THECOMMERCIALGREENHOUSEGROWER
•
FEBRUARY 2017
16
•
N
URSERY VISIT
W
ork
will start in
March on a large
water capture,
disinfection and distribution
project on the 57 acre site.
Thewater cleaning aspects
of the project will be ready
for spring and the twomillion
gallon reservoir starts to fill in
Autumn 2017, providing an
attractive nature site for
wildlife and reducing the
company‘s impact on the
environment. Volmary feels
that as water becomesmore
scarce it will becomemore
expensive and as such use
of rainwater for irrigationwill
provide a financial benefit
alongside the environmental
benefits. Heating for the site
is by biomass boilers using
wood chips (with oil back up
if necessary). This alone has
saved over 250 tonnes of
CO2 in the last year, albeit
the system providesmany
technical challenges.
The family-owned Volmary
Company is a strong
international business, as
was explained in
The
Commercial Greenhouse
Grower
inOctober last year.
The company has three sites
inGermany, and others in
Poland, Turkey, Spain,
Kenya, the Netherlands and,
of course, the UK. Managing
director at Wisbech St Mary
isWayne Eady, who
said:”We’re pleased to
maintain a firm
foothold in the UK
with local
production. The
Brexit vote has
created potential
threats and a UK
production base is
more important than
ever. Autumn 2017
will see further IT
developments such
as a newwebsite
and planning
functions, linked to
the group
infrastructure,
enabling faster
response times. This
group function
benefits us locally in
cost terms. As part
of a larger group,
our local business is
stronger with strong
links to other
specialist sites
producing seed and
mother stock
inwarmer
climates”. He
added: “We’ve
grown in the
UK by 10% in
2016 and
more is
planned for
2017. We’re
steadily
increasing our
sales to
mainland
Europe and, of
course, our
sales staff of 8
with 4 support
staff here has
been
expanded in
the EECwith
another 50
sales people
accessing our
stock across
Europe”.
There is a core staff of 90
at Wisbech and this expands
to around 200 by the end of
February with seasonal
workers. At the time of
The
Commercial Greenhouse
Grower’s
visit in early
December, the Premium
Poinsettia crop, used to both
trial the varieties and also to
providework for the full time
staff, was being packed and
despatched for major high
street retailers. Price points
are very tight on the limited
crop due to the promotional
nature of how the retailers
use it but the benefits
provided to the company
compensate for this. There is
quite a lot of trialling of
poinsettias to support young
plant sales. Wayne said: “We
figure themorewe know
about our varieties, the
better we’re placed to give
good advice and support to
our customers”. Volmary
have some pink,
white/cream andmauve
plants - these being
destined for the
Sandringham Estate
Christmas display in the
church and therewere
several different shades and
shapes of red to be seen.
Immediately the poinsettia is
gone, then the team
become incredibly busy with
the thorough disinfection
process ahead of spring
bedding plug plant
production.
u
NewPowerlinenursery of 8000 sqm
built in 2016.
Extra capacity for Volmary perennial production
Volmary have continued to invest and develop since theWisbech businesswas integrated
into a 90 year old family business, whilemaintaining their core values. During 2016 a
further 8,000 squaremetres of purpose-built cold space for perennial production has
been addedwith concrete access roadways and irrigation, taking the total space under
protection to 60,000 squaremetres (nearly 15 acres).
On site poinsettia trial.
