Country for PR: United Kingdom
Contributor: PR Newswire Europe
Tuesday, March 09 2021 - 00:00
AsiaNet
AgTech Leader Netafim to Acquire Dutch Greenhouse Company Gakon Horticultural Projects to Meet Growing Demand for Local Food Production in All Climates
TEL AVIV, Israel, March 8, 2021 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --

Netafim [http://www.netafim.com/], the global leader of precision irrigation 
solutions and agricultural projects, today announced that it has signed a 
definitive agreement to acquire Dutch turnkey greenhouse projects provider 
Gakon. 

Netafim has been active for several decades in the greenhouse market and is now 
expanding its offering in the production and supply of top-tier greenhouse 
projects to meet the increasing demand for the most advanced farming methods. 
Driven by growing populations, the call for sustainable agriculture and 
increasing concern over food security there has been a surge of interest in 
locally grown fresh produce. Netafim will provide growers with a comprehensive 
offering of the best greenhouse technologies, structures, irrigation, 
fertigation, and crop growing expertise as well as other ag related services to 
enable farmers to maximize productivity and efficiency in all climate 
conditions.

The acquisition is synergetic, combining Netafim's global presence and 
expertise in precision agriculture and Gakon's advanced greenhouse technology. 
With 56 years of agricultural project experience and array of advanced 
irrigation technologies utilized in 80% of the world's professional high-end 
greenhouses, Netafim is well-established as a leading player in global 
agriculture technology. Gakon brings unique expertise in all aspects of 
greenhouse project execution, glasshouse manufacturing capabilities, and a 
proven track record in key markets. The expanded offering leverages Netafim's 
capacity as a holistic destination for the increasing numbers of growers of 
year-round crops and farm-to-table local produce.

"Greenhouse projects were already a strategic priority for Netafim, with 
Covid-19 further validating the importance of food security and a local fresh 
supply. We are delighted to join forces with Gakon to enhance our in-house 
greenhouse related capabilities, including production, and provide local 
farmers and growers across the world with greenhouse solutions and services 
that will support both farmers and local food security," said Gabriel (Gaby) 
Miodownik, Netafim CEO. 

"Teaming up with Netafim unlocks a world of opportunities for us," said Pieter 
van Berchum, Director of Gakon. "We are excited to be able to apply our deep 
knowledge and skills of greenhouse horticulture to new markets and be part of a 
group that is set to drive forward sustainable and profitable crop production."

About Netafim
Netafim is the world's largest irrigation company and the global leader in 
precision irrigation solutions committed to fighting scarcity of food, water, 
and land, for a sustainable future. With 33 subsidiaries and 17 manufacturing 
plants worldwide, Netafim offers innovative, tailor-made irrigation and 
fertigation solutions to millions of farmers from smallholders to large-scale 
agricultural producers, in over 110 countries.

Founded in 1965, Netafim pioneered the drip revolution, creating a paradigm 
shift toward precision irrigation. Today, the company specializes in end-to-end 
solutions [https://www.netafim.com/en/end-to-end-projects/ ]from the water 
source to the root zone, and offers a variety of irrigation, open field and 
greenhouse projects, as well as landscaping and mining solutions supported by 
engineering, project management and financing services. Netafim also leads the 
way in digital farming, having integrated real-time monitoring, analysis, and 
automated control into one state-of-the-art system.

In 2017, Orbia [http://www.orbia.com/ ]acquired 80% of Netafim, while Kibbutz 
Hatzerim holds the remaining 20%. Netafim is part of the Orbia community of 
companies, working together to tackle some of the world's most complex 
challenges. 

About Gakon
Gakon Horticultural Projects is one of the leading companies in the world for 
producing, supplying, building, and servicing high quality turnkey 
horticultural projects. With 70 years of experience, Gakon has been managing 
projects from ideation to completion. In their headquarters with integrated 
production based in Westland, Netherlands, Gakon produces their own 
greenhouses. 

See how Netafim's solutions are changing the economics of agriculture and 
helping the world Grow More with Less™ at www.netafim.com. 

Source: Netafim