"What we offer is, in my view, 'the silver bullet' in water treatment."
Innovation
So internationally, Ultramins is doing good business. In the Netherlands, too, more and more growers are linking up. Still, Robert is struck by the fact that the adaptation of the technology, which is new for growers, is not going as fast as he had initially thought. "The Netherlands still remains one of the most difficult markets for us. It is the market that is internationally praised for innovation and it is. But still, I notice that for our technology, the adaptation is much faster in Canada and the United States, although all the major greenhouse vegetable cooperatives in the Netherlands and Belgium now also have several growers who have deployed our solutions with great satisfaction."
With USAF cavitating ultrasonic transmitters, growers around the world, from Kuwait to Kazakhstan and from Australia to Mexico, keep their water clean. "Growers see that it really works superiorly. Without major efforts, they keep their water free of bacteria, fungi and viruses."
Early adopters
Looking for a way to keep ToBRFV out of their pouring water, the first Dutch growers arrived at Ultramins. "For this, we conducted a successful test at Ron Peters' test garden at the time. Since then, a number of tomato growers have been using our transmitters to their full satisfaction. In addition, there are cucumber growers who say out loud that the installation of the transmitters have minimised or even eliminated their virus issues."
Fusarium a persistent problem
Internationally, Robert sees that Fusarium, among others, is also a problem that growers are struggling with. "Fusarium is also within the microorganisms that are killed off with cavitation, as are most pathogens, which means we can also help these growers. That gives us a lot of satisfaction. Because if you hang strings on 10 hectares and after two months you can start pulling all the plants including strings back out of the greenhouse, that's terrible in every way."
Around a visit to the Canadian Greenhouse Conference, Robert and colleague Glenn will again visit many growers. "We are still working a lot with the early adopters. Our product is becoming better known, but there is also still a lot to gain."
Partly because growers have been introduced to other products in the past, which turned out not to work, he notes. "There are also 'ordinary' ultrasonic transmitters. With these, you don't kill off viruses, bacteria and fungi. That image sometimes still drives us nuts, which is why we stress every time that cavitation makes the difference."
Local presence
To grow, Ultramins is looking for local partners. In some markets, these have already been found. Despite the help of distributors, Robert still chooses to regularly visit his team himself. "We do that to know what's going on. Besides, having a local presence creates trust. In addition, we see many growers starting first in the basins and after those results are good, asking us to treat the silos and drain as well."
Travel is not required for installation of the product. "We don't actually speak of installing but of placing. In fact, the grower can always do that himself. For a silo, it takes 15 minutes. A larger basin with several emitters takes a bit longer, but it is not difficult. Even I can do it," laughs the Dutchman.
"The big advantage is that existing irrigation systems do not need to be modified. You simply place the transmitters in existing basins, silos or underground wells. With the installation of just one transmitter, existing UV systems tend to start working better because the water becomes clearer and contains less organic material. Ultrafiltration machines can also benefit because the membranes require less rinsing."
Positive reports
After placement, the rule is: 30 days no good, money back. "For us, it is no longer a question of whether it works. We have tested so much and also have so much practical experience that we can offer this service. Moreover, we also hear from customers that they have sometimes recouped the investment within six months. Our product works quickly after installation. Growers see virus, for instance, decreasing at a rapid pace. Especially in cucumber, this can be seen quickly."
Despite now having the necessary international horticultural experience, Robert is "still learning every day". "What I like is when we get reports back from growers who had a lot of misery before, but whose water is now good. Those growers see their yields increase again. Our goal is to enlighten growers. Growers already have so much work on their plates. I've noticed that in recent years. If they can exclude their irrigation water as a cause, that gives them peace of mind and they can focus on other things. Because a problem can have multiple causes."
Luxury situation
Over the next few years, Ultramins expects rapid growth. A lot has been invested in awareness of the product. For instance, the team has grown to around 7 FTE by now, there is an external call centre that Ultramins works with to make appointments for the consultants, and Robert is also looking to add experts in the field of marketing and communications to grow his business.
Growing the company still does from North Holland. Will it stay that way? "Yes, we have a local presence, but we are not going to settle there any time soon. Digitally, we can also support our customers very well." And isn't he then afraid of growing too fast, as water seems to become increasingly important for international horticulture? "I hope we continue to grow well and luxury situations can always be financed."
Growth outside horticulture
Incidentally, the water technology company is not only growing in horticulture. USAF cavitating ultrasonic transmitters can also be used in other sectors where water quality is important, such as fish and shellfish farming. With the help of business development manager Eric van Velzen, Ultramins is exploring new markets.
Markets from which the company is also learning new things. "In horticulture, growers often work with dosing a small amount of hydrogen peroxide or another product in addition to our transmitters. Growers are going to save on the use of additives anyway when using USAF cavitating ultrasonic transmitters."
A few in horticulture are also already working completely without additives, Robert observes. "With increasingly strict regulations, worldwide, the demand for more sustainable solutions is increasing. Our goal as a company is to contribute to this as well, because the use of chemicals will have to be increasingly limited."
In fish and shellfish farming, no chemical additives are used in the solution of Ultramins. "Currently, extensive testing is underway with the use of our transmitters at a shrimp farm in Southeast Asia. The initial tests here also look very encouraging. All in all, in my view, what we offer is really a silver bullet for many markets where water storage is problematic. "*
*a silver bullet is something that solves a serious problem very quickly and easily
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