Lourens van Geest , the laminitis of potted plant glasshouse LVG plant in South Africa , celebrate his 80th natal day today , January 9 . He was pay and get up in the Westland area of the Netherlands and immigrated to South Africa in 1983 , where he founded LVG plant in 1985 . Together with his three sons , who are start the 11 - ha nursery in Krugersdorp , he developed the party into one of the largest and most modern nurseries in the region of sustainability in South Africa . Even though Lourens retired in 2009 , he is still closely affect with the company and has an consultatory role . But how did his South African escapade beginning , and what made it such a success ? His son Geert say us .
How it all startedLourens key a cacoethes for flush and flora too soon in his adult life . Geert : " He was in the navy , but at a young age , at 17 , he had a serious fortuity . He then pop out produce freesia , lily , and gillyflower with his father , Ivo Jan ( IJ ) , in Naaldwijk , the Netherlands . One twenty-four hours , a South African flower agriculturist visited their nursery to see the new ramp up greenhouse , after which he asked my father to come and work for him in South Africa , and that ’s how it all started . Together with our mother , he first visited the nation and before long afterward decide to take on the adventure . "
Lourens begin as a buyer at the blossom auction in Johannesburg for the family line that founded the vendue , the Toxopeus fellowship , who also ran a large gash flower nursery . " Together with this family , he plant LVG Plants and 1995 , acquire all the part , becoming the only owner . Then , the company gradually move to its current location in Krugersdorp . My brother and I all joined the ship’s company and subsequently took over the Clarence Day - to - day management before our father ’s retreat . Each of us has his own field of expertness . "
ProudThe brothers are very majestic of their Father of the Church . " first of all , for his courageousness to embark on this adventure . At that time , moving from Naaldwijk to another township was already a bragging step , rent alone emigrating to a nation 10,000 km aside . We also admire his pertinacity , something you really require to have in a country like South Africa , but also the calmness he has in him and how he can immerse setbacks . One of our large setbacks was the tornado in 2017 that destroy 3 hectare of the nursery in a matter of minutes . Where we panic , he remain tranquil and immediately thought of resolution . He is good at overseeing and think things through and , of course of instruction , has vast experience . Another model is how he deals with Energy Department prices . These have gone up enormously in recent prison term , but while this make us to waver , he apprize us to endow further . He compare it to flatulence price in the Netherlands in the 1980s , which were also very gamy then but finally went down again . But above all , he owes his winner to just working hard , Westland - style . "
" In display case of problem or challenge , we always guess of him and how he would clear it . For this , we are very pleased that he is still involved in the caller and that he is supply us with advice . An example is the legion might cutting we face up in South Africa . We have recently purchased large barrage fire storage whole , which will be used in combination with the newly install PV panels to curb the issue of the power cuts . "
SustainabilitySustainability is a high priority for Lourens and the company . " Becoming a carbon copy - impersonal company is a wish of our father and now it has also become a goal of our ship’s company . " The pal have already invested significantly in late long time . For instance , they have one of the magnanimous thermal solar collector field in the southerly hemisphere and have also late installed 1 megawatt of PV panel . Additional investments related to prepare the companionship even more sustainable are in the word of mouth .
Dutch / Westland PartyLourens ' natal day was already celebrate last Saturday with a public presentation by Peter Kruithof , lead singer and guitar player of the famous Westland band , Kromme Jongens . For Lourens , it was a act like going back to his antecedent . Also , because Peter is his first cousin . " We had him and his married woman come over , and he wrote a song , peculiarly for my father ’s natal day . What a marvellous evening that was ! "
For more information : LVG plantswww.lvgplant.co.za
© FloralDaily.com/Elita Vellekoop
