LVG Plants in South Africa is a customer of Anthura . The owners , who are originally Dutch and have lived almost all their lives in South Africa , have made tremendous growth with their society . The buddy – Ivo , Bart and Geert – all have their own roles within the company . In the latest variation ofAnthurinfo , Managing Director of LVG Plants Geert vanguard Geest is speak extensively about his companionship , the challenges it faces and the succeeding prospects it sees .
Can you recount us how you stop up in South Africa?My father Lourens used to grow flower in Naaldwijk , the Netherlands . At the meter , a flower cultivator from South Africa and a Dutch greenhouse visited my father . The wanted to see the newly built nursery . The South African asked my father if he would like to act for them in South Africa , and then the seed was plant . My parent visit South Africa and conceive it was a beautiful country . They were excited about relocating there . We emigrated in 1983 . I now live with my married woman and children at our society .
How did LVG Plants come into being?My father started as a flower emptor at the bloom auction in Johannesburg for the Toxopeus family . This folk founded the flower auction bridge business in South Africa . In 1986 , together with this family , my father founded the crapper plant life limb of LVG ( Lourens van Geest ) plant that mainly bring forth houseplants . In 1995 , we acquired the shares of the Toxopeus household and we lease the output location . We bought our own plot of land in 1997 and consistently moved from the rented premise to our own current assumption in Krugersdorp , Johannesburg .
Just before the millenary we separated production from sales and sales from logistics . The latter by establish Plantimex . Soon after that , we switched from green to flowering houseplants as the demand was great and provision was well-to-do . tailflower were our first blossoming air which was a must in the flowering range and in 2001 we received Phalaenopsis pot plant life sample for examination . Later we added them to our smorgasbord . Over the years we expanded our range and presently we spring up 20 unlike product , including slew pink wine , Spathiphyllum , Cyclamen , Begonia and Zantedeschia .
In 2016 you invested in sustainability . Can you tell us something about that?We built a solar collector orbit of 7,000 m² to heat urine which reduced the manipulation of coal for this determination . We are quite lofty of this project as it is the largest solar accumulator bailiwick in the southern hemisphere .
In 2017 , your company was hit by a crack , resulting in tremendous wrong . What pass and how did you undertake it?Of the 11 hectare of greenhouse , three hectare were destroyed in just a few minutes . The tornado also make damage to other parts of the nursery which could be reestablish . The three hectares had to be reconstruct . This took a neat hand of intense work , involve of import decisions and long term alternative which had to be completed in a very short period of time . The real motion was ' where do we start ' ? nursery build material and expertise to a large extent was not useable in South Africa . The newfangled greenhouses , for example , were spell from Belgium .
All our Phalaenopsis and Anthurium plant were destroyed by the crack . We rebuild everything in phases and completed in November 2018 . The reconstructive memory take a little over a yr with a lot of stress , uncertainty and thwarting , but also a lot of savvy , service and committal from other people . This experience was spirit - warming as it was a tough period .
What is the current structure of your company?My older blood brother Ivo is responsible for the commercial side of the business organisation and Bart , my new brother , is responsible for for the yield and is the only nestling born in South Africa . LVG employs 400 the great unwashed . Whilst we all go on the troupe precede , my father still serves in an advisory role . He spends his meter between the farm and his home in Cape Town . During the South African winter , he visits the Netherlands .
What is the vainglorious departure with the Netherlands in terms of product and sales?We grow our own plants and have lineal touch with our customers . We also take care of the preparation , gross sales and marketing of our product as well as the logistics therefrom . A wide kitchen range of products is essential to optimally supply plant to client outside the Johannesburg area . Here we ply for and provision to a smorgasbord of customers including retail string memory .
Your own distribution and sale organization for the retail sector is thus successful . Why do you think that is?We have access to vital information in terms of the retail sector and what the marketplace requires . This includes sales figures , product varieties , colour need , shelf life , pot size of it , trend etc . This data is shared with the client to assist them in their provision . Our expertness and knowledge in the industry gained over the years has allowed us to construct strong live relationship with our customers . These relationships are built on trust and understanding . Besides candid communication , trust is paramount .
What else could we learn from you in the Netherlands?Direct sales and admittance to the retail sector and knowing what the consumer demand is . last , in my opinion your big stumbling block is that you need to spread more risk and insert polycultures as there are too many companies that only focalize on one sure product .
What else can you learn from standardized Dutch companies?In South Africa we need to become more sleek and we should introduce automation . This is difficult with a wide chain of products and want of armed service providers .
How do you see the hereafter of LVG Plants?Political and economic condition are complex and challenging in South Africa , but we remain overconfident . The rise of the middle class will continue and that sphere must grow . We ourselves look to develop and continue to uprise , because stagnancy means decay . It is no surprisal that we are be after to work up an extra five hectare of greenhouses in the coming years , with the first hectare being filled with immature plants . This is the range my father primitively depart with . We are looking forward to the future with nifty confidence .
Clickherefor the recent edition of Anthurinfo
