Independent performance testing delivers multiple benefits

Daniël Bos, Innovation Manager, makes no bones about it: when it comes to quality, Hortilux leaves nothing to chance. "That's why we develop and produce all our grow light systems - both HPS and LED - in-house," he says. "At our location in Monster, we have a development team that focuses on realising new grow light systems. The focus is currently on LED, as it's far and away the most popular option. And there's a lot more to come in this regard; we're constantly investing heavily in innovation."
Production is carried out at AP Nederland, in the north of the country. "It means that our entire development and production process takes place in the Netherlands. It's an enormous advantage: the lines of communication are short and we can test, connect, and make adjustments if required, which means you achieve the highest quality."
Bos also emphasises the added value of purchasing all the individual components yourself. "We literally sit at the table with suppliers. It means we can have detailed discussions about technical specifications, and it's easier for us to state our requirements. It also means that you keep up to date on developments involving the individual components, and what sorts of things are possible. In short: because we keep development and production in-house, we have more of a grip on quality and delivery reliability."

Independent tests and performance testing

In order to guarantee optimum quality, the systems undergo extensive testing and continuity testing too. "When you purchase fixtures, you're usually happy to accept the supplier's performance testing data," Bos says. "But in-house development and production brings with it a greater sense of responsibility; we want to be sure that what we're delivering is the highest possible quality. That's why we always conduct tests and performance testing ourselves prior to a market launch, but we bring in independent laboratories for this too. It means that we can be sure that our findings are correct, and we're even better able to guarantee and provide evidence of our quality."
Hortilux recently began to have its grow light systems tested for chemical density as standard. The question is the extent to which chemicals used in horticulture are able to find their way into the system. "Various chemicals, including sulphur, can cause enormous damage to the electronics in a system, which can cause outages. That's something we want to avoid at all costs, so we now have the chemical density of our grow light systems tested by a special laboratory. In doing so, we go a step further than the market standard. It means we're able to offer the grower an additional guarantee of a long lifespan."

Input for LED subsidy application

The various tests and measurements have another important benefit. "Our independent reports and substantiations mean that growers are more likely to qualify for subsidies," Bos says. "So our new HORTILEDŽ Top grow light systems Intense and Sirius are already fully prepared for applying for a subsidy under the EHG scheme (Energy-efficiency and renewable energy greenhouse horticulture). It saves a lot of time and research efforts, and significantly increases the chances of the subsidy being awarded. In short: our independent performance testing delivers multiple benefits for growers!"

Would you like to more about Hortilux grow light systems?
Contact the Hortilux Area Sales Manager by calling 0174-286628 or sending an email to info@hortilux.com

Source and Photo Courtesy of Hortilux

Source: Hortilux