The British Are Coming! The British Are Coming!

We saw it this spring at the California Pack Trials, this summer at the Ohio Florists’ Association’s Short Course and now in the pages of GPN. And it’s not only the British. Germans, Dutch, Japanese, French, Chinese, Danish, Costa Ricans, Koreans — they’re all making their way across the waters with an increased presence in the U.S. horticulture market.

Of course the Dutch are old news. We’ve been hearing about their automation and receiving their bulbs for over a decade. So it’s not so much the company or the internationality of it all that’s new. It’s the way these companies are interacting with the U.S. market that’s different. I’ve got two great examples to show you what I mean.

I had the opportunity to sit down with representatives of Fides North America at this year’s Pack Trials; they were holding their first Pack Trial show at Twyford International. Being new to the Pack Trials and to most U.S. growers, this Dutch-run company, production for which takes place in Costa Rica, opted not to show the extent of their genetic lines. Instead, they selected a few of their newer products, ones that were still in testing, to gauge reaction — to see if they were approaching our market from the right angle. They must have liked what attendees had to say because their booth at the Short Course was full of their newest varieties as well many others that had been previously introduced to the European market, and there was a general feel in their booth of “look who’s new.”

Tokyo, Japan-based ASAHI Glass/AGA Chemicals was also thrust into the role of “new kid on the block” at this year’s Short Course with their poly introduction into the U.S. glazing market. F-Clean touts 95 percent light transmission and a guaranteed 10-year life. But the makers are not just trying to sell U.S. growers an unproven product; they were at the Short Course to arrange a series of U.S. test sites. These new sites, along with several existing ones, will provide localized data to support ASAHI/AGA’s entrance into our market.

It seems that the tables have turned. No longer are American growers expected to import technology from Europe, Asia and Israel and figure out adaptations on-site. International manufacturers and breeders are leading the way by devising those configurations and making applications easier. Finally, the United States is a viable market unto itself instead of a dumping ground for over-runs.

Adding an International Flair

So what do you care if international companies are finally starting to see the prospects in the U.S. market? Don’t we have outstanding home-grown manufacturers and breeders that are already accustomed to meeting your specific needs? Absolutely. Our U.S. companies are some of the best in the world, and they’ve believed in our market from the start.

So why jump ship now? Maybe you shouldn’t, but boy doesn’t looking around give you lots of great ideas? Back to one of the examples above. I didn’t know that a poly could last for 10-plus years. I’ve started asking some of my friends in the coverings market about long-lasting glazings and return-on-investment and such.

One thing that I’ve learned is that manufacturers, be they foreign or domestic, are very willing to work with growers on custom projects: design a structure to accommodate that oddly shaped piece of land, create a cart that meets your specific needs, configure a covering system that will work best under your conditions. That’s why learning from all these new companies is so important, and it’s why I recommend that every grower, no matter how large or small, attend at least one international trade show each year. Go to Amsterdam for NTV in the fall or Essen for IPM in the winter or Birmingham for GLEE in the spring.

I’ve yet to talk to a grower who attended an international trade show and wasn’t full of ways that technology he had seen there could be adapted for use back home. I know it’s an old, tired thing to say, but you really do learn something new every day.