Dear Customers and Business Partners,

The Innovation Summit was a great success. We brought together renowned experts from all over the world, as well as our own specialists, and enabled discussion forums to take place that pointed the way forward. Customers, partners and many other attending players from the commercial horticulture sector obtained an in-depth look at the industry, both present and future.

We are, of course, proud that this event proved such a success for us, generating both considerable interest and highly positive feedback. It is even more satisfying to see the potential being harnessed here. The extent to which trade shows will be held – and accepted – in the future is currently unclear. What is certain is that virtual formats provide a straightforward forum for establishing dialogue, listening to experts, and keeping abreast of the times. Events of this kind create an important platform for trade professionals; they influence opinion.

We are convinced that digital formats will play a major role in the future. Virtual communication at regional and international level is already firmly established. We will very much continue in this direction to promote dialogue – for you, for our customers and partners – on all major issues of the day in horticulture and the substrate industry. And we sincerely hope you will remain part of this digital discussion.

But we also hope to be able to see you again in person before too long. We wish you, your family and your company all the very best. Stay healthy and safe!

Best wishes,

Moritz Böcking, Bernd Wehming
Managing Directors of the Klasmann-Deilmann Group

More innovation, less peat, and renewable resources as a recurring theme. Our Innovation Summit provided impetus on issues at the top of the agenda in commercial horticulture. With guest speakers and the audience participating from all over the world, this live-streamed virtual event was broadcast from a studio specially created for the purpose at our Innovation Center.

The 2021 International Plant Fair (IPM) had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. To compensate for this, our Innovation Summit offered a virtual platform with stimulating topics and guests. The aim was – at the start of the season – to provide you with insights into the latest developments within the industry.

For three days, several hundred participants watched the Innovation Summit on their screens, with individual sessions attracting up to 200 people. External guest speakers and our own specialists discussed the situation facing the horticultural sector in Germany, Europe and the wider world, and ventured a look ahead at the future of the industry. Recurring themes included the food sector, international competition, political influence, digitisation, modern propagation systems and sustainability.

The dialogue often focussed on the reliable supply of raw materials for substrate production. The German federal government’s initiative to reduce peat use in growing media could have a pan-European impact on supply security for healthy food. This is why the discussions kept returning to the key question of whether renewable source materials are available in sufficient quantities, and the extent to which they can replace peat in terms of quality. The answers given by the experts were highly differentiated, since well-established raw materials have been used in large quantities for some years now. However, in view of the industry’s growth and the fact that the properties of peat remain unequalled, all the speakers were agreed that this raw material will continue to be essential in commercial horticulture for the foreseeable future.

In this connection, Klasmann-Deilmann also provided information on its own new products. Its focus here was on the Growcoon propagation system, the Log&Solve Internet platform, and a number of new substrate blends with a higher proportion of alternative raw materials.

The conversation sessions at the Innovation Summit – in the form of panel discussions and the ‘Green Sofa’ forum – had a most distinguished line-up. External guests from Germany, France, Costa Rica and the USA provided a highly international perspective on all issues. Our own specialists gave reports drawing on practical experience and product development.

Renee Snijders, co-founder of an international, Costa Rica-based NGO called Eatthis, explored the question of how humanity can be fed without continuing to harm the planet and its climate. She also underlined the importance of a healthy diet. “We need to change the way we grow fruit and vegetables so that we can supply everyone with good food in the future. Horticulture and the substrate industry have an important role to play in this.”

Professor Bernhard Beßler, head of the horticultural division at Lower Saxony’s Chamber of Agriculture (LWK), presented his view on the opportunities and challenges of peat reduction, encouraging his audience “not to think of limits right at the start of a journey”.

Dr Hans-Joachim Brinkjans, deputy secretary-general of the German Horticultural Association (ZVG), highlighted the challenging situation in commercial horticulture, which is being exacerbated not only by the coronavirus pandemic – other concurrent impacts are carbon taxation, the debate about peat reduction, increasing restrictions in crop protection, and the increasing pressure of costs and competition. He called for growers, the substrate industry, professional bodies such as the ZVG, and policymakers to work together more closely.

Professor Brian Jackson of the Horticultural Substrates Laboratory at North Carolina State University, USA, provided a fascinating look at his research projects on wood fibre and its processing with a view to creating the best-possible peat substitute.

