In March 2016 Marcel Vijverberg installed two DryGair units in 8,000 m2 of greenhouse. During the night the two units easily remove 800 litres of water. As a result heating and ventilation are no longer necessary. In addition to the lower energy bill, Vijverberg says he has a healthier crop, better climate and plant growth is more compact.

Marcel Vijverberg has a bedding and pot plant nursery of 2.5 ha in Maasland, the Netherlands. He became interested in air dehumidification during a visit to the IPM in Essen. “During the spring we grow various bedding plants such as Solanum and Dipladenia and hanging plants such as Campanula, Petunia, Fuchsia, Geranium and Lobelia as well as Euphorbia pulcherima during the autumn. High air humidity in the greenhouse limits crop production and can cause fungal diseases. To keep the crop healthy we have to remove moisture and traditionally we did this by heating and ventilating.”  
Marcel Vijverberg has a bedding and pot plant nursery of 2.5 ha in Maasland, the Netherlands. He became interested in air dehumidification during a visit to the IPM in Essen. “During the spring we grow various bedding plants such as Solanum and Dipladenia and hanging plants such as Campanula, Petunia, Fuchsia, Geranium and Lobelia as well as Euphorbia pulcherima during the autumn. High air humidity in the greenhouse limits crop production and can cause fungal diseases. To keep the crop healthy we have to remove moisture and traditionally we did this by heating and ventilating.”

The Dutch grower decided to try air dehumidification in one 8,000 m2 section of the greenhouse. In this case it involved the installation of two DryGair units. These units measure 220 x 92 x 280 cm and weigh 800 kg. Compared with other systems on the market DryGair can remove more moisture with less energy. The units are simply ‘plug & play’ and the water removed is very clean so it can be immediately used again as irrigation water. The unit sucks in moist greenhouse air, dries it by means of condensation and then blows the dry air back out into the greenhouse. 

The DryGair dehumidifiers were placed in the central path at the beginning of March 2016. They were used intensively in the period from March to May and Marcel Vijverberg is positive about the results. “While using the DryGairs we kept the windows shut for 10 hours per day, the screen remained closed and the air humidity stayed constant. Due to the vertical ventilation the conditions are much more even, creating a uniform climate. The CO2 stays longer in the greenhouse and furthermore the disease pressure is low. There is significantly less humidity in the greenhouse and that is noticeable in the reduction of algal formation on the ground sheet.” Marcel has also seen an additional advantage for the crop. “We noticed that crop growth was more compact due to the lower air humidity. As a result we can use less growth inhibitors. We’ll discover exactly how much less over the coming months because then the real fine-tuning will begin!”

Marcel Vijverberg foresees even greater advantages when using DryGair during the coming autumn and winter. “We grow at quite a cool temperature but we have to ensure that we remove the moisture. Ventilation can cause a cold dump and an uneven climate and you lose a lot of warm air when ventilating so consequently you have to heat more and that costs energy/money.” The most important reason for Marcel Vijverberg to invest in DryGair is cost-effectiveness. “It has to lead to sufficient savings. The savings are mainly in energy costs but we also see a healthier crop and a more uniform climate.” Marcel Vijverberg is convinced about the performance of DryGair and is going to transfer the two units from the middle path towards the back of the bay. He is currently considering whether to equip the second section of 17,000 m2 with DryGair dehumidifiers. For this he first needs to upgrade his power network. The Dutch subsidy schemes Energy Investment Allowance (EIA) and Environmental Investment Rebate are extra reasons to purchase DryGair. 

The DryGair units also give Marcel Vijverberg extra control at his fingertips. “By using temperature integration and closing the screens earlier we can probably achieve even more savings over the coming season. The amount of moisture that has to be removed depends on the temperature; the higher the greenhouse temperature the more humid the air and the more moisture can be removed!” 

✔ A DryGair unit devours moisture;
✔ Humid greenhouse air is sucked in: dry air is blown back out into the greenhouse;  
✔ Plug & play: connect to electricity and remove water;
✔ Extracted water is clean and suitable for irrigation.

Can't find your answer? Fill out the contact form and our specialist Eef Zwinkels will get back to you. On weekdays, even within 24 hours.

Tim Prins about the Easy Hook 26 cm
"We were looking for a suitable hook for growing cucumbers. A cucumber plant grows on average 50 to 60 centimetres per week. This is almost twice as fast as a tomato plant that grows an average of 30 to 31 centimetres per week. We were therefore looking for a hook other than the 22 or 24 centimetre hooks we use in tomato cultivation''.

Grower Moors about Valent Pepper Twine
Pepper grower Rob Moors tested Royal Brinkman's new Valent Pepper twine in 2020 and now uses it on his entire 19 ha. "It is strong and does not stretch, so the rows are tight from start to finish. That works well and prevents damage and loss of quality."

Madiba grower Kees de Jongh about the Alumaster 2.0
Our spraying robot needed replacing after 18 years. There were two words on our wish list for a new spraying robot: fully automatic and sustainable. The spraying robot is used in our cultivation for braking, spraying and biology dispersal. The Alumaster 2.0 by Royal Brinkman is a fantastic machine that is already used for more than 50% for biology spraying at our nursery.