Headlines October
Patient stop at Zaans Medical Center due to power outage after test
The malfunction occurred after a power test. This caused several systems to fail. The malfunction has now been resolved and the Zaans Medical Center is open again for patients, with the exception of the cardiac monitoring department. It is not clear why this department remains closed to new patients for the time being.
Short voltage dip
The problem occurred due to an unexpected short voltage dip, while performing the power test. As a result, several systems went out and various functionalities stopped working properly. Twice a year, the Medical Center conducts such a power test to make sure that in the event of an emergency, all electricity-dependent facilities will start up again. For the past five years, the test always went well.
Source: https://www.nhnieuws.nl/nieuws/309237/zaans-medisch-centrum-stelt-patientenstop-in-en-sluit-eerste-hulp-onverwachte-storing-na-stroomtest
Judicial raid on construction company BAM, shares lose more than 15 percent at opening
The Fiscal Intelligence and Investigation Service (FIOD) and the Public Prosecution Service raided BAM International's Gouda office last Friday. According to the construction company, the Justice Department is conducting "an investigation into possible irregularities" in some of BAM International's already completed projects. BAM makes no further announcements about the investigation, but says it is cooperating fully with the investigation.
In 2020, BAM announced its intention to cease international construction activities due to "the lack of positive prospects." All current projects have now been completed and delivered. Royal BAM International is the foreign operating company of construction company BAM, which until recently carried out construction and infrastructure projects in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and North and Central America. In recent years, for example, it laid roads in Dubai, built airports in Tanzania, constructed an LNG terminal in Panama and a container terminal in Costa Rica, and delivered Unilever's headquarters in Indonesia. On the stock exchange, the raid by the Public Prosecutor and the Fiod on BAM caused a sharp fall in the share price. BAM shares lose more than 15 percent at the opening, at 1.98 euros.
Source: https://nos.nl/artikel/2448711-inval-justitie-bij-bouwbedrijf-bam
----- Energy crisis in the Netherlands-----
HAK temporarily halts production due to energy costs, applesauce and peas more expensive
Vegetable and legume company HAK is going to stop production for six weeks starting in January. With current energy prices, it is not feasible to continue production in the winter, says the cannery, which as a market leader is best known for its glass jars of applesauce, peas and brown beans. "It's not only the high price, but also the uncertainty, says director Timo Hoogeboom. "Today it is two euros for a cubic meter of gas, it has also been three euros at times. What it will be in January or February we don't know. So to be on the safe side we stay closed then."
Stock
HAK expects products to become more expensive, but canned goods will remain on the shelves, the company says. In fact, they plan the break when the harvest season is already over. Products such as legumes are more flexible to plan, HAK said, and the company still has a stock for unexpected circumstances. HAK pulls vegetables from the fields during harvest season and then preserves them in glass jars to preserve them. The heating required for that wecking process takes a lot of energy. Also, the glass jars the company uses are more expensive due to the increased cost of energy.
Applesauce more expensive
So the company does expect their prices to continue to rise. "Our applesauce has already become about 20 cents more expensive. If energy prices stay this high, you have to think that products across the board will get 30 percent more expensive." For a 1.80 euro jar of applesauce, it will then quickly become about 2.20-2.30 euros, Hoogeboom believes. "It varies enormously per product to what extent you can pass on increased costs to the customer," says Rob Morren, food economist at ABN Amro. It depends, for example, on how much customers expect certain products in the supermarket and whether there are many alternatives. "For Hak, there are. You can buy fresh vegetables, frozen vegetables or preserves of another brand," Morren continues.
Possible scaling down
If it no longer succeeds in passing on higher energy prices to consumers, eventually product availability may also be compromised. "If companies have to sell below cost for months on end, things will go wrong," he says. For HAK, he does not expect empty shelves for the time being. "But for the chain I don't rule it out, especially in January, February and March." A temporary energy cap for companies could help, the HAK director thinks. "Companies will first see how they can absorb the costs themselves but if that is no longer possible, they will have to scale down," confirms food economist Morren. "I expect this to happen more broadly." Baltussen Canning Plant, another vegetable cannery, has no plans to shut down its production. They are, however, asking for more flexibility in contracts with supermarkets, now that energy prices are so unpredictable.
Source: https://nos.nl/artikel/2446920-hak-stopt-productie-tijdelijk-vanwege-energiekosten-appelmoes-duurder
Part of Chemelot shut down due to energy crisis
More and more companies are in trouble due to high energy prices. Since the end of August, for example, companies on the Chemelot industrial site in Geleen have been partially or completely shutting down their operations.
