A young business with years of experience

Busy for more than 25 years in Horticulture

Dirk-Jan has been involved in the Horticulture Industry since he started as a boy plucking tomatoes at the age of 12. His first experience in the industry was followed by formal education in the business, and employment at various companies which has provided a broad picture of the diverse activities that Horticulture entails. Dirk-Jan has filled many roles. He has worked in tomato producing and seed development businesses, but also filled commercial functions at various plant nurseries and suppliers to the Horticulture Industry.

Opportunity in the industry
After all those years, is was time to package the accumulated knowledge and start off on his own. Dirk-Jan set up his business: DJ Products. A business that possessed exclusive dealership rights in The Netherlands for ‘The Tom-System’ plant binding method. DJ Products has developed the market for this product with great enthusiasm and dedication. Dirk-Jan saw the need for a pragmatic approach directed at finding solutions. But knowledge also became progressively more important – knowledge about the market, about horticulture, and of products and their application. This combination has proved to be a strong formula – a strong sparring partner with an extensive network.

The ‘Tom System’ dealership has put the business firmly on the map in The Netherlands. Now, after two years and now active outside The Netherlands, it is time to reinforce this position with a new name and appropriate logo and image, but the same service and knowledge that you have come to expect from us. Under the name ‘Hortiware’ we shall continue to offer innovation to the Horticulture industry.

Our vision
Hortiware is contributing to the future of horticulture in The Netherlands. The focus is on the development and positioning of environmentally responsible, quality products. This includes both the use of environmentally friendly products and higher quality products which have a longer life.

“Customers value personal contact. I always prefer to visit customers and take a look in the greenhouse.”

Dirk-Jan Haas: owner Hortiware

Sustainability is the starting point

Years of experience in horticulture have allowed us to develop a specific vision and a lot of knowledge. We can see that growers are under economic pressure and that this leads to too much attention being directed at the purchase price for trade goods. We focus on quality and sustainability and see that higher start up costs do pay off and lead to significant savings by the end of the year. For each product we consider whether or not the chosen application and products are the right ones. For example we still see a good deal of plastic being used which ends up in organic waste, while composting businesses are becoming progressively more strict. Alternative methods exist the avoid plastic in organic waste. We offer growers the solution with ‘The Tom-System’ binding method. This system works using metal rings that can be filtered from organic waste by the use of a magnet and worked as scrap metal.

Our products save you time and money

We don’t just want to sell – our aim is to sell products that allow the customer to achieve higher yields and save costs. Take ‘The Tom-System’ as an example. This was the product that we started with and which has been so successful that the area we supply is still growing, developing and serving more different crops; now including flower as well vegetable growers. Customers who use our binding system benefit from it on a daily basis. Money is saved on labour and waste disposal, and also environmental taxes.

Always the newest developments

“Where others stop is for us just the beginning”. If you dare to say this, then you can be sure that you will see the latest developments. This, in combination with years of experience, including soil cultivation, substrate horticulture and the application of technology in practice, ensures that we can say that we have a good deal of knowledge and are up to date on the latest developments in horticulture. Growers often come with specific problems to Hortiware. An example is the wrapping of Chrysathemums in combination with the dropping of loose shoots on conveyor belts. Can we use the Tom-System for this? Or should we continue to use our existing binding string, or bio-string, and what are the consequences? How do we obtain the best yield from the available light, or when and how often should we give the plants water? All questions for which we are happy to visit and think along with the customer.

In addition Hortiware has an extensive network covering many specialisms, and is always present at national and international trade shows. In short: we like to orientate ourselves across the breadth of the business, but also in depth.

A solution for everything

Not every problem has an obvious solution. Hortiware’s extensive network and open approach ensures a problem solving attitude. We have a practical and pragmatic way of going about things, which allows us to make connections quickly and think of creative solutions. Usually we visit and see what’s happening with our own eyes, and think of a solution on the spot. Or get in touch with the supplier who just happens to have something in stock with which we can solve the problem. “No problem, we’ll sort it, one way or another” is our motto.

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