Sowing lines are restarted and new orders are being taken again. That is the result of the restart of Dutch propagator West Plant Group under the name WPG, which was announced on Tuesday evening. Initially, the focus of the new shareholder Erik Gubbels and a new management team will be on the greenhouse location in greenhouse horticulture area Siberia, in the south of Netherlands, and on supplying cabbage plants and strawberry plants. There was temporary uncertainty about this after the bankruptcy. With this positive news, they want to remove that uncertainty.
"It happened fairly spontaneously," says Erik, who also owns pepper cultivation company Kwekerij Gubbels in addition to his new role. Erik takes over WPG as shareholder of WPG Real Estate BV and WPG BV. "It's a big step, but when West Plant Group went bankrupt, also because we ourselves are also in the greenhouse horticulture area of Siberia, I went to see if it could be interesting. I talked to people from the company and from my network and see opportunities for the beautiful company that West Plant Group was, and that WPG is. There is room in the market for a company like WPG."
Photo right: Erik at HortiContact 2025
New orders
After the bankruptcy in mid-February, the receiver, together with the people at the propagator, continued ongoing cultivation. The Limburg-based company specializes in cabbage, celery, leek, herb, and strawberry plants in trays and also supplies strawberry plants and patio roses to retailers. "The people of West Plant Group have continued to work with dedication during the bankruptcy. Last week, they started delivering plants. We are continuing that fully now, and we are also taking new orders again. We are restarting the seedling lines."
Most urgent now is the delivery of cabbage plants. "For customers who were in doubt, we want to give them clarity quickly and continue to supply good-quality plants. We want to convince customers who were temporarily forced to go to other suppliers to come back. For our nursery specialists, it is business as usual: make beautiful, good-quality plants and continue with that."
Back to basics
Strategically, the new management of WPG, with Managing Director Wieke Grubben at the helm, is now choosing to go back to basics first. Wieke had been working at the propagator before the bankruptcy. Erik said, "We are continuing almost the entire product package, with only minor changes. The details about that have yet to crystallize. A bankruptcy process is very short and fast. In that, you can't work out everything in detail already. Cabbage plants will remain the main product, and we will also continue to supply strawberry plants, for example. There, the peak is in a different period, so that complements each other nicely."
Propagation of fruiting vegetable plants, for those who think pepper grower Erik looks at this with a slanted eye, is out of the question. "The current stands have little or no heating. If you want to propagate fruiting vegetable plants, you do need that."
Archive image propagation of cauliflower plants. Facebook photo
Focus on Siberia
As part of "back to basics," the focus for now is on the Maasbree site, in the greenhouse horticulture area Siberia. That location has 16 hectares, with 8 hectares of greenhouse presently. West Plant Group was based at three locations. Two locations will join the relaunch. "We will not take over the location in Lottum, but we will take over the location on Venrayseweg in Venlo, although the focus is now first on the location in Maasbree." At the Maasbree location, there is an opportunity to expand in glass area. Bundling activities at one location is something the new management team is considering with an eye to the future.
Due to the strategic choice, not all employees can join the relaunch. "That is unfortunate, but unfortunately, it is no different. By retaining half of the employees, we offer continuity and stability within the market in which we operate."
Days after the takeover and relaunch, the focus is now first on continuing ongoing crops, delivering plants, taking new orders, and sowing. Erik will try to divide his time between pepper cultivation and breeding activities, he says early Wednesday morning before entering a series of consultations with WPG people. "My approach is to divide my time 50/50. I can only do that thanks to a great team of good people who manage the day-to-day and weekly operations for Nursery Gubbels."
*For the location in Lottum, another buyer has been found by the trustee.
For more information:
WPG
organisatie@westplantgroup.com
www.westplantgroup.com