In January 2025, the heart of the international horticultural industry will beat in Essen, Germany. The Flemish producers will not miss this important industry event: 32 companies will be presenting themselves at the joint boots organized by Flanders' Agricultural Marketing Board (VLAM) from January 28 to 31, 2025.
Three Joint Boots
Since the start of the International Plant Fair in 1983, Flemish horticultural businesses have used this major event in Essen to showcase classics, specialties, and innovations. At the 2025 IPM edition, the VLAM joint boots will once again be spread across three halls:
- Hall 2 - Boots B 25, D 26 & D 30
Featuring: CS-plant, Dataflor, Decock Plants, De Croock, De Vos-Hertschap, John De Wilde, Denis-Plants, Deroose Plants, FlorAmor - Hortinno, Helleborus, Herplant, Joluplant, Leybaert, Labeau, Boomkwekerij Peers, Plant Select, Rudy Raes Bloemzaden. - Hall 6 - Boots C 26 & D 26
Featuring: Jules Block, Geert Bogaert, Calle-Plant, Goossens Raf, Heyeveld, Laurica-plants, Rimbaut Peter boomkwekerij, Vandamme Sierplanten, Van Poecke & zn, Patrick Vos Boomkwekerij. - Hall 8 – Boots C 42 & D 26
Featuring: ADM Greentraders, Neyt-Van Sante, Sylva, Van Hulle B&C.
New Stand Design
The new exhibition concept of Flanders at IPM can be summarized as higher, lighter, and more yellow, paired with playful material choices.
- Taller: With a height of about five meters, the stand ensures greater visibility at the fair.
- More yellow: The heart of Belgian horticulture beats in Flanders, whose flag features a black lion emblem on a yellow background. The lion's head, along with numerous yellow accents, can be found in the new exhibition concept.
The new design creates a clearly recognizable framework with an independent exhibition area that still allows exhibitors to highlight individual elements, such as company logos, product displays, etc.
The stacked, colourful cubes featuring eye-catching images of plants, trees, and shrubs have become a signature of the VLAM joint boots at IPM. Bright, diverse, and flexible, these designs reflect the nature of the Flemish exhibitors themselves. The prominent slogan “WE GROW YOUR WAY” speaks for itself.
Picture: ©VLAM
About Flemish Horticulture
Small Area – Big Impact
Flanders' agricultural area covers 619,806 hectares, with 5,800 hectares primarily managed by family-owned horticultural businesses. The majority of production takes place in open fields, while the under-glass area covers 500 hectares. The average size of a horticultural business is 7.72 hectares.
These horticultural businesses achieve an annual turnover of 580 million euros, with 36% from flowers and ornamental plants and 64% from the nursery industry. Flemish horticulture is traditionally export-oriented: 91% of the output is sold within the EU, with 9% directed to third-country markets, half of which is destined for the UK. Belgian specialties such as azaleas, begonias, and roses are highly popular outside the EU.
Responsible Gardening
Innovation and sustainable entrepreneurship are key values for Flemish horticultural players. With the support of scientific research, new, more resilient plant varieties are being developed to cope better with climate change. By using alternative substrate mixtures, dependence on traditional, resource-intensive materials is significantly reduced. Precision farming techniques optimize water, nutrient, and plant protection use. Integrated pest management (IPM) is preferred over chemical applications, contributing to a better ecological balance.
FlandersPlants.com
The IPM appearance of Flanders is also showcased on the website www.flandersplants.com. Visitors can explore the profiles of Flemish exhibitors prior to the start of the fair. The site also contains various resources about Belgian horticulture, such as supplier directories, product information, and company presentations.