He started his career in the world of gondola , but soon found himself hooked on horticultural technique . Carel Zwinkels late flourish goodbye to AAB nl , but it ca n’t be called a literal farewell . “ I have almost 40 age of horticultural techniques on the counter . I will keep on following the development in horticulture . ”
Carel , being the son of a tomato grower , set out in the service section at car importer Louwman & Parqui back in 1976 . After a year , a service department for Suzuki and Ducati motorbike was set up by him , among others . He continued his calling at Suzuki . When the first Alto ’s were put on the Dutch market , there was no more challenge for Carel . The trade journal he was reading at home concerned him a lot more .
At the start of the ’ 80s , the Dutch horticulture made a massive shift from cultivating on undefended field to educate in substrates . With a great pursuit in technical school , he followed the growth closely . A Revaho commercial caught his attention , which is how Carel ended up in the horticulture manufacture back in April of 1981 . “ At Revaho , I did what I could n’t do in the car industriousness , which contribute to the intention of technical installation . Due to the shift to substratum , drippers where developed left and right . ”
Dripper water supply poured outThere were tidy sum of challenges . “ A Madagascar pepper greenhouse in the Dutch , Den Hoorn want to make the replacement to substrates , but because the nursery was built on a dyke , the primer was slanted . Because of that , the urine in the drippers poured out . We inquire Netafim if they could also make the drippers sealable . Now , that character of dripper is known as the chameleon dripper . “ If only I had the patent for it ” , he says jokingly .
Advice for IndonesiaAt the start of the ’ 80s , horticulture was already international . “ In 1981 , a relegating from Indonesia came over . They require to start a gardening company and came here to enquire about it . They had set their deal for NFT ( Nutrient Film Technique ) , but we explain to them that drip irrigation was much good . “ Buy a piece of land near a university so you could educate people and set up a simple greenhouse made off bamboo or charge plate ( Mohican glasshouse ) , that you could ventilate well . Put the seeded player in bags of sand or coconut and check that that it does n’t become wet in the rainfall . And yes , I went to visit , it all looked very decent . They had analog measuring equipment because there were unconstipated power outages . A Belgium grower went there to set up the cultivation , and when the first tomatoes were being harvested , I heard that they even wanted to export the love apple to Singapore . ”
protrude to cultivate at AABAfter an jaunt at a greenhouse building company and in the screen sphere , he spend eight years go with urine techniques at Royal Brinkman . In April 2000 , Carel start work at Agro Advice Buro , now known as AAB . H2O techniques remained his specialty , but he also find out about nursery , screens , heating , and all other aspects of a greenhouse in practice session . “ As a grower ’s son , you got the oddity of want to notice out how everything works menstruate through your vein . I recruit the company as the twelfth employee . Aab was still a little company back then . This makes the company very active , and you learned a band from your colleagues . ”
cracking projectsCarel was appointed to oversee the construction of new development projects . “ The drive to expand could not be fill in the Dutch Westland . This led to Agriport area in Middenmeer , Someren , and Luttelgeest . I had the fortune to supervise some bully task . Tomatoes and capsicum of up to 44 hectares . ” The lowly projects are just as interesting to Carel .
“ For example , the roughly 500 square meters at KeyGene in Wageningen . Ten departments filled with high - caliber technics , like dual screen , ignition , and with dripping irrigation and ebb and flow systems . We supervised the construction of these projects by “ Grass to Glass ” . After talk over with the customer , you set up a plant escort about two years in advancement . It still gives me a rush when , on that date , the plants get placed into the glasshouse . ”
Building review in Australia .
Billion euro dealThe name change from Agro Advice Buro to AAB nl was made in 2015 . In that same year , a billion euro business deal for the procurement of Serres Toundra in Canadas was sign under the sleepless eyes of King Willem Alexander and Queen Máxima . “ Agro Advice Buro did n’t sound very good in English . By the time you explicate how to import it , you already finished up your vocation quotation , " he jokes . The project in Félicien consists of 4 blocks of 8.5 hectare each . In 2016 , output lead off for the first blocking , and at the moment , the base for phase 2 is being placed . “ In Quebec , they are happy with the local cucumber production . There is only 80 hectares worth of vegetable cultivation over there , even though 8.5 million people are live in the Quebec realm . ”
There are more labor afield he take care back at fondly . D’Vine Ripe , for example , one of the biggest tomato nurseries in Australia . “ During that time , it was 8 hectare , and in 2010 , 9 hectares of paths and buff greenhouse were added . By now , the baby’s room has grown to be 45 hectares with now two semi - shut nursery of 8.5 hectares each . Semi - closed glasshouse have replaced the itinerary and the fan greenhouses in ordination to keep the CO2 level better . chill with the windowpane closed , that save a lot . ”
Having good people is keeping good people“Our advice service have change in the past twenty years . In the crisis eld of 2008 and 2010 , AAB developed a broad weighing machine of service . The energy advice is very crucial these days , just cogitate of the development of geothermal energy . you may set up any project you like , but it should still be capable to stand after fifteen year . A agriculturalist need to keep on developing so as to stay afloat in this food market ”
The advice also includes issue such as labor movement . “ A global job . Although there are all sort of growing in the field of robotization and automating work , the tech is not quite there yet . raiser across the globe still involve hands to do the work , which are get hard to come up by these days , which is a actual problem . In the Dutch glasshouse , besides Polish workers , more and more Bulgarian and Romanian workers join in . Australia gets its jack from Cambodia and Vietnam , and in Canada , a fortune of people from Guatemala are make . Having adept people is keeping skillful masses , so growers need to do whatever they can to cater their people with good living accommodations . Serres Toundra recently bought a vicarage where their employees can inhabit in . The people are thankful for it . ”
vacation feelingAfter a well - attend farewell response on the 15th of November , Carel go on a journeying to South - Africa . “ I palpate like I am on a long vacation . I will primarily concentrate on volunteer work for football and the church now , and I will spend more time gardening and cycling . ” However , that does n’t mean that he wo n’t show his face at conventions any longer . “ With a happy heart , I say au revoir to almost 40 year of gardening technics . If anyone needs my help , do n’t be afraid to ask . ”
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This is the ninth part of a serial ' Andere Tuinbouwtijden ' in which a chemical group of ' veteran workers in the field ' look back at times long gone . And in which we expect at what their study mean to the current horticultural industry .
Part 1 : Piet Bom -Will your next nursery be made of Fiberglass?Part 2 : Henry van der Lans -We kip in the same little hotel … Part 3 : Rob Grootscholten – 42 year of greenhouse building … Part 4 : Peter Stuyt – As a Dutch American , I like to combine … Part 5 : Leo Alsemgeest -Bit by bit a step backPart 6 : Harry Dullemans – Never say you are not there … Part 7 : Kees de Groot -We must make something different than … Part 8 : Leo Alleblas – The urge for adventure is in our blood
