Gintec Shade Technologies

What Gintec Shade Technologies does

Gintec Shade Technologies Inc. is a privately held, family-owned Canadian specialty manufacturer founded in 1982 in Windham Centre, Ontario, by the Lucas brothers (Paul, James, Mark), who began as ginseng farmers before commercializing shade solutions developed for their own use. The company designs, manufactures, and supplies agricultural and horticultural crop protection and growing products across nine categories: frost protection, ground cover, irrigation, plasticulture, protective netting, shade cloth, structures, thermal screens, and hardware. Proprietary offerings include the GintecPRO sub-brand (Knit, Woven, and Guard fabrications), Supashade Plus premium shade cloth, Rotbloc recycled-LDPE pole protection, and Ice Wine reinforcement tape that enables mechanical harvesting above 3 km/h. Core technology is built around HDPE, polypropylene, and polyethylene materials with UV-stabilized and metallized variants (e.g., Aluminet to ASTM-D 3887), and a patented tensioned-cable structure system with steel or wooden poles.

The business operates a sales-led, B2B go-to-market targeting large commercial growers, small-to-medium growers, and adjacent industries (construction, landscaping, transportation, events), with a distribution footprint across Canada and the United States. Revenue is generated through one-time physical product sales and professional services revenue from turn-key custom engineering and installation; all pricing is quote-based with a 1-business-day response and no public rate card. The company maintains a retail showroom at its Windham Centre headquarters, a toll-free phone sales line, a website quote request pipeline, and a field engineering team for large custom projects. Gintec reports serving thousands of customers across North America, is bootstrapped with no disclosed external funding, and is led by the Lucas family with approximately 12 employees.

Name

Gintec Shade Technologies

Legal name

Gintec Shade Technologies Inc.

Website

https://gintec.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gintec Shade Technologies is a family-owned Canadian manufacturer founded in 1982 that designs, fabricates, and installs crop protection and growing products — shade cloth, netting, frost covers, thermal screens, and structures — for commercial and small-to-medium growers across North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Crop Protection Products

NAICS

Broadwoven Fabric Mills (313210)

SIC

Broadwoven Fabric Mills, Man Made Fiber & Silk (2221), Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply (5200)

akta.pro primary industry

Agricultural & Horticultural Technical Textiles (Crop Covers/Shade Nets/Mulch Fabrics) (IMAOADAJ)

Keywords

• Agricultural shade cloth
• Crop protection netting
• Greenhouse thermal screens
• Agricultural irrigation systems
• Protective netting structures

Headquarters

HQ city

Windham Centre

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Physical Product Sales: Gintec generates revenue through the sale of physical crop protection and growing products including shade cloth, netting, irrigation systems, structures, ground cover, plasticulture, and hardware. Products are sold as one-time purchases with options for custom fabrication to customer specifications.
2. Custom Engineering and Installation Services: The company provides turn-key custom engineering and installation services for structures, irrigation systems, and other products. This adds a services component to product sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Gintec Shade Technologies manufactures and supplies crop protection and growing products for agricultural and horticultural operations. Its portfolio spans nine product categories — frost protection, ground cover, irrigation, plasticulture, protective netting, shade cloth, thermal screens, structures, and hardware — sold under the Gintec and GintecPRO brands. The company serves large commercial growers, small-medium growers, and non-agricultural industries across North America, with options for custom fabrication and turn-key installation.

Product overview

Gintec Shade Technologies is a family-owned agricultural and horticultural products company with over 26 years of experience, originally founded as a ginseng farm in 1982. The company manufactures and supplies a comprehensive portfolio of crop protection and growing solutions organized into nine main product categories: Frost Protection (including GintecPRO Guard Cover, Freeze Blankets, and Tropical Freeze Covers), Ground Cover (woven weed control fabrics), Irrigation (drip systems, fittings, pumps, pipes, sprinklers), Plasticulture (mulch, tunnels, biodegradable options, and equipment), Protective Netting (anti-hail, bird, insect/pollen, and vineyard-specific netting under the GintecPRO Guard line), Shade Cloth (GintecPRO Knit and Woven, Lathe, and Supashade Plus premium products), Thermal Screens (Aluminet reflective screens, OLS screens, and Fixed & Retractable screen systems), Structures (Steel, Wood, Anti-Hail, Fencing, and Rotbloc pole protection), and Hardware & Equipment. The GintecPRO professional sub-brand encompasses Knit, Woven, and Guard product families for commercial-grade applications. Products serve growers from residential gardens to large commercial agricultural operations, as well as industries including construction, landscaping, transportation, storage, events, and leisure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GintecPRO: Professional grade product series including Knit, Woven and Guard products for shade, frost covers, structures, netting and more. Built to last with highest quality materials and fabrication techniques.
• Supashade Plus

