2023 COOLSTACK® MAX DYNAMIC - 5RB+HW+FR

Year-Round Tomato Cultivation Under LED Lighting

From Storm to Success: Corne Smulders' Journey in Greenhouse Horticulture

Corne Smulders took over from his father in 1984, rebuilding the greenhouse completely destroyed by a heavy storm and expanding his business with new greenhouses in Oirschot. In 2007, he started cultivating a new tomato variety, "Intense," together with five other growers. Despite initial challenges, this variety became a popular slicing tomato, loved for its firm, juicy core that doesn't leak.

The Switch to Year-Round Lit Cultivation

To meet the demand for year-round cultivation and due to the disappointing quality of imported tomatoes, Corne switched to lighting with traditional HPS lamps. However, the energy crisis of 2022 and 2023 forced him to look for alternatives. This led to a partial relocation of cultivation to Morocco and ultimately to the choice of MechaTronix's Coolstack® Max Dynamic grow lights for winter cultivation in the Netherlands.

Why Coolstack® Max Dynamic Grow Lights?

After thorough research, Corne chose MechaTronix and their Coolstack® Max Dynamic grow lights for their ability to control far-red and white light separately and the companies efficient and flexible business structure. Within five months, the new grow lights were installed. The grow lights can be extremely flexibly adjusted, allowing Corne to easily switch to other crops like cucumbers, strawberries, or cut flowers, which would be handy in the event of a new virus outbreak. This flexibility also ensures a higher residual value after five years.

Cultivation Optimization and Energy Savings

Cultivation-wise, it initially took some trial and error to find the right balance. Initially, the fruits were coarse enough, but the plants rested too much. By creating a larger day and night rhythm, the fruits swelled and sales increased. On the advice of Franky Van Looveren and cultivation lighting specialist Joop Verhoeven, Corne began adding far-red light , resulting in more activated plants as the light penetrated deeper into the crop. Additionally, the energy savings from turning off the white light were greater than expected, with a reduction of 14% instead of the anticipated 10%.

Thanks to the advanced LED technology from MechaTronix, Corne Smulders can cultivate high-quality tomatoes year-round, respond to market changes, and save energy. His innovative approach and transition to sustainable lighting have made his business resilient and future-proof.