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Background Information
Holstein Flowers is one of the world’s leading gerbera growers and breeders, cultivating more than 140 gerbera varieties across nearly 11 hectares of greenhouse production in the Netherlands.
Sustainability and innovation are central parts of the company’s cultivation strategy. Holstein Flowers reuses irrigation water within a closed-loop system, disinfecting returned drain water with UV treatment before it is reused for cultivation.
While UV effectively disinfects the returned water itself, it does not provide residual protection within the extensive pipework and irrigation lines of the greenhouse system. To support hygienic conditions throughout the irrigation infrastructure, disinfected water is also used to help keep water silos and distribution lines free from fungi and bacteria.
Challenge
Originally, chlorine levels inside the water silos were monitored manually using handheld measurements. This approach required regular operator attention and made it difficult to maintain continuously stable disinfectant concentration. As a result, concentration fluctuations could occur within the system.
At the same time, the greenhouse irrigation infrastructure requires a reliable and consistent disinfectant level to support clean pipelines and stable hygienic conditions throughout the entire water distribution network.
In addition, the prevailing conditions inside greenhouse irrigation systems, including fertilizers, organic matter and warm process water, are ideal for plant growth, but also create a demanding environment for sensors. Deposits and contamination on the sensor surface required manual cleaning one to two times per week.
Kuntze Solution
To improve process stability, Holstein Flowers installed a Kuntze Krypton® DIS system for continuous chlorine monitoring in the water silos.
The project was realized together with ProWater, Kuntze´s local partner in the Netherlands, who supported the customer with technical consulting and implementation on site.
The continuous online measurement allows operators to maintain a stable disinfectant concentration within the irrigation water system. According to Holstein Flowers, this consistency has become noticeable in overall plant quality.
To further reduce maintenance effort, the Kuntze ASR® (Automatic Sensor Cleaning) function was later added to the installation. The ASR® system continuously keeps the sensor clean during operation and significantly reduces manual cleaning requirements.
What previously required manual cleaning one to two times per week is now largely automated, saving valuable maintenance time for the operating team.
Customer Statement
About Holstein Flowers
Holstein Flowers is a Dutch gerbera grower and breeder specializing in sustainable greenhouse cultivation and innovative water reuse concepts. With more than 140 gerbera varieties and advanced cultivation technologies, the company continuously focuses on quality, efficiency and sustainable resource management.
