In horticulture, you do not always have the luxury of time. When capacity becomes too tight for the next season, expanding is not an option but a necessity. That was the reality facing the Leybaert nursery in Moerbeke in 2023.
The challenge: growing without space
Leybaert BV is a large-scale producer of garden plants. In 2023, the existing logistics processing area reached its limits. With the 2024 season in sight, a solution was needed at short notice that not only offered more space but also made more efficient working possible. Standing still was not an option.
The solution: not an extension, but a transformation
Vermako took on the project in close cooperation with managing director Tom Leybaert. The result is a state-of-the-art logistics hall of more than 7,200 m². Not a separate add-on, but a well-thought-out design that supports Leybaert’s entire workflow.
The hall includes a fully integrated, automated production line. The combination of open space, natural light and targeted shading ensures that plants are optimally conditioned during processing.
Concrete gains for Leybaert:
- More efficient processing and logistics
- Room to keep innovating in plant cultivation
- Scalable capacity for future growth
- A working environment that matches the scale of the company
The customer’s view
“The reason I chose Vermako was their professional approach in the run-up to this project. The first thing you notice when you walk into the hall is the open space and the combination of light and shade, to condition the plants in the right way.”
Tom Leybaert, managing director Leybaert BV
What Tom valued most in the cooperation:
- A professional approach from the very first conversation
- Short lines of communication and quick action until a workable solution was on the table
- Customisation tailored to the crop being grown
- An end result that is recognisable as Vermako: “When you walk into the greenhouse, you know: that is a Vermako.”
What this project teaches about building in horticulture
A logistics hall for a horticultural business is not a standard industrial shed. The construction has to take into account the conditioning of living products, workflows that differ per crop, and the seasonal nature of the business. The design has to fit today, but also leave room for what the next five to ten years will bring.
That is why building to measure is not a luxury, but the only workable option. Standard solutions break down on the details.
Facing a similar challenge?
Are you running into the limits of your current infrastructure? Or are you planning growth that your buildings are not ready for yet? Vermako builds custom logistics halls, industrial covers and poly greenhouses for horticulture, agriculture and industry. From design to production and installation, everything in-house.