Award Winners

The winners of the Horti Fair Innovation Award were selected from 465 new products and services registered with the organizers. The list was narrowed down to 18 finalists. This year, the new products and services were divided into four categories: Innovation, Production, Technology, Trade/Services. Here’s a sample of the winners and finalists. 

Winner – Horti Fair Innovation Award 2006

Ministar, Havatec B.V.

The Ministar for the automatic handling of gerbera flowers is the first technology with which flowers are automatically separated and automatically laid on a conveyor one-by-one at high speed.

"The jury praises the way in which this innovative result was achieved, namely as a result of long-term cooperation between a group of growers and a manufacturer," says Jury chairman Gijs Kok. 

Winner – Technology Category

Double Diaphragm Screen

Leen Huisman B.V.

This combination of a clear fabric and an open aluminium fabric running in opposite directions makes variable screening possible. Two shade cloths are laid on top of each other. Both are made of strips of aluminum and transparent fabric, which allows the screening to be adjustable by sliding the cloths over one another. 

Winner – Trade/Services Category

Carts

K.G. van Vliet Handelsmij B.V.

The company’s iron carts can be used many times a year and increases loading capacity by 10 to 25 percent. The jury noted that the carriers help to standardize packaging and contribute to sustainable entrepreneurship, as no wood is used and no chemical waste. 

Other nominees include:

■ Berg Product B.V. for its modular pipe rail trolley. www.bergproduct.nl

■ Formflex Horti Systems for its high-end cable gutter specially designed for communication and electricity cables in greenhouse environments. www.formflex.nl

■ Hoogendoorn Automatisering B.V. for its Aircokas glasshouse air condition system. www.hoogendoornautomation.com

■ HortiMaX B.V. for its CO2 Optimizer. www.hortimax.com

■ Hotbox International for its ‘Rosalux’ red light. www.hotboxworld.com

■ Frans van Zaal Totaal Techniek for its ‘Glasshouse without gas.’ www.vanzaal.com 

In the Supplies Category:

■ Handelsonderneming Van Krimpen bv, for its combination of 3-pack, 9 cm, full-color labeling, Best Bulbs packaging and Easy Basket. www.krimpen.nl 

In the Trade/Services Category:

■ Priva B.V. helps growers take advantage of CO2 emissions trading. www.priva.nl

■ DLV Plant Quality Monitoring System (QMS). www.dlv.nl

■ Jn. Haakman Export B.V./Dutch Creations for its All-Injoy pre-potted bulbs. www.haakman.com 

In the Production Category:

■ Selecta Klemm GmbH & Co. KG for its calibrachoa ‘Mini Famous Double Pink.’ www.selectaklemm.de

■ Rijnplant for its anthurium ‘Nano Pink.’ www.rijnplant.com

■ Van den Bos Flowerbulbs B.V./Dutch Creations for its Lilium Van den Bos Sensation Line, www.vandenbos.nl

■ Olij Rozen B.V. for its rosa ‘Rimini’ (Olijrimi), www.olijrozen.nl