Kekkilä-BVB’s first reed canary grass production line to be completed in Parkano, Finland

Finland’s first reed canary grass production line will be completed at Kekkilä-BVB’s Parkano production facility in August. With the help of an investment of one million euros, the reed canary grass grown in former peat production areas will be processed by crushing and hygienised so that it can be safely used as raw material for growing media.

Since 2022, Kekkilä-BVB has been determinedly developing renewable and circular raw materials for its growing media. Growing media have traditionally been based on peat, but the growing demand for growing media and the pressures related to peat production require an expansion of the raw material base. So far, no single replacement for peat has been found, as peat has exceptional physical, chemical and biological properties for plant growth, which makes it an excellent raw material for growing media.

For this reason, several new raw materials will be needed, and they are typically made into growing media blends of several raw materials. One of the new materials is reed canary grass, the suitability of which for growing media and cultivation has been studied by Kekkilä-BVB for more than four years. Reed canary grass is cultivated in Finland in Neova’s former peat production areas, where the crop is harvested exclusively for the use of Kekkilä-BVB. At the moment, reed canary grass is cultivated on more than 1,400 hectares in western and northern Finland.

Once the new investment is completed, the harvested reed canary grass will be transferred to the Parkano production facility, where Kekkilä-BVB built a separate reed canary grass production line this year. The production line is a pilot project that combines different process technologies that have not previously been utilised in growing media production. On the line, reed canary grass, which grows up to two metres tall, is first crushed and then hygienised by heating. This treatment ensures that no weed seeds, pathogens or pests remain in the raw material that could harm the well-being of the cultivated plants in the greenhouses. After processing, the reed canary grass is baled and protected before being transported to Kekkilä-BVB’s other production facilities in Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands for use in various growing media.

Reed canary grass has excellent properties for growing medium use 

Reed canary grass helps to reduce the amount of peat and perlite in growing media, for example. It promotes good air content and promotes rooting and root division. These are essential characteristics for growing strong and healthy plants.

“At Kekkilä-BVB, we continuously invest in renewable and alternative raw materials to develop growing media solutions that are ready for the future. However, one principle never changes: delivering the highest growing performance for professional growers. Reed canary grass is a strong example of how innovation and performance go hand in hand. After extensive trials across multiple crops, we are confident in its ability to contribute to the next generation of growing media. Through our BVB Substrates brand, we already apply innovative raw materials such as reed canary grass to help growers achieve reliable, high-performing crop results, while supporting the transition towards more renewable growing media solutions,” says Peter Nijssen, Vice President Commercial, Kekkilä-BVB.

For further information, please contact:

Susanna Inkinen, Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer, Kekkilä-BVB, tel: +358 50 530 6245, susanna.inkinen@kekkila-bvb.com

Peter Nijssen, Vice President, Commercial, Business Area Central Europe, Kekkilä-BVB, tel: +31 773 669 375, peter.nijssen@kekkila-bvb.com