How Orance guided propagator, Vreugdenhil Young Plants and Klugt Quality Plants, through their LED grow light transition
John Potters, manager and specialist at Vreugdenhil Young Plants and Klugt Quality Plants, speaks with Arno Wartewig, founder of Orance – a consultancy company specializing in LED lighting for the professional horticultural industry – to discuss key considerations when investing in a new grow light installation.
Vreugdenhil and Klugt are modern propagation companies managing a total of 60 hectares of modern greenhouses, all equipped with artificial lighting. “We decided to replace our HPS fixtures with LED for two main reasons: LED is twice as efficient, and it allows us to regulate the spectrum,” says John Potters.
For an investment in four-channel LED fixtures, they relied on guidance from Orance Grow Light Architects. “This is a significant investment. It’s about much more than just choosing the fixtures,” explains John. “You also need to consider communication with climate computers, supplier reliability for large orders, maintenance, and service. It’s reassuring to have a trusted partner like Orance advising you every step of the way.”
“Orance supports horticultural entrepreneurs from the initial client wish to a clear project definition, handling procurement, purchasing, warranties, and beyond,” explains Arno Wartewig. For propagators like Vreugdenhil and Klugt, the challenge is finding a grow light installation that offers flexibility and allows them to manage crops according to client needs. “Not all greenhouses are the same, so choosing the right fixture is a challenge,” adds John. “There’s no one-size-fits-all solution.”
For these companies, flexibility was a key factor in the decision-making process: they needed to be able to place different crops in each compartment of the greenhouse throughout the year. “With HPS, it was simple, on/off, and that was it. A four-channel fixture is relatively new, and this technology brings new risks,” Arno explains. These include technical and financial risks, as well as the risk of not using your equipment correctly.
A critical insight from Arno: “Define a clear project from the start, and let that guide all decisions. Technology should follow client needs, not the other way around.”
Curious to see how this all comes together in practice? Watch the full conversation between Arno and John to learn more about the challenges, risks, and strategic choices when implementing advanced LED lighting in modern propagation greenhouses.
