Genson is one of the most prominent names in the soft fruit sector. What began as Dutch family business, founded by the Van Gennip, Van den Heuvel and Goorts families, has grown into a modern enterprise with two main pillars: the propagation and multiplication of strawberry and raspberry plants, and the production of strawberries, raspberries and leeks. “The diversity of activities and crops provides risk diversification,” says Neeltje van Vaalen. She is jointly responsible for cultivation at one of Genson’s strawberry production sites in Someren. “Our strawberry and raspberry plants find their way to growers all over Europe. We supply fresh strawberries, raspberries and leeks to Albert Heijn via Bakker Barendrecht.”

A plannable strawberry

In Someren, Genson Fresh Fruits & Vegetables grows strawberries under glass at five locations. A wide range of varieties and cultivation systems are combined here. “We aim for the most even possible production and, consequently, a steady workflow. Essentially, we want a ‘plannable strawberry’. That’s pleasant for us, but also for our customers and employees,” Van Vaalen explains. “But it’s quite a puzzle to achieve this, because every variety has its drawbacks. And besides being well-plannable, a strawberry must of course taste good and be resistant to diseases and pests. This last aspect is becoming increasingly important, as we want and are allowed to use less and less chemistry.”

To spread production, two cultivation sites in the Dutch village Someren—Someren 1 and Someren 3—are equipped with LED lighting. One location has a light level of 200 micromol/m²·s, the other 150 micromol/m²·s. “At the Someren 1 site, Genson switched from SON-T to LED lighting several years ago. At the Someren 3 site, we made the transition at the end of last year. Here, 1.6 of the 4 hectares of strawberries are lit,” says Van Vaalen.

“We chose LEDs to save energy and because LED lighting allows you to determine the spectrum and light intensity yourself. We can also vary these, so that we can give the crop exactly what it needs in each growth phase.” However, the switch to LED also brought challenges in terms of cultivation and climate.

After all, LED modules emit less heat than SON-T lighting, making it more difficult, among other things, to activate the plant. “Keeping the climate active doesn’t happen automatically with LEDs,” says Van Vaalen. “And this is crucial; a stagnant climate is disastrous for plant development.”

Neeltje van Vaalen

Minimal energy consumption

To create an active greenhouse climate, Genson invested in ClimaFlow Fans from Svensson. “You can also create a more active climate by increasing pipe activity and thus the greenhouse temperature. But logically, that costs a lot of energy. That’s why we chose the ClimaFlow Fans.” According to Dominique Blok of Svensson, these vertical fans—around 45 per hectare—consume approximately 4 kWh of electricity per hectare. “That’s negligible. With the ClimaFlow Fans, we create activity in the greenhouse with minimal energy input.”

The ClimaFlow Fans are suspended high in the greenhouse, at the level of the lighting. The fans move the air in the greenhouse and ensure that the air at the top is mixed with the air at the bottom. “In this way, a uniform greenhouse climate is created, and you also generate air movement along the plant,” says Van Vaalen. The fans are switched on slightly earlier than the lighting, so that the crop is already in ‘action mode’. “People also need some time in the morning to wake up; the same applies to plants,” the cultivation manager explains.

“When the lighting switches on, the crop is already nicely active. This allows the available light to be used more efficiently and ensures maximum return from the lighting. The ClimaFlow Fans made a successful transition to LEDs possible for us.” The fans also add value in other areas. For example, Genson uses them during the summer months to cool the greenhouse, encouraging the plant to transpire more and become more active. “And because we now grow under LEDs, we can keep the vents more closed, allowing us to use heat more efficiently. As a result, less CO₂ is lost as well.”

Air movement, but no storm

According to Van Vaalen, the correct distribution of the fans throughout the greenhouse is crucial for optimal performance. The settings must also be correct. “You can run the ClimaFlow Fans at full power, but also, for example, at 50 percent. In the latter case, you save energy. However, this must not be at the expense of effectiveness; after all, you want air movement throughout the entire greenhouse. Svensson helped us determine the optimal distribution and the right settings, so that we use energy efficiently while maintaining a good greenhouse climate.”

Dominique Blok indicates that Svensson has a special consultancy service for this purpose named Climate House. “This was set up to help growers deploy the fans in the right way. You want air movement in the greenhouse, but no storm. Moreover, every greenhouse, climate computer and crop is different. As a result, there is no single recipe for the distribution and settings of the fans. That’s why we support growers in making the right choices.”

Contact Dominique for more information and advice:

dominique.blok@ludvigsvensson.com

+ 31 6 826 7117

Published in the Dutch Horticultural Magazine KAS  - December - 2025

Energy screens with a high light transmission offer double added value.

In the lit strawberry greenhouses of Genson in Someren, blackout screens are also installed. Other departments are additionally equipped with Luxous energy screens from Svensson. “These help save energy in winter and optimally control the greenhouse climate,” says Neeltje van Vaalen. “In summer, we use these screens to block excessive sunlight. These screens therefore offer double added value in strawberry cultivation; they make a big difference for us.”