Patrick Romeijn - Production Manager, Anthura
High technology meets passion for plants at Anthura. The breeding company ranks among the world's best in orchids and anthuriums. "Operational excellence is the key to success."
Patrick Romeijn - Production Manager
The plant display at the entrance, the anthuriums on the front desk, and the phalaenopsis in the meeting room. Anthura in Bleiswijk believes it is important to have plants in the workplace. "If you work with ornamental products all day, we believe these should also surround the employees in the office. Not only there, but also at the entrance and in the meeting rooms," said Patrick Romeijn, Production Manager. If you work at Anthura, you must have a passion for plants. That goes without saying. But the breeder of orchids and anthuriums is also a high-tech company.
Patrick, you are the Production Manager. What sets Anthura apart?
"We set ourselves apart through operational excellence. In all areas, we strive to do things well: in the production processes in the greenhouses, but also in areas like planning and sales. This has brought us to where we are now. Globally, we are number one in anthuriums and among the best for phalaenopsis. Recently, a third crop has been added: bromeliads. In total, we supply young plants of more than 700 varieties to growers in over 70 countries."
How did you manage to achieve that?
"Over eighty years ago, Anthura was founded by the Van der Knaap family. It has remained a family-owned business all this time. This creates a certain culture: we are pragmatic, no-nonsense, entrepreneurial, driven, and above all, enthusiastic. It is easy to communicate with the management. If you can provide a good rationale for why something is a good idea, we will go for it. That DNA has taken us further. It makes me proud. You can feel the passion for the product in everyone. We are all working towards the same goal! And many colleagues have been doing that at Anthura for a long time."
You as well. Why have you stayed there for 23 years?
"In those years, Anthura has made significant progress and I was given opportunities to grow along with the company. When I started in 2001, there were 150 employees. Now, 23 years later, a total of 1300 people work here, we are internationally active, and we are among the world's best. Why would I leave? It wouldn't offer me more than what Anthura can provide. Here, I deepen my knowledge in innovative and sustainable techniques and I also learn a lot by collaborating with my professional colleagues in every area."
Are the innovative and sustainable techniques what make it interesting to work here?
"You can definitely immerse yourself in that. Technology advances rapidly, sometimes driven by reality, such as during the energy crisis in 2022/23. We initially planned to test and learn from a limited cultivation area using LED lights, but when the energy crisis began, we decided to accelerate and expand the test. By now, we have equipped 70% of the greenhouses with LEDs in two years, and we will complete the rest next year. This requires organizational agility.
Another challenge on our path is labor, as it's becoming increasingly difficult to find people for production work. Even though a lot has been automated, certain parts of the process still require manual production work. It's a great challenge to find innovative solutions that make production work easier and more enjoyable, and make us less dependent on manual labor.”
These are significant challenges. What about the ambitions?
“In greenhouse horticulture, there is a necessity, but also an opportunity to transition to sustainable energy sources. We have set ambitious goals in that area. By utilizing more geothermal energy, heat pumps powered by green electricity, and hydrogen instead of natural gas, we ultimately want to eliminate our reliance on gas. Another goal is to use only organic crop protection products and other biological solutions such as natural substances that enhance plant resistance in the fight against diseases and pests. And we will succeed in that too.”
What do you offer to your employees?
“A satisfied employee is important to us. That's why we have created a pleasant, healthy, and safe working environment in our brand-new headquarters and in the greenhouses. Everyone has the opportunity to exercise in the new gym after work. We also provide fruit at work and organize regular team outings. Every year, there is a themed week where the management provides insight into the company's developments.”
And in terms of personal development?
“If there's a need for a development program or training to perform the job well or if you want to broaden your skills, it will be arranged. We try to make this as accessible as possible.”
Why should someone with a great position elsewhere switch to you?
“Because I believe that we continuously strive to do better here. I am convinced that within our field, we are among the best and that we have a fantastic challenge to offer. Operational excellence is the key to success, starting with the excellent genetics we have developed ourselves. I am proud of what we have achieved with Anthura. If you want to be among the best in the sector, you should be at Anthura.”
Ready to take that next step? Then get in touch with us.
[Published: December 2023]
