energy consumption and noise pollution to fire resilience, water scarcity and flooding. Our range of products reflects the diversity of the world’s needs, while supporting our stakeholders in reducing their own carbon footprint.