Companies expanding to the worldwide center of the horticulture industry in the Greater Rotterdam-The Hague area

urban-gro Inc (NASDAQ: UGRO), a leading organization in the field of Controlled Environmental Agriculture (CEA), has recently opened a new branch in the Greater Rotterdam-The Hague area and is working with regional partners to facilitate innovative solutions to global challenges. With the growing climate crisis, companies such as urban-gro are providing a positive vision towards what the future could hold.

Founded in the United States in March of 2014, urban-gro has dedicated itself to tackling the growing issues associated with unsustainable agriculture practices. The company does so through CEA, and although the development of the field is relatively new, the positive effects it carries on the environment are undeniable. By growing crops in a controlled environment, often indoors, the supply chain is brought closer to end consumers which greatly reduces emissions derived from long-distance transportation. CEA allows companies to maintain a tighter grip on energy consumption, providing relief to a challenge that affects the entirety of the globe. Combined, these benefits create an appealing long-term solution and urban-gro is at the forefront of the revolution. urban-gro already works with the largest indoor growers in the US and globally and branching out to the Netherlands will only allow their operations to expand.

Through its integrated professional services and its unmatched expertise in the field, urban-gro acts as an all-in-one solution for clients by designing, constructing, engineering and optimizing their indoor CEA facilities. With its turnkey approach, urban-gro increases speed-to-market rates for products, facility efficiency, crop consistency, and overall performance of the agricultural sector. Over the years, urban-gro has brought its services to countless enterprises within the CEA space, as well as for clients outside of CEA, such as healthcare institutions, governmental agencies, and industrial clients. In the process, they have established themselves as a leading actor in the fight against climate change.

In any field, collaboration goes hand in hand with progress. Subscribing to this belief, urban-gro decided to extend its reach by branching out to Dordrecht, located in the greater Rotterdam-The Hague area, a region widely regarded as the world’s centre of the horticulture industry. This strategic expansion is their first office outside of the US and provides urban-gro access to new partners, networks, and markets.

Arie Kamp, the Managing Director of urban-gro in the Netherlands, attributes this decision to a variety of factors, ranging from market opportunities to regional collaboration.

“Establishing a Netherlands-based division of our company allows us to apply tested best practices and proven expertise to meet the unique needs of European growers”, Arie stated, adding that “we are incredibly excited to grow our team and continue building brand recognition in the region with the goal of making a positive impact on the EMEA CEA sector.”

From left to right: Jesse de Bree (urban-gro), Menno Bijnagte (Deal Drecht Cities), Bert ten Veen (Municipality of Dordrecht), Arie Kamp (urban-gro), Maarten Hermus (InnovationQuarter), Maarten Burggraaf (Municipality of Dordrecht).

Making a positive impact is often driven by collaboration on multiple levels, and InnovationQuarter, an impactful driver for economic and sustainable development in the region, has played a crucial role in the establishment of urban-gro in the Netherlands. Arie sees their involvement as immensely helpful, stating “we have been in contact with InnovationQuarter and the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency in the regards of determining the location, how to set the right staff, connect with crucial tax and immigration information or issues.”

urban-gro are a force for good in the fight against climate change and making horticulture more sustainable. With their move to the Greater Rotterdam-The Hague area, they are situated in the ideal region to both harness that positive impact and to extend its reach throughout the industry.

Arie remarked that “we are optimistic about the demand for urban-gro’s services and look forward to navigating the challenges and opportunities unique to Europe in order to generate business.”

Ultimately, the interplay between the leaders of the fight against climate change is clear. Companies, agencies, and regions must come together to facilitate not only the creation of innovative ideas, but also their actualization. Together, urban-gro, the Greater Rotterdam-The Hague area, and InnovationQuarter achieve just this, an opportunity to translate potential into large-scale impact.

“urban-gro is a great example of a knowledge focused specialist in the horticultural supply chain, which we are excited to welcome in the region. Their expansion allows them for both a stronger connection to the horticultural technology suppliers and chain players, as well as being closer to the EMEA market. As a region we think they are a great addition to the ecosystem, especially with their knowledge, capacity and experience in controlled environment agriculture, often called indoor farming.”