Dr Jean-Charles Michel, a lecturer on growing media and soil physics at L’Institut Agro/Agrocampus Ouest in France, reported on his research concerning horticultural substrates: “Ultimately, it’s all about the raw materials.” Which is why work must continue at full speed to find new solutions.

Renke zur Mühlen, who runs a highly regarded tree nursery in northern Germany, said that the Covid pandemic has had a welcome effect: it has brought a completely fresh appreciation of horticulture. “Our plants have been ennobled by the crisis.”

Klasmann-Deilmann’s participants in these digital discussions were its Managing Directors Moritz Böcking and Bernd Wehming, Jack van Batenburg (International Sales Coir), Franziska Craayvanger (Project Manager Growcoon), Bert Desmet (Managing Director Sales Asia Pacific), Kazimieras Kaminskas (Managing Director Production Lithuania), Dr Sebastian Kipp (Head of R&D), Hermann Konnemann (R&D), Dr Horst Kupschus (Managing Director Sales Europe), Carmen Mecklenburg (Head of Corporate Marketing), Michael Perschl (Managing Director Production Germany), Jens Thien (IT) and Co-Anne van Waaij (Sales Benelux).

So you didn’t get the chance to attend the Innovation Summit? No problem! Or you were there and want to revisit a particular part of the event? Go ahead … all of the sessions are now available to view online.

Tuesday, 26 January 2021 / Language: German

Welcome
Innovation Summit, IPM, coronavirus, peat reduction, discourse in Berlin & Brussels, decentralisationg
Moritz Böcking, Dirk Röse

Green Sofa
The future of commercial horticulture
Dr Hans-Joachim Brinkjans, Dr Horst Kupschus, Dirk Röse

Lecture
Boosting performance and reducing failure rates with Log & Solve
Dr Sebastian Kipp

Lecture
The Growcoon as a promising future propagation system
Franziska Craayvanger

Panel discussion
Opportunities and challenges of peat reduction
Professor Bernhard Beßler, Dr Sebastian Kipp, Dr Horst Kupschus, Renke zur Mühlen, Dirk Röse

Lecture
Solutions by Klasmann-Deilmann for peat-reduced growing media
Dr Sebastian Kipp
Wrap-up: summary of this day’s events
Moritz Böcking, Dirk Röse

Wednesday, 27 January 2021 / Language: English

Welcome
Innovation Summit, IPM, Corona, Peat Reduction, Food Industry, Decentralisation
Moritz Böcking, Dirk Röse

Lecture
The Growcoon as a promising future propagation system
Franziska Craayvanger

Green Sofa
Next generation growing media
Dr Jean-Charles Michel, Dr Sebastian Kipp, Dirk Röse

Lecture
Solutions by Klasmann-Deilmann for peat reduced growing media
Dr Sebastian Kipp

Panel Discussion
Innovative growing media for the food industry
Bert Desmet, Dr Sebastian Kipp, Hermann Konnemann, Dirk Röse

Lecture
Sustainable, healthy and fresh food
Renee Snijders
Wrap-up: Summary of this day’s events
Moritz Böcking, Dirk Röse

Thursday, 28 January 2021 / Language: English

Welcome
Innovation Summit, Digitization, Discourse in Berlin & Brussels, Sustainability, Food Industry
Moritz Böcking, Dirk Röse

Green Sofa
Wood fibre as a main constituent for future growing media
Prof Dr Brian Jackson, Dr Sebastian Kipp, Dirk Röse

Panel Discussion
Peat and alternative constituents at Klasmann-Deilmann
Jack van Batenburg, Kazimieras Kaminskas, Michael Perschl, Dirk Röse

Lecture
Boost performance and reduce failure rates with Log & Solve
Co-Anne van Waaij

Panel Discussion
Benefits of digitization
Carmen Mecklenburg, Dirk Röse, Jens Thien, Bernd Wehming

Dialogue
Share best practices
Moritz Böcking, Dr. Brian Jackson, Dr. Sebastian Kipp, Dr. Horst Kupschus, Dirk Röse

K-Newsery* is the digital newsletter published by Klasmann-Deilmann. If you would like to hear more about a certain topic or share a valuable experience of your own, please send an e-mail to or tell your contact at Klasmann-Deilmann about it.

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