This is what director Loek Radix told visitors to Chemelot's open day on Saturday.
'Positive is weakened'
Radix: "We are now in a situation where our competitive position in relation to the rest of the world has been greatly weakened. That causes me great concern." Natural gas and oil are important sources of raw materials for the chemical industry. As these become 10 times more expensive than in the rest of the world, Radix says a major problem arises.
Consequently, many companies can no longer compete on the world market in some components. Prices of raw materials in Asia and America, for example, are much lower than here, in the Netherlands or Europe. "Quite a number of factories have even scaled down or even stopped production altogether as a result. So this is not a situation we can allow to continue for very long," said Radix
'Not a tenable situation'
How many of the sixty plants at Chemelot have been affected, Radix would not say. However, according to director, it is clear that gas prices need to come down significantly soon: "This is so not a tenable situation for the chemical industry in Europe."
poster
Production
Scaling back or shutting down production ultimately affects consumers because (end) products are becoming increasingly expensive. For now, there are no consequences for Chemelot employees. "There is, of course, always maintenance work to do. So there are no rounds of layoffs or anything yet. But again, this is not a situation that should continue for a very long time." In doing so, Radix says there has been a personnel shortage at Chemelot for some time. According to Radix, the energy crisis is also not favorable for the much-needed sustainability of to Chemelot's much-needed sustainability efforts.
Source: https://www.1limburg.nl/nieuws/1854811/deel-van-chemelot-stilgelegd-door-energiecrisis?swipePagination=7d16f2c3-7580-521a-9e60-a9efaf0fcc50
Cold store now paying nearly half a million a month to keep onions and chicory cool
Rapidly rising energy costs are a concern for almost everyone. Many households dread the moment the bill hits the mat. But companies are also struggling with increased energy costs. De Groene AGRI BV in Rutten is one of those companies. At this cold storage and freezer house, farmers can store their products, such as onions, winter carrots, chicory roots and celeriac for a certain period of time. Farmers retrieve them when they want. Because energy costs are rising rapidly, cold stores enter into contracts with a storage rate and a variable energy rate. As a result, farmers now have to pay more in energy costs than before the energy crisis. According to Johan de Groene of Green AGRI, his farm's energy costs have skyrocketed. "We used to pay about 75,000 euros a month and we are now going over 400,000 euros," he said.
Concerns are great
Johan de Groene is very worried. He fears loss of sales. Farmers would look for other ways to store their products, for example in their own barns. They could also sell their products directly. That way, they no longer need the services of De Groene AGRI. The entrepreneur thinks of all kinds of solutions to get energy costs down but he says the possibilities are limited. He would prefer to build a windmill but a solitary windmill is not allowed. He is also thinking of solar panels but that is not the best solution. He needs a lot of power during harvest time. He says that is from October to January. But solar panels produce less power during that period.
The national government has come up with all kinds of measures, including for business owners to compensate them for high energy bills but De Groene does not know if his business qualifies. He says he can sustain the current energy costs for a maximum of one year. After that, no more.
Source: https://www.omroepflevoland.nl/nieuws/304119/koelhuis-betaalt-nu-bijna-half-miljoen-per-maand-om-uien-en-witlof-koel-te-houden
Plantise grower quits due to rising energy prices, 400 people lose jobs
Plantise, one of the largest plant growers in the Netherlands, will close its doors on April 1, 2023. That means 200 permanent employees and 200 flex workers will lose their jobs in a few months. According to Plantise CEO Marco Vermeulen, increased energy prices are a major cause. "Confronting," Marco Vermeulen finds the situation. "Because of the increased energy prices, everything we buy becomes more expensive, and it is all passed on to us." Electricity in particular has become more expensive. And so have the materials that greenhouse horticulture uses and has to buy. Inflation causes workers to demand higher wages. Logical, Vermeulen thinks, but Plantise cannot properly pass on those increased operating costs to the products. So ziji money problems arise. Banks and shareholders were approached for financing, but to no avail.