Products and services

• GintecPRO Guard Cover Multi-functional frost protection cover made of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) that provides UV advantage for agricultural use. Protects against winter weather, spring freeze, heavy rain, hail, storms, and pests. Available in multiple weights (GG-19, PG-22, PG-34, PG-40, PG-51, PG-68) with varying freeze protection levels down to 20°F for the heaviest weight.
• Freeze Blankets Non-woven polypropylene blankets placed directly over plants or shrubs for frost or freeze protection, creating a barrier that traps ground heat. Available in Medium Weight 4 oz (protects to 28°F) and Heavy Weight 6 oz (protects to 0°F) options.
• Tropical Freeze Covers Woven polypropylene freeze covers designed to protect tropical plants and flowers from damaging frost and freeze in colder climates. Features opaque white fabric for maximum sunlight and includes a black winterizing cover sewn into the edge for UV protection during summer storage.
• Woven Ground Cover Woven weed control fabric available in black and white options. Black ground cover is woven from 100% polypropylene slit film with UV inhibitor and light lock. White ground cover increases light levels in greenhouses. Both allow water flow while preventing weed penetration, with gold marker lines for container alignment.
• Irrigation Products Complete irrigation solutions including drip tape and hose, fittings (1/8" to 10' sizes), custom irrigation system design, pumps and filters, PVC and aluminum pipe, and sprinklers and nozzles for delivering water and nutrients to crops.
• Plasticulture Alternative growing solutions using plastic materials including standard plastic mulch, biodegradable mulch, tunnel standard airflow systems, and related equipment (bed shapers, waterwheel planters, tunnel layers, mulch layers, mulch winders). All equipment made in North America.
• GintecPRO Guard Netting Multi-functional HDPE netting with 4mm x 7mm mesh openings designed for vineyard, anti-hail, and bird protection. UV resistant, run-resistant, durable fabric that can last 15 years or more. Available in widths of 0.8m and 1.1m with reinforced edges.
• Insect/Pollen Netting and Screens UV-stabilized acrylic and HDPE insect barriers available in multiple hole sizes: ECONET 95-194 (controls bees), ECONET 60-105, ECONET 41-75 (controls whitefly), ECONET 29-75, and ECONET 18-18 (thrip exclusion with .148mm x .18mm holes). Lifespan of 5-8 years in most climates.
• Anti-Hail Netting HDPE anti-hail protection netting with 4mm x 7mm mesh openings. Provides hail and wind protection, reduces blister spots, creates thermal effect, reduces sunburn and spray drift. Available in Black (17% shade factor), Grey (8% shade factor), and Crystal (6% shade factor). Can last more than 10 years.
• Bird Netting High-density polyethylene monofilament bird protection netting with 5/8" optimum hole size (small enough for small birds, large enough for bee movement). Stretch mesh fabric that can be stretched to custom fit, UV stabilized and chemical resistant, backed by 5-year prorated warranty against UV degradation.
• Vineyard Netting GintecPRO Guard Netting variant designed for vineyard protection from birds, hail, wind and Ice Wine applications. Features special Ice Wine reinforcement tape for mechanical harvesting at speeds over 3km/h, reducing waste and plant damage.
• GintecPRO Knit Shade Cloth Polyethylene knit shade cloth that won't unravel when cut or torn. Available in 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, and 80% shade factors. Standard mill widths are 10', 12', and 20' with custom widths available.
• GintecPRO Woven Shade Cloth Economical lightweight polyethylene woven shade cloth, industry standard for over 50 years. Available in 30%, 47%, 55%, 63%, 73%, 80%, and 95% shade factors. Standard mill widths are 6', 10', 12', and 15'.
• Lathe Shade Cloth Woven polypropylene shade traditionally used for Ginseng and Golden Seal among other crops and animals. Available in 78% and 82% shade factors with standard mill width of 12'.
• Supashade Plus Premium grade polyethylene knit shade cloth with excellent UV protection for outdoor entertaining areas. Knitted material allows air flow with up to 95% shade factor, available in many colours, custom built to specifications, long-lasting durability.
• Aluminet Highly reflective knitted thermal screen made from metallized HDPE (High Density Polypropylene) with anti-oxidation coating. Meets ASTM-D 3887 standard. Available in 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, and 70% shade factors. Provides dual functionality for shading and cooling greenhouses, also protects against frost.
• OLS Screens Greenhouse thermal screens with aluminum strips that reflect sunlight to keep greenhouse cool by day and reduce heat radiation at night. Available in 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80% shade factors, plus OLS 90% ABRI with 2.3mm polyester support wire. Standard width 4.2 meters (13.77').
• Fixed & Retractable Thermal Screens Thermal screen systems for year-round climate control and energy efficiency. Retractable screens can reduce winter heating bills by up to 50%. Operated by electric drive units with reversing control and built-in limit switches, available as kit form for DIY installation.
• Steel Structures Lightweight yet strong tensioned cable system supported by steel poles fastened to anchors augured into the ground. Patented solution for securing shade cloth or protective netting. Poles can also support trellis systems.
