Luc Coghe and his wife, Greet Biesbrouck, originally come from Ardooie in the Flemish part of Belgium, and they established their first tomato nursery there on 2.7 hectares. When they looked to increase their capacity, they found a suitable location in Wallonia, and built a new 7 hectare greenhouse there.
We place strict
requirements on varieties,
presentation, nutrition, pruning strategy and spacing in order to optimize quality.”
- Luc Coghe, Owner Greet Biesbrouck BVBA
When the new greenhouse was built in 2010, Coghe equipped 2.6 hectares of the facility with Philips HPS lighting with a light intensity of 170 μmol/m2/s. The reason for doing this was to create a better division of labor and a higher yield by producing crops during the winter period. In 2014 Coghe decided to expand the areas of his facility equipped with grow lights in order to further increase the yield.
In October 2014 the tomato grower had 6,600 PhilipsGreenPower LED interlighting modules installed in thearea with HPS lighting. Each row hangs at the height ofthe fourth truss and has a capacity of 55 μmol/m2/s.The modules are raised every week as the plants grow.
Coghe is impressed with the first results from the LED interlighting. “The quality of the fruit is impressive,” he says. “The tomatoes are more consistent and the green parts are heavier, but the most striking difference is the taste which is clearly better.” This is true for all three varieties they grow.
“Ideally I would like to increase the production even more, but I think I need a few more years of experience to do that.We want to differentiate ourselves by the quality we deliver and we hope that that is worth a slightly higher price,” Coghe says.
The interlighting module is a bi-directional lighting module for interlighting in between tall plants e.g. tomatoes.
Grower
Flavourfresh
Find out how LED greenhouse lights are maintaining crop growth during winter months.
Warsaw University of Life Sciences
Our trial proved that 100% LED lighting is the most cost-effective way to grow cucumbers in winter
Jiaotong University
The faculty decided to install 2400 Philips GreenPower LED production modules with three different light recipes.
Alfred Pedersen & Søn
To reduce energy consumption and achieve greater continuity in growth and production, Pedersen invested in interlighting.
Mezvidi Greenhouse
GreenPower LED interlighting is the ideal solution in terms of cost and performance.
R&L Holt
This lighting solution means we can produce really tasteful tomatoes even in December
Philips products are sold through a global network of certified partners. Find partners in your region for information.
We are here to address all of your questions and remarks, please use our detailed form for elaborate questions.
Receive our newsletter every three months to stay up to date about Philips LED lighting in horticulture.
Interested in discovering your recipe for growth and joining our team? Take a look at our career page for more information.
Learn more about LED lighting in horticulture by reading our latest articles and case studies.
