Production of fresh lettuce crops in weather-independent hydroponics on over 20,000 m² of greenhouse area
Brimmers Gartenbau
Straelen (Kempkensweg 3)New on Amplifa
About us
Brimmers Gartenbau is a family business based in Straelen on the Lower Rhine, specialising in the production of fresh lettuce. The company produces using the hydroponic method: the plants are placed in plastic floats on a water surface about 25 cm high and take up the nutrients directly from the water. This enables weather-independent cultivation all year round, saves over 70% of water and largely makes the use of pesticides unnecessary. In addition to daylight, energy-saving LED lighting is used. On a greenhouse area of over 20,000 m², Brimmers supplies the food retail sector such as supermarkets and discounters as well as the food processing industry with fresh lettuce varieties, including as part of the Landfrisch AG alliance — such as the Trio salad made of oak leaf, Lollo Rosso and Lollo Bionda. The location in the German-Dutch border region enables supply to a catchment area of more than 15 million people within a radius of 100 kilometres.
- Site
- Straelen
- Processes
- Hydroponics (hydroponic lettuce cultivation, nutrient film technique on water surfaces), Hydroponic cultivation (weather-independent lettuce production)
- Materials
- Lettuce – oak leaf, Lettuce – Lollo Rosso, Lettuce – Lollo Bionda, Trio salad (oak leaf, Lollo Rosso, Lollo Bionda), Plastic (floats for plant placement)
- Certificates
- Hydroponic cultivation (no soil, no soil-borne diseases)
- Founded
- 1920
- Employees
- ca. 10
- Industries
- Food retail (supermarkets, discounters), Food processing industry
- 01
Raising of the lettuce crops
- 02
Placement in plastic floats on water surfaces (hydroponics)
- 03
Nutrient supply directly via the water
- 04
Supplementary lighting with energy-saving LED lamps
- 05
Harvest with root ball ('living lettuce')
- 06
Delivery to retail and the processing industry
Lettuce crops & cultivation methods
Trio salad (oak leaf, Lollo Rosso, Lollo Bionda)
Current product offering as 'living lettuce' with root ball, stays fresh for a long time and in portion size for small households.
Lettuce – oak leaf
Component of the Trio salad, grown weather-independent all year round.
Lettuce – Lollo Rosso
Component of the Trio salad, grown on hydroponic water surfaces.
Lettuce – Lollo Bionda
Component of the Trio salad, grown on hydroponic water surfaces.
Locations
Straelen
DEProduction site (hydroponic greenhouses)
- Materials
- Lettuce crops (oak leaf, Lollo Rosso, Lollo Bionda)
- Greenhouses with hydroponic growing system (floating technique, over 20,000 m²)
- Energy-saving LED plant lighting
Lettuce crops
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hydroponics (hydroponic lettuce cultivation, nutrient film technique on water surfaces)Engineering | – | – | – | – | Lettuce (oak leaf, Lollo Rosso, Lollo Bionda) |
2 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenhouse (hydroponic growing system with floating technique) | – | – | in total over 20,000 sqm of greenhouse area | 2018 (Inve | Straelen, Kempkensweg 3 |
| LED plant lighting (energy-saving LED lamps) | – | – | – | – | Straelen |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality & Sustainability
Hydroponics without soil delivers lettuce free of soil residues, very low pesticide use and a high vitamin content of the products; over 70% of water is saved.
| Evidence | Straelen |
|---|---|
| Hydroponic cultivation (no soil, no soil-borne diseases) |
History
- 1920
Foundation of a livestock farming business by Heinrich Brimmers sen. in Straelen
- 1960
Handover of the business to son Josef Brimmers; over the decades, conversion to open-field plant production by Heinrich jr.
- 1990
Switch to protected cultivation in greenhouses and specialisation in lettuce crops
- 2018
Investment in new hydroponic technology for weather-independent year-round production