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We are visiting HilverdaFlorist in De Kwakel to speak with Thijs van Kessel, the head of facilities management. In 2022, HilverdaFlorist completed new construction on the Achterweg, a site adjacent to their existing location on the Dwarsweg. The two sites are integrated logistically, necessitating stringent hygiene standards. Thijs explains, "We are a breeding and propagation company, supplying cut flower and pot plant growers with propagation material, including gerbera, carnation, alstroemeria, and hellebores. These materials must be free from diseases and pests, without contamination from bacteria, fungi, or viruses. Our existence depends on this. We are adhering to strict hygiene rules, and NAKtuinbouw conducts checks here almost every week."

Dirk Timmers met with HilverdaFlorist early on to review the design drawings with Thijs van Kessel. Dirk explained, "We began with a risk analysis using the five pillars of the HortiHygienz compass. We asked questions such as: which diseases threaten cultivation? Which diseases can spread through water? How many employees work in specific areas at given times? What movements do materials make within the company?"

Based on this risk analysis, concrete solutions were implemented. These included closing passages and entrances and altering walking routes to prevent crossing paths. Additionally, an enclosed area was created for unloading goods and allowing drivers to move freely. Employees work alone in the greenhouse as much as possible or only in the processing area. Whenever people cross different zones, there is a risk of contamination, so minimizing this risk is crucial.

The entire layout of the growing facility is segmented into three zones: red, yellow, and green. The green zones encompass the growing areas with the crops and feature the most stringent hygiene measures, as an infection here would have the most significant impact. The sorting and processing areas are designated as the yellow zone. The red zones encompass areas that are not entirely controllable in terms of hygiene, such as the outside area and the space where new materials are delivered by drivers. Hygiene protocols are implemented at the border of each zone before entering the next one.

Dirk Timmers: "We were able to provide HilverdaFlorist with a comprehensive approach to hygiene solutions from the HortiHygienz program. The installed solutions at HilverdaFlorist are diverse. Disinfection of personnel (hands and footwear) is carried out through various hygiene stations. The disinfection of wheels and shoes is done with the new 'Wheel and Sole Cleaning System'. The disinfection of cultivation tables is performed with an advanced spray boom, and water disinfection is achieved using silver-stabilized hydrogen peroxide. HilverdaFlorist relies on products such as Menno Florades, Enno Rapid, and Huwa-San TR-50 for disinfection against bacteria, fungi, viruses, and viroids."

At the entrance of the new building, there is a double hygiene station recessed into the floor. Every visitor or employee is required to pass through this hygiene sluice to disinfect their hands with Enno Rapid and clean and disinfect their shoes with Menno Florades. In the cultivation areas of HilverdaFlorist, only a few employees enter. They can enter the greenhouses only after further hand and shoe disinfection via the Cleansy hygiene sluice. Thirdly, HilverdaFlorist has invested in a new system for disinfecting cultivation tables.

After each use of the roll containers, a disinfection treatment follows. All roll containers go through the automatic washing system after each use, where they are washed and then sprayed and disinfected with Menno Florades. As a fourth point, clean irrigation water receives considerable attention here. Viruses, bacteria, and fungi can also spread rapidly throughout the company via irrigation water. HilverdaFlorist doses Huwa-San TR-50 with every irrigation cycle. This is a silver-stabilized hydrogen peroxide that prevents the formation of biofilm in the water system and eliminates bacteria and fungi.

HilverdaFlorist has introduced an innovative solution for horticultural hygiene: the new "Wheel and Sole Cleaning System" installed at four key locations within the nursery. This system ensures the highest level of preparedness when transferring plant materials and other goods from outdoors to indoors. Upon entry, all forklifts and pallet trucks pass over this durable system, which is designed for intensive use. Positioned strategically at each zone transition point, the system consists of stainless steel grates with movable brushes immersed in a bath of the disinfectant Menno Florades, set within a 2 by 3 meter recess in the concrete floor.

"Royal Brinkman guided us every step of the way, from inception to completion. Together, we've achieved the pinnacle of hygiene for our company! We leave no stone unturned, placing hygiene at the forefront," says Thijs van Kessel. "Every moving part undergoes disinfection, virtually eradicating all risks of disease transmission. We meticulously planned and installed everything. The color-coded zones function seamlessly, providing us with a clear understanding of the critical hygiene points within the company and offering the right solutions. Ultimately, our goal is simple: to provide our customers, cut flower and pot plant growers worldwide, with healthy starting materials."

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