Horticoop and Yield Lab Europe are investing in CE-Line, a scale-up which makes it possible to carry out real-time laboratory analyses to establish the amounts of nutrient in irrigation and drainage water. This will give growers complete control of the nutrient composition of their greenhouse water flows. This technology underpins a sustainable investment in greenhouse horticulture, and is in line with Horticoop’s objective of making a positive contribution to the future of the horticultural sector. As well as proving invaluable to the horticultural industry, CE-Line is also used in water-saving and recycling processes, such as the re-use of waste water.
Plug and play
CE-Line offers a ‘plug & play’ monitoring system, which meticulously measures the composition of the nutrients in irrigation and drainage water by automatically taking samples from the various water flows and using the technology deployed in laboratories to measure macro and micro nutrients. CE-Line’s real-time analyses make it easy for growers to dispense nutrients in an optimal manner. They can manage the ideal nutrient composition for any climate conditions and at every growth stage, even using automated dispensing systems to achieve an autonomous growing system if required. The CE-Line system cleans and calibrates itself, so that changing the liquid reagents monthly is the only human intervention required.
Simon Meijer, CEO of CE-Line: ‘We are making the transition from a research company to commercial production, and we are delighted to be able to welcome Horticoop and Yield Lab Europe as investors. They recognise our multidisciplinary setting and already have experience with businesses at this stage of upscaling, when new steps need to be taken repeatedly. That flexibility, obviously based on market expertise, makes the collaboration very meaningful’.
Wilco Schoonderbeek, Investments Director at Horticoop: This CE-Line solution for the ongoing and fully automated testing and management of water and nutrients enhances the control growers have over their crops. The savings on water and nutrients, as well as the possibility of ensuring closed water systems, are fully in line with Horticoop’s ambition to contribute to a sustainable and future-proof horticultural industry’.
Daan Wilms van Kersbergen, Investment Director at Yield Lab Europe: ‘CE-Line makes the autonomous measuring of water quality in closed systems possible, obviating the need for manual sampling and lab testing. This proven technology can be deployed in-line to optimise processes and make them sustainable; it can also be applied in various end markets, such as the horticultural industry and water management. This combination makes it a very interesting investment for us’.
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