Expansion at Anthura Arndt in 2024 and 2025
At Anthura, we truly value innovation — whether it’s developing new varieties or improving technology and hygiene. To support ongoing innovation, expanding our operations is essential. Significant investments were therefore made in 2024 and 2025 to enlarge the Phalaenopsis plug production site at Anthura Arndt GmbH.
In 2024, an additional section was constructed and became operational on 1 August. More recently, a second expansion was completed and put into use, increasing the total area of our greenhouse. This latest addition will allow for major maintenance of the remaining sections, including roof cleaning and replacing the upper screen with a lightproof screen. Of course, each section will be thoroughly cleaned from top to bottom before being refilled. In terms of construction and container layout, the two new sections are fully integrated with the existing sections, enabling the use of a single container system in all sections.
Numerous upgrades have also been made to the energy and climate systems. Each section is now equipped with:
- a transparent bottom screen,
- a light-diffusing middle screen,
- an upper screen made of light-proof aluminium.
For lighting, we have chosen 100% LED (fixed spectrum: 80% red, 5% blue, 15% green) with an additional 10% far-red (FR). These lights can be dimmed via two-channel control on the climate computer.
To optimise humidity and maintain active plant growth — even with fully closed energy-saving screens — standard dehumidifiers were installed in 2024. In the section added in 2025, dehumidification was further increased. This allows for continuous moisture removal, regardless of higher screen density, and supports a lower carbon footprint through more efficient energy use. In short, with more closed energy-saving screens, we can continue to grow healthy young plants.
Additionally, both sections are fitted with thrips mesh in the ventilation windows, with a mesh size of 0.15 x 0.25 mm. This ultra-fine mesh minimises the entry of thrips, significantly reducing the need for crop protection agents. Trials with aphid mesh in other sections did not yield the desired results. Based on these findings, we expect to make an informed decision about using thrips mesh throughout all our greenhouses in the near future.
This phased expansion enables us to test and trial new techniques on a smaller scale before implementing them company-wide. In this way, we safeguard plant quality and ensure that innovations do not compromise the cultivation process. The growth of our production capacity goes hand in hand with our commitment to delivery reliability, ensuring we remain a trusted partner for our customers, now and in the future.
