"Rijk Zwaan makes largest-ever investment with new Seed Connect Centre"

On Tuesday April 8th, breeding company Rijk Zwaan officially opened its new Seed Connect Centre at its headquarters in De Lier, Netherlands. This expansion increases the fruit and vegetable breeding company's capacity for seed cleaning, processing, storage and packaging to continue to meet the growing demand for seeds. In a ceremony attended by colleagues, construction partners and Bouke Arends, mayor of the Municipality of Westland, the new 'Seed Connect Centre' was officially opened.

Director Marco van Leeuwen recalled during his opening speech that conditions were much more pleasant than when the first pile was driven. This time, however, it was a sunny day, and the new building was festively inaugurated together with construction partners and colleagues.

Spreading risks and working more efficiently
With the new building, Rijk Zwaan has significantly expanded its capacity for seed processing and seed storage. All seeds produced worldwide for breeders find their way to the company's Dutch locations. At the Seed Connect Centre, seeds are extracted from the fruit, cleaned, and prepared for sale.

"With this additional location, we can spread our risks and also work much more efficiently," said Van Leeuwen. More than 250 colleagues from the production, logistics, and quality departments will also find their new workplace in the building.

But the building is not called the Seed Connect Centre for nothing. "It's a place to connect and meet because colleagues are number one at Rijk Zwaan. It also marks the first step towards our new campus site," Van Leeuwen explained.

The new facility also includes a dedicated space to receive visitors and even features a professional studio. It represents the largest investment Rijk Zwaan has made to date.

The fully automated warehouse includes no fewer than 8,100 pallet spaces and is designed to accommodate growth through 2030. Seed storage is now distributed across multiple locations. The new building handles 100% of bulk crop operations, 50% of glass crop operations, and 50% of storage for both bulk and glass crops. "This gives us even more assurance that we can continue to serve our customers, even in the event of an unexpected disruption," said Van Leeuwen.

Water basin
The biggest change is in the Extraction department. This process requires more than 200 m³ of water per day. To meet this need sustainably, a large water basin has been built at the back of the Seed Connect Centre. This collects rainwater from both the Seed Connect Centre and the greenhouses. After filtration, the rainwater can be used for the extraction process. Rainwater is also stored underground for use during dry summers, both for extraction and for irrigation.

Commenting on the Seed Connect Centre, Hubertien Doldersum and Rutger Callenbach, on behalf of the project organisation, said the new building was developed in close consultation with the surrounding community. For instance, the company constructed a new footpath as an alternative to the long-standing Perdiksepad.

Hubertien Doldersum, Operations Manager, explained: "We have an extensive range of machines and processing techniques. These are essential to process and package the 30 crops and 1,800 varieties in our portfolio in compliance with laws, regulations, and the high-quality standards we deliver to our customers."

In his speech, Mayor Bouke Arends of the Westland municipality called the new facility an important step for the future of seed technology and horticulture—not only for Westland but for the Netherlands and the world. "The greenhouse horticulture sector, with seed breeding as its foundation, enables the world to produce food sustainably and efficiently. This is our strength, our signature, and Dutch pride."

The mayor also highlighted that Rijk Zwaan invests 35% of its turnover in Research & Development. "That's a percentage even ASML can't match. As a frontrunner in horticulture, we are proud to help shape a strong business climate."

For more information:
Rijk Zwaan Nederland
rijkzwaannederland@rijkzwaan.nl
www.rijkzwaan.nl