Plantise specializes in growing organic and regular vegetable and ornamental plants, both at home and abroad. Plantise's Dutch branches are in Bleiswijk, Baarlo, Kessel and Naaldwijk. Vermeulen emphasizes: quitting is the loving choice. Plantise employees still have several months of work and time to find a new job. If the company were to choose to see it through and see if the energy ceiling can reduce operating costs enough, Plantise could still go bankrupt. "And then employees would lose their jobs immediately. That's how we take responsibility." Reporting bad news is never easy to do. Marco Vermeulen tells below what it was like to have to tell his many employees anyway. The plant grower is now no longer taking new orders. The focus is on outstanding deliveries and the future of its 200 permanent employees and 200 flex workers, Vermeulen says. According to the CEO, the company is looking at "transition compensation" for employees and is in talks with the UWV.
In any case, Plantise's staff is being assisted by CNV Vakmensen. "Terrible," CNV union executive Jeroen Warnaar called the closure of Plantise on Radio Rijnmond. "On Tuesday the personnel were informed, then of course the emotions were released. People like you and me are affected by the high price in the supermarket, but they are also losing their jobs." Director Vermeulen wants to deal with the blow first. After that, the union is going to help staff find new work. "You can say it's a period when other work is available," Warnaar says, referring to staff shortages in many sectors. "Just not everyone fits every job. We're going to look carefully at how we can help them find work." The collapse of Plantise is a sweeping sign for the greenhouse horticulture sector, though, Vermeulen thinks. He has heard noises that other horticulturists are putting their greenhouses "cold or without light. Warnaar foresees reorganizations within companies in the sector and thinks more closures cannot be ruled out. "Let's hope it's limited and jobs remain intact," he said. Giant gas prices and upcoming winter are a toxic cocktail for horticulturists
Source: https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/1559874/kweker-plantise-gaat-de-deuren-sluiten-door-stijgende-energieprijzen-400-mensen-verliezen-hun-werk?swipePagination=62703434-6df9-5cbc-81e9-18f5aafa3a83
Erica grower quits orchids due to energy prices: 'You don't just decide that'
Van Geel Orchids from Erica will stop growing orchids after May next year. The reason is the sky-high gas prices, making the company choose to switch to other cultivation. What that will be in the future is still being studied. The company grows about 2.8 million orchids annually. "We are producing until May next year," explains director Martijn van Geel. "We are no longer putting up new orchids. With the current energy prices, this is not a good product for now."
'Big shocks in the market'
In fact, growing orchids requires a lot of gas, according to Van Geel. "In five weeks there are such variations. From 3.50 euros to yesterday 1.60 euros per cubic meter. You can do bad business with that, if you then use a few million cubic meters of gas per year."
"If the cost price doubles, that gives big shocks in the market." According to the director, over fifty million orchids have been taken off the market nationwide in the last six weeks. "That's twenty times our business. That has never happened before, that so much of one product disappears from the market."
'Not a dramatic story'
Van Geel emphasizes that he does not want to make a dramatic story out of it. "We are still perfectly capable of making our own decision to stop. There are also growers who were forced to stop. Yes, of course it is a shame and a waste of knowledge. We have grown big in this product over the past fifteen years. You don't decide that just like that."
From the government, he has to see what will come of the support measures. "I know they are working on a support package, but I don't expect big things for us for that. It's very difficult to apply customization in our sector and come up with solutions for that."
This is because growing orchids has a long cycle, which reduces your flexibility as a grower. "The plants we buy are a year and a half old. Then you have to grow one more year. So that's a total of two and a half years. If you say you're going to stop, there's really no going back. You can't just start again then," Van Geel explains. "We also get a lot of feedback from customers all over Europe that they are sorry and not happy about it."
Looking for alternative
In addition to the orchid nursery, Van Geel also has a chrysanthemum nursery, where the cycle is ten weeks. The company continues with that as well. An alternative will be sought for the orchids in the coming period. Stopping this business, also offers perspective for the future. "We bought sixty percent of the gas we need for this cheaply a few years ago. Now we don't have to buy additional forty percent expensive gas," Van Geel explained. "And we can resell the other gas more expensively. This at least gives us opportunities to take up the challenge with a large part of our team, to make new sustainable products." "We have built new greenhouses in recent years. They are brand new and modern, with all the trimmings. We will be looking for new ideas, crops and products. We are going to do thorough research on that in the coming period. We can grow anything: flowers, vegetables and fruit, but of course we have to see what the market is for." Staff members do have to leave because of this choice. Between now and the end of May, the company will be saying goodbye to fifty people. That leaves thirty-five people. What will happen after that is not yet known. "I can't promise them anything until we have made a decision. And we really don't know that yet. We still need time for that."
