Dümmen Orange Opens Elite Facility in Germany
On May 30, Dümmen Orange opened its new Elite facility in Rheinberg, Germany
During the ceremony the doors of the Elite facility were officially closed by Biense Visser, CEO of Dümmen Orange and Frank Tatzel, mayor of Rheinberg.
The closing is the starting point Dümmen Orange’s new hygiene Greencare policy in the greenhouse. The high tech greenhouse will secure a disease-free production start for all of the company’s bedding plants, perennials and pot plants and will serves as “the backbone” of its global production locations.
The Elite Rheinberg facility is an important milestone in the development and implementation of the breeding company’s Greencare policy.
Greencare describes the mandatory preventive hygiene measures for people and locations to keep plants clean. It sets guidelines for the control of a clean plant stock through diagnostic tests, scouting on pests and diseases, audits and inspections.
With Greencare, Dümmen Orange sets the highest level of phyto security in the industry, which can only be achieved through facilities that outperform and reduces risks for our own operation and customers.
“We take our responsibility for avoiding worldwide distribution of plant diseases. A state-of-the-art facility designed according to the world’s highest hygiene standards is a sound investment for us, looking at the value it will bring to our customers,” Visser said. “This is a huge step for our phytosanitary program Greencare. Start Clean, Stay Clean reached a next level at Dümmen Orange.”
How do things work at the Elite facility?
New plants are entering a system via a controlled quarantine process in a separated zone. Mandatory laboratory testing is being scheduled in all productions phases. The facility will be used for two separate activities, Q-Phase (Quarantine Phase) and Elite stock.
The Q-Phase plant material will be assessed and tested on plant pathogens using lab tests, bio-assays and visual checks. In the Elite stock Dümmen maintains its clean tested genetics to supply its production facilities with secured genetics/plant material.
Frans de Bloois, phytosanitary officer, and Elite manager at Dümmen Orange added, “We truly raise the bar on how we handle our products. Authorized staff can only enter the facility after they have showered. The facility is equipped with an overpressure system in order to keep insects and pathogens out. Each plant will be treated as a separate hygiene entity, supported by a unique (rolling) table system. This way of working will strengthen and secure our internal process and also our strong customer relationships by being a trustworthy supplier!”
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