• Wood Structures Reliable, sturdy, and cost-effective tensioned cable system supported by wooden poles anchored by augers. Uses GintecPRO Knit, Woven, or Guard materials. Poles can also support trellis systems.
• Anti-Hail Structures Tensioned cable system with wooden or steel poles for hail protection. Uses GintecPRO Guard Netting secured to ridge wire and attached with special clips forming a valley where hail bounces down harmlessly. Maximum area per structure is 20ha with maximum row length of 500m.
• Fencing Cost-efficient fencing solutions using galvanized steel chain link combined with GintecPRO Knit or Woven materials. Available in varying privacy degrees from sheer to opaque. Options for permanent or temporary installation with custom sizes.
• Rotbloc Pole Protection Pole protection barrier system made of 100% recycled low-density polyethylene that affixes to the bottom of poles to prevent premature ground-line rot and chemical leaching. Flexible, durable, impervious to chemicals and water. Available in 13.5" x 180 ft, 20" x 120 ft, and 30" x 80 ft rolls, plus pre-measured perforated sizes. Organic-classified under WSDA and approved by PRO-CERT and PACS.
• Hardware & Equipment Complete line of hardware including posts, cables, fasteners for structures and retract systems. Also equipment such as bed shapers, waterwheel planters, tunnel layers, mulch layers, mulch winders. North American-made, available to rent or own.
• Custom Engineering and Installation Services Turn-key custom engineering and installation services for structures, irrigation systems, and other products. Designed for large commercial growers who require professional design, fabrication, and on-site installation of crop protection systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• GintecPRO Guard Netting can pay for itself in the first year for Ice Wine vineyards based on loss prevention ($2,700/acre or up to $5,100/acre depending on yield and pricing)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• RivuliscoreTechnology or IntegrationRivulis is listed as a partner on Gintec's Partners page. Rivulis is an irrigation company providing micro irrigation solutions. The partnership allows Gintec to offer Rivulis products as part of their irrigation solutions portfolio.
• JaincoreTechnology or IntegrationJain is listed as a partner on Gintec's Partners page. Jain is an irrigation company. The partnership allows Gintec to offer Jain irrigation products as part of their comprehensive irrigation solutions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ginegar Plastic Products: Israel-based global manufacturer of agricultural plastic films, shade nets, and crop protection products. Directly comparable product portfolio across shade cloth, mulch films, and protective netting serving commercial growers worldwide, with overlapping customer segments in specialty crops.
• Tenax Group: Italian and US manufacturer of plastic nets and meshes for agricultural, construction, and industrial applications. Direct peer in agricultural netting, vineyard protection, and crop support structures with overlapping specialty crop focus.
• Polysack Plastics Industries: Israeli producer of agricultural nets, films, and packaging including vineyard netting, crop covers, and protective textiles. Overlaps directly with Gintec's GintecPRO Guard and vineyard netting product lines and competes for similar grower accounts.
• A.A. Politiv (1999) Ltd. Israeli agrotextile manufacturer specializing in greenhouse films, shade nets, thermal screens, and mulch films. Direct peer with comparable agricultural technical textile portfolio and similar international customer base in specialty crops.
• Arrigoni S.p.A. Italian manufacturer of agrotextiles including shade nets, anti-hail systems, thermal screens, and windbreak fabrics. Direct competitor in specialty crop protection with comparable product range and similar focus on horticultural and vineyard customers.
• Dubois Agrinovation: Quebec-based Canadian agricultural inputs supplier offering crop covers, mulches, floating row covers, and crop protection products. Closest regional competitor with directly overlapping product range and a shared Canadian grower customer base in Quebec and Ontario.
• TriEst Ag Group: US-based agricultural supplier of plasticulture, irrigation, and crop protection products serving commercial growers across North America. Direct peer in plastic mulch, drip irrigation, and crop covers with comparable hybrid retail/distributor-plus-services model.

Broad incumbents

• RKW Group: Large European manufacturer of films and nets including agricultural applications. Competes in crop protection films and nets as part of a broader portfolio spanning hygiene, industrial, and consumer packaging; competes on scale rather than specialty positioning.
• Berry Global Inc. Multi-billion-dollar global plastic products manufacturer with agricultural films and nets within its consumer packaging portfolio. Competes on scale in standard polyethylene products rather than specialty agricultural technical textiles, but represents a long-term threat on commoditized lines.

Regional players

• Premier Tech: Quebec-based diversified company with horticulture and agriculture product lines including growing media, organic fertilizers, and crop protection. Regional Canadian peer with broader portfolio but overlapping grower customer base in Eastern Canada.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCkmxKEobJyFaFa193N2pNtg
• Facebookfacebook.com/gintecgrowingsolutions
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gintec-shade-technologies

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Gintec Shade Technologies