Source: https://www.rtvdrenthe.nl/nieuws/15018182/kweker-uit-erica-stopt-met-orchideeen-wegens-energieprijzen-dat-beslis-je-niet-zomaar
Barger-Compascuum supermarket closes due to high energy prices
The village of Barger-Compascuum will lose its only supermarket by the end of the year. Operators Elsbeth Maatman and Jeroen Koopman are pulling the plug. Literally and figuratively, because high energy prices have been the reason for the difficult decision. The store will close its doors in December. According to Koopman, he and his business partner had been walking around with the idea of quitting for some time. "Last week we finally tied the knot. Energy prices have been depressing our business for some time." According to the operator, a remodeling of the premises is actually necessary to make it more energy efficient. The money for this operation is just not there. "So we saw no other solution than to quit." Government measures are too inadequate for the Compascumer supermarket. "Partly because they only take effect from the second quarter."
Real shame
The decision has since been passed on to Spar, the chain the store is part of. Koopman and Maatman had been running the supermarket since 2016. In that year, they took over the store from the then owner. Before that, they worked as employees at the supermarket. Koopman regrets the outcome. "It's really unfortunate. Also for the village and people who really depended on this store for their groceries."
Source: https://www.rtvdrenthe.nl/nieuws/15072683/supermarkt-barger-compascuum-sluit-vanwege-hoge-energieprijzen
Large bakery bankrupted by high energy prices, 48 workers laid off
Bakkerij d'n Bekker with six stores in the Land van Cuijk has been declared bankrupt by the court in Den Bosch. All stores are closed and 48 employees will lose their jobs. "With these energy prices, it is no longer a viable option," says baker Hans van Duijvenvoorde. It is one of the first large bakeries in Brabant to go bankrupt due to high energy prices. Bakkerij d'n Bekker has six stores in Haps, Grave, Cuijk, Boxmeer, Mill and in Gennep, Limburg. Since Tuesday the stores are closed. On the door hangs a bill. "With pain in our hearts we have unfortunately had to decide to close the doors. Due to extreme price increases of our raw materials and electricity, it is no longer feasible to continue our beautiful work," the bill reads. "We have tried to hold out until the end," baker Hans van Duijvenvoorde reveals in a response. "At some point you sit and wait to see who is going to last the longest. You or your colleagues. If your colleague falls over, you might be able to take over some of his sales. But now I was the first to go."
48 people laid off
The biggest culprit is the skyrocketing price of energy. "For the store in Haps alone, it went from 2,000 euros a month to 12,000 euros. That's the store with the highest costs because that's where most of the baking takes place," van Duijvenvoorde says. "And you can't pass on all those prices in the bread. You're already at the maximum you can ask for a loaf of bread." And so the bakery chain has now been declared bankrupt. "Monday night we spoke to the staff. 48 people are now on the street," says the baker. Since Tuesday, all stores have been closed.
10 percent go bankrupt
The central government is working on a support package to partially compensate companies such as bakers for high energy prices. This would then be introduced in the spring. "That comes too late for us," van Duijvenvoorde says. "Your energy costs have to be 12.5 percent of sales. Normally with us it's 4 percent. Now with these energy prices at most 10 percent. So we wouldn't qualify for that support." Baker Hans van Duijvenvoorde thinks he is not the last to fail. "I expect 10 percent of bakers to be bankrupt by the end of the year," he said.
Source: https://www.omroepbrabant.nl/nieuws/4170249/grote-bakkerij-failliet-door-hoge-energieprijzen-48-werknemers-op-straat
The malfunction occurred after a power test. This caused several systems to fail. The malfunction has now been resolved and the Zaans Medical Center is open again for patients, with the exception of the cardiac monitoring department. It is not clear why this department remains closed to new patients for the time being.
Short voltage dip
The problem occurred due to an unexpected short voltage dip, while performing the power test. As a result, several systems went out and various functionalities stopped working properly. Twice a year, the Medical Center conducts such a power test to make sure that in the event of an emergency, all electricity-dependent facilities will start up again. For the past five years, the test always went well.
Source: https://www.nhnieuws.nl/nieuws/309237/zaans-medisch-centrum-stelt-patientenstop-in-en-sluit-eerste-hulp-onverwachte-storing-na-stroomtest
Judicial raid on construction company BAM, shares lose more than 15 percent at opening
The Fiscal Intelligence and Investigation Service (FIOD) and the Public Prosecution Service raided BAM International's Gouda office last Friday. According to the construction company, the Justice Department is conducting "an investigation into possible irregularities" in some of BAM International's already completed projects. BAM makes no further announcements about the investigation, but says