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Premier Tech and Van der Knaap join forces

In a move set to significantly benefit growers both in North America as well as in Europe, Premier Tech is thrilled to announce that the Van der Knaap Group — Dutch leader in growing media, organic fertilizers and rooting solutions — will be integrated in its Growers and Consumers Group.

With a strong focus on sustainable, nature-inspired solutions, Premier Tech Growers and Consumers has a wide-ranging portfolio of products that increase crop yields and health in agriculture and horticulture.

This strategic transaction will enable both companies to further deliver value to their clients through sharing their expertise and product portfolio, to foster innovation, and enhance their global presence, further solidifying their leadership positions in the industry.

“Welcoming the Van der Knaap team into the Premier Tech ecosystem paves the way for open collaboration and the sharing of our respective know-how and expertise. This strategic combination of our people and expertise marks an important milestone as it perfectly aligns with our long-term strategy to reinforce our global footprint in Europe and the Americas and our ability to deliver innovative solutions worldwide,” says Jean Bélanger, president and chief executive officer of Premier Tech.

“This strategic combination of our people and expertise marks an important milestone as it perfectly aligns with our long-term strategy.”
— Jean Bélanger, president and chief executive officer of Premier Tech

A strategic move to benefit the industry on both sides of the Atlantic

This strategic move is considered a natural next step for both organizations that have been collaborating for many years and highlights not only their commitment to innovation, but also a people-first approach and a desire to build meaningful partnerships that drive value for clients and all industry stakeholders.

Both companies are confident this step will contribute to a strong, sustainable future for their team members, clients and partners, and view this as a significant milestone towards making a difference in feeding, protecting and improving our world. The Van der Knaap Group was founded by brothers Ron and Perry Van der Knaap.

This brings 1 050 team members into Premier Tech's ecosystem, increasing the total number to over 6 000 team members across 31 countries. Furthermore, this transaction marks the addition of four new countries to Premier Tech's manufacturing footprint, strengthening its global presence and production capacity.

“Driven by our own ambition to continue investing in sustainable and innovative solutions for horticulture, we set out to find a strong, strategic partner. We found that partner in Premier Tech in Canada — a company with over a hundred years of experience. We share the same vision when it comes to collaboration, innovation and sustainability, and that has been the foundation for taking this step. Together, we are setting both organizations for the future,” says Ron van der Knaap.

“We share the same vision when it comes to collaboration, innovation and sustainability, and that has been the foundation for taking this step. Together, we are setting both organizations for the future.”
— Ron Van der Knaap, founder of Van der Knaap Group

Among its flagship innovations, Van der Knaap sets the standard in coco substrates. Through continuous innovation, the company has developed a range of high-quality coco products, manufactured at production sites across the globe. Through this transaction, Premier Tech thus positions itself as the global leader in coconut fibre-based products for horticulture.

“By combining our strengths, we will not only build on our respective existing portfolio but also solidify our global market position,” says Martin Pelletier, president of Premier Tech Growers and Consumers. “The entire Van der Knaap team will remain in place to support this momentum, ensuring continuity in ongoing projects, which will play a key role in our joint success and future.”

“By combining our strengths, we will not only build on our respective existing portfolio but also solidify our global market position.”
— Martin Pelletier, president of Premier Tech Growers and Consumers

“The partnership with Premier Tech enables us to accelerate our upstream integration into the raw materials supply chain. This enhances our control over the availability and quality of essential sustainable raw materials. It is a strategic move that not only strengthens our supply reliability but also contributes to the continuity and sustainability of the solutions we offer to our clients,” says Jelte Veenstra, chief executive officer of the Van der Knaap Group.