Research and innovation
Kekkilä-BVB Innovation
Innovation is at the heart of Kekkilä-BVB, aiming at developing high-tech Growing Media of constant quality by using locally sourced raw materials in combination with value added products that are plant or application specific, thereby focusing on a systems approach that has a sustainability gain.
The process is controlled by two in-house laboratories in the Netherlands, one in De Lier and one in Venlo, enabling laboratory analysis as well as growth trials on experimental growing media.
Research Location De Lier, the Netherlands
Innovation research laboratory
Physical and chemical properties of any raw material or growing medium are analyzed, as well as the biological stability. A phytotron enables well controlled growing tests for performance assessments of different substrates.
Quality Control (QC) laboratory
Daily QC analyses are performed to ensure constant quality in Kekkila-BVB’s substrates leaving the factory.
Research Location Venlo, the Netherlands
Innovation research laboratory
Physical and chemical properties of any raw material or growing medium are analyzed. A water-spraying table enables controlled water regimes to test effects on water holding capacities. Two reactors enable controlled experimentation on biological processing of raw materials, such as composting. A climate-cabinet enables controlled growing tests for performance assessments of for example casing soil.
BVB College
BVB College is our very own centre of knowledge consisting of in-class training, e-learning and self-study material. We are constantly gathering and sharing knowledge on substrates. We have partnerships with the agricultural university of applied sciences in ‘s-Hertogenbosch: “Hogere Agrarische School (HAS)” and Wageningen University and Research (WUR). Both our employees and growers can participate in the master classes at BVB College. With the increased knowledge growers are more able to assess situations and effects of growing media mixtures to improve efficiency and increase their return.
Cooperations
EU LIFE research project
Kekkilä-BVB is involved in a research project that this year received a five-year grant from the EU’s LIFE programme to study the usefulness of anaerobically digested roadside grasses as a growing medium. D4 is in charge of project development. The biogas company HoSt will design and build the digester. Kekkilä-BVB will develop and purchase the digestate as a growing medium raw material.
Wageningen Plant Research at Wageningen University & Research
In our ongoing Public Private Partnership with Wageningen Plant Research at Wageningen University & Research, the aim is to develop and research the effect of new substrates. By using organic materials – in our case, renewable cultivated fibres – in growing media, we develop ‘Fit for Purpose’ substrates that are more sustainable for the future.
UPM
Kekkilä-BVB and UPM cooperate in the production and treatment of wood fibre, which can be used in growing media suitable for professional growing and home gardening to replace peat-based raw materials. The cooperation is an important step towards increasing the proportion of renewable raw materials in its growing media products.
Biochamp
Kekkilä-BVB is taking part in the EU funded project BIOSCHAMP. The BIOSCHAMP aims to develop an integrated approach to tackle the mushroom cultivation challenges: an alternative and sustainable peat-free biostimulant casing for the mushroom industry, reducing the dependency on and need for pesticides and contributing to improve the productivity, the sustainability, and the profitability of the European mushroom sector.