What Hortiplan does

Hortiplan BV is a Belgian provider of automated greenhouse horticulture solutions, headquartered in Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium, and operating as a specialized brand within the Arvesta agribusiness group. The company designs, supplies, and installs custom-built automation systems for professional growers, investors, and research institutions worldwide. Its flagship product is the Mobile Gutter System (MGS), a proprietary hydroponic cultivation platform based on Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) principles first developed and deployed in 1994. Hortiplan complements MGS with integrated water and electrical engineering — including third-party Hoogendoorn and Hortimax climate computers — and custom lighting solutions drawn from Philips LED Interlights (under a certified Philips Horti LED partnership) and Gavita HPS systems, presenting itself as a single-vendor full-stack greenhouse automation provider.

Hortiplan's commercial model is project-based and bespoke: each system is tailored to the customer's crop, greenhouse footprint, substrate, and local climate, with a pre-sale needs analysis followed by in-house design, installation, and commissioning. The company does not publish pricing, and revenue mechanics are anchored on enterprise capital-equipment contracts rather than disclosed recurring subscriptions, although a 24/7 technical support operation with remote diagnostics provides an ongoing service relationship after installation. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales, with distribution and corporate-service leverage from its Arvesta parent.

The firm is small (11–50 employees) but operates globally. Documented customer outcomes cited by the company include up to 10x yield improvement versus open-air cultivation, more than 80% water savings, and an 80%+ expansion rate among MGS customers within 2–3 years of installation. No revenue, funding, or headcount-growth data is publicly disclosed.

Name

Hortiplan

Legal name

Hortiplan BV

Website

https://hortiplan.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hortiplan BV, headquartered in Sint-Katelijne-Waver, Belgium, designs and installs custom automated greenhouse systems — including its proprietary Mobile Gutter System (MGS) — for professional growers, investors, and research institutions worldwide, operating as a specialized brand within the Arvesta agribusiness group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Greenhouse Automation & Hydroponic Systems

NAICS

Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512)

SIC

Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523)

akta.pro primary industry

Hydroponic & Aeroponic Growing Systems (NFT, DWC, Ebb/Flow, Misting) (AFAAAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Irrigation, Fertigation & Nutrient Delivery Systems (Dosing, Injectors, Sensors) (AFAAAHAE)

Keywords

• Automated greenhouse systems
• Hydroponic growing solutions
• Mobile gutter systems
• Greenhouse climate control
• Horticultural lighting solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Sint-katelijne-waver

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Automated Horticulture Systems: Hortiplan designs and supplies custom-made automated horticulture systems including Mobile Gutter Systems (MGS), water & electrical installations, irrigation, and lighting. Systems are tailored to each customer's specific crop, greenhouse specifications, and operational needs. Revenue is generated through the sale and installation of customized hardware and automation solutions.
2. Service, Maintenance & 24/7 Technical Support: Ongoing service and maintenance contracts backed by a dedicated team of technicians available 24/7. Remote access to installations enables rapid diagnosis and resolution of issues. Service is cited as a key differentiator and a pillar of the customer relationship.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hortiplan designs, builds, installs, and services custom automated greenhouse horticulture solutions for professional growers, investors, and research institutions worldwide. Its core offering is the proprietary Mobile Gutter System (MGS) for hydroponic NFT-based leafy green and herb production, complemented by integrated water and electrical engineering (including Hoogendoorn and Hortimax climate computers) and custom LED, HPS, and hybrid lighting installations. The company delivers worldwide installation backed by 24/7 technical service with remote diagnostics.

Product overview

Hortiplan offers a portfolio of three interconnected product categories for automated greenhouse horticulture solutions. The core product is the Mobiele Goten Systeem (MGS), a proprietary automated NFT (Nutrient Film Technique) growing system first developed in 1994. This is complemented by Water & Elektra services covering climate computers (Hoogendoorn, Hortimax), electrical engineering, water storage/treatment, and automation systems. The third category is Belichting (Lighting), offering LED (Philips Horti LED certified partner) and HPS/SonT solutions including hybrid configurations. All three product lines work together as an integrated greenhouse automation ecosystem, with global installation capabilities and 24/7 service support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mobiele Goten Systeem (MGS) — Mobile Gutter System Hortiplan's proprietary fully automated mobile gutter system for hydroponic cultivation of leafy greens and herbs using Nutrient Film Technique (NFT). The system automatically moves plants from planting to harvest station and adjusts plant spacing to maximize plant density at every growth stage. Designed per crop, variety, substrate, and target end weight. Delivers up to 10x more yield per square meter than open-air cultivation and reduces labor requirements by up to 10x. Targets professional growers, investors, and research institutions worldwide.
• Water & Elektra (Water and Electrical Engineering Services)

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 10x more yield per square meter compared to traditional open-air cultivation
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• ArvestacoreOthersArvesta is the parent company of Hortiplan. Hortiplan is described as 'a strong brand of Arvesta, the innovative and sustainable full service provider for farmer and grower.' Hortiplan operates within the Arvesta group of companies, sharing administrative infrastructure (e.g., data protection officer shared at group level via [email protected]), and joint sales and prospection activities are referenced in privacy documentation.
• Philips Horti LEDcoreTechnology or IntegrationHortiplan is a certified Philips Horti LED partner. The company installs Philips LED Interlights as part of its custom lighting solutions. The Philips Horti LED certification is prominently displayed on the lighting solutions page and indicates a certified installation partnership for horticultural LED lighting.
• HoogendoorncoreTechnology or IntegrationHortiplan installs and provides aftercare for Hoogendoorn climate computers, which are described as excellent for greenhouse automation. Hoogendoorn climate computers offer powerful, modern, and fast solutions for regulating optimal greenhouse climate.
• HortimaxcoreTechnology or IntegrationHortiplan installs and provides aftercare for Hortimax climate computers, alongside Hoogendoorn systems. Hortimax computers are suited for greenhouse automation and offer modern solutions for optimal climate regulation.
• GavitamajorTechnology or IntegrationGavita is a supplier of HPS (High Pressure Sodium) lighting fixtures used in Hortiplan's custom lighting solutions. Hortiplan installs Gavita HPS lamps alongside Philips LED Interlights in customer projects, as seen in case studies for Primato, Franky Galle, and Krist Desmet.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Logiqs: Dutch horticultural automation specialist offering mobile gutter, rolling bench, and internal logistics systems for greenhouses. Logiqs is the most direct competitor to Hortiplan's MGS for hydroponic leafy greens and herb production, with the same NFT-based, automated-spacing design principle.
• Kubo Group: Dutch turnkey greenhouse constructor offering automated high-tech greenhouse projects for vegetables, fruits, and floriculture. Kubo competes with Hortiplan on fully integrated automated greenhouse builds and serves a similar professional-grower base in NW Europe and globally.
• Certhon: Dutch high-tech greenhouse builder with automated cultivation solutions for vegetables, ornamentals, and pharmaceutical crops. Certhon competes in the same integrated automation niche as Hortiplan and serves similar commercial-grower customers worldwide.
• Richel Group: French greenhouse manufacturer delivering turnkey glass and poly greenhouse projects worldwide. Richel overlaps with Hortiplan in providing automated cultivation infrastructure to professional horticultural growers across multiple crop types.

Broad incumbents

• Priva: Dutch incumbent offering climate controls, process automation, and labor-management software for horticulture and building automation. Priva competes with parts of Hortiplan's climate/water-electrical scope but at broader scale and without a proprietary hydroponic system.
• Hoogendoorn: Leading Dutch provider of climate computers and automation software for greenhouses. Hoogendoorn is both a Hortiplan technology partner and a broader market incumbent whose products overlap with the climate-control layer of Hortiplan's integrated offering.
• Ridder Group: Dutch greenhouse technology group covering climate screens, water treatment, and drive systems. Ridder's water and climate portfolio competes with parts of Hortiplan's Water & Elektra and climate integration offering for commercial growers.

Others

• Arvesta: Belgian full-service provider for farmers and growers, and Hortiplan's parent company. Arvesta is an ecosystem/parent participant rather than a competitor, but its broader portfolio (inputs, distribution, advisory) creates both upstream support and potential channel conflict.
• Signify: Parent of Philips Lighting and owner of the Philips Horti LED line that Hortiplan is certified to install. Signify is a key enabling supplier/adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a competitor, but its strategic moves directly shape Hortiplan's LED hardware economics.

Emerging players

• Infarm: Germany-based vertical-farming operator building automated, sensor-driven indoor cultivation networks. Infarm shares Hortiplan's automation and remote-monitoring DNA but operates as a grower rather than as an equipment vendor, making it adjacent rather than directly competitive today.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hortiplan