Continuity is vital for every company. Horticulture is no exception to this rule. Just imagine that, due to circumstances beyond your control, you cannot meet a delivery deadline or perhaps even not deliver the goods or provide the service at all. That would be a disaster for your business. So it’s no wonder that every businessperson will do everything possible to guarantee continuity.
The danger of fire in the greenhouse
And yet, circumstances may arise in which continuity could be seriously compromised. Take fire, for instance. Horticultural businesses in general will certainly have had to deal with that in the past. A broken light or short-circuit in a switch box can really turn a grower’s life upside down in the blink of an eye. Your life’s work goes up in flames. Every businessperson’s worst nightmare. In addition to all the bureaucracy that goes with a disaster like that, the continuity of your business is immediately in clear and present danger. Contracts that have already been signed need to be honoured. How do you go about that?
Not surprising, then, that more and more businesses and buyers want to have the security of that continuity actually being guaranteed. ‘Does my supplier have everything in order? Have the hazards been identified? And, more importantly, what measures are in place to mitigate those hazards?’
No doubt a competitor will be willing to help you out once or twice. But what about the long-term prospects? Will you be able to hold on to your customers, or would they rather go for security the next time and go to a different supplier? This is one way in which an emergency of this kind can really affect your competitive position.
Fire safety in the greenhouse
Fire safety is thus a very important issue. So ErfGoed is bringing a new cloth on to the market that is highly fire-retardant. In the past we have taken steps that make it difficult for fire to spread easily. For instance, by dividing the floor into compartments with paving stones or aluminium strips. This works well, but even a small-scale fire can result in serious damage from smoke and soot to you, the grower. So now we’re going to bring an extra variety of our high-quality tarp on to the market.
Together with the familiar properties of the existing ErfGoed Grey Cover, such as the high UV-resistance and uniform permeability, this new tarp will give you even more peace of mind in relation to your business. And, of course, continuity of your business. The unique tarp, which can be recognised from the red thread woven through it, is certified to the highest quality standards for fire safety.
If you have any other ideas, or want to use us as a sounding board, just e-mail me or give me a call!
