RZ-100-wt4-E-flipbook-240702 - Flipbook - Page 123
Rijk Zwaan just keeps on growing
Building, building and more building...
Ten years after the management buyout in 1989,
With continuous, organic growth, Rijk Zwaan is
Rijk Zwaan is still motivated and full of ambition to
bursting at the seams faster and faster and in more
grow further. For example, annual sales grow from
and more places. To keep up with the company’s
around 71 million euros in the 1999-2000 financial
growth and to accommodate all the new people
year to a whopping 280 million euros in 2012-2013,
and the research and other departments, a great
and the number of employees worldwide passes
deal of additional building work is being carried
2,000 in 2013.
out. The beginning of the 21st century is dominated
20
05
Agassi RZ
Broccoli
First successful
variety for
dry areas in
the USA in winter.
by the construction of a new location for breeding
But growth is not an end in itself at Rijk Zwaan.
open-soil crops and Rijk Zwaan’s increasing
The company prefers to put the well-being of its
biotechnology research on land acquired in Fijnaart
employees first. The two are often thought to be
in 1999. The new branch of Rijk Zwaan, consisting
contradictory, but the steady organic growth is
of multiple greenhouses, a modern office and a
actually a natural consequence of Rijk Zwaan’s
laboratory with a surface area of around 3,500 m², is
people-focused policy. Growth is also necessary
rapidly taking shape. So rapidly, in fact, that the new
to compete with the very largest industry peers
complex is completed before the scheduled date
and to have sufficient resources to invest in R&D
in February 2003. The grand opening takes place
in order to guarantee the continuity of Rijk Zwaan.
on 24 September 2004.
20
05
Quarto RZ
Cucumber
The first
snack cucumber,
which creates a
new segment.
All-rounder.
Since the mid-1980s, Rijk Zwaan has therefore
been committed to a growth strategy of between
The company continues to grow so fast that further
5 and 15 per cent annual sales growth. To make
expansion of the Fijnaart location with offices and
this growth possible, a large part of the turnover
a laboratory of around 2,500 m² will start as early as
is invested in product development (around
2008. Sustainability is high on the list of priorities
30 per cent) and the vast majority of profits are
for this expansion, which will go into operation in
reinvested in the company.
2010. Maximum savings are made on the use of
Rijk Zwaan is very successful in achieving these
primary energy by using underground heat and
turnover targets between 1999 and 2013. The
cold storage. As a result, as much as 921 tonnes less
average annual turnover growth during this period
CO2 is emitted annually at this location! At the end
is 12 per cent.
of 2010, Rijk Zwaan also opens a new location for its
20
04
Launch of
RZ Italy
Plant diseases are becoming an increasing threat. One of the
greatest threats to tomato cultivation in the 21st century is
the bacterium Clavibacter michiganensis subsp., a very serious
disease that is causing major damage to tomato cultivation
worldwide, with huge economic consequences for growers.
With this plant disease, tomato seeds can be a source of infection.
To combat infection, seed companies and plant breeders have set
2005-2006
up an international, transparent chain assurance system – Good
Seed and Plant Practices (GSPP) – to prevent tomato seeds, rootstock seeds and plants from becoming infected with Clavibacter
michiganensis subsp.
2000-2014 | Chain activities and the growing position in society
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