In the Spotlight: Kwekerij van Winden
At Kwekerij Van Winden, everything revolves around a plant that leaves little room for chance: the Zamioculcas. This strong, glossy houseplant is known for its resilience, but those who grow it professionally know that climate stability is crucial. “We grow a crop that is extremely sensitive to its environment,” says Tom van Winden, who runs the business together with his father André. “If conditions deviate even slightly, the plant retreats into its tuber. Growth stops. That’s why the greenhouse climate is sacred to us.”
A family business with vision
Kwekerij Van Winden covers 12 hectares across four locations and is one of the largest Zamioculcas growers in the Netherlands. Over the past decades, father André steadily expanded the company by purchasing adjacent greenhouses, completely stripping them and rebuilding them from the ground up—always with a focus on scale, control, and quality. This approach has not gone unnoticed by Peter Dekker Installaties (PDI), Van Winden’s long-standing installation partner. “André is truly a visionary,” says Jeroen de Jonge of PDI. “He knows exactly what he wants and where he’s heading. You can see that in how the company has grown. Every new greenhouse was rebuilt to his own standard. That takes courage and a long-term vision.”
Within the company, Tom mainly focuses on the commercial side, while André oversees operations. “Strategically, we work very closely together,” says Tom. “We are constantly looking at how to make the company more resilient and stronger.”
A long-standing partnership with PDI
The collaboration between PDI and Kwekerij Van Winden goes back many years. “It’s a relationship built on trust,” says Jeroen. “We understand each other’s way of working. We know how André and Tom think, and they know what they can expect from us.”
Why Zamioculcas is such a precision crop
Zamioculcas is a tuber plant with a clear ‘on–off switch.’ “If the climate or energy balance isn’t right, the plant essentially shuts itself down,” Tom explains. “All energy goes into the tuber and growth stops. That switch happens quickly, but reactivating growth takes time. That’s why the climate must be kept at the right level at all times.” This sensitivity is why Van Winden places such a strong emphasis on climate control and energy efficiency. “We want to retain every kilowatt we put into the greenhouse for as long as possible,” says Tom.
Tom en André van Winden
Three screens at the heart of the strategy
In August 2025, an important step was taken. In one of the greenhouses, the existing shading screen was replaced with a blackout screen (Obscura), and an additional energy screen (Luxous Light) was installed on the same wire bed. Combined with the existing PARperfect screen at the lower level, the greenhouse now has climate screens that deliver significant energy savings both at night and during the day. “That’s a major leap in insulation,” says Jeroen. “A blackout screen isn’t just for light exclusion; it’s also one of the best insulating screens you can have. The two layers together really help retain heat at night. And the Luxous Light fabric is particularly suitable for staying closed during the day.”
For Van Winden, that is exactly the goal. “At night, many plants are essentially at rest,” says Tom. “The stomata are closed, the plant isn’t active. That’s the perfect moment to maximize insulation. You don’t want to lose any energy then.”
Ready for the peak months
For Zamioculcas, the commercial peak occurs mainly in January and February. “Those are our most important months,” says Tom. “After Christmas, the Christmas tree comes out and the houseplant goes in. You have to be ready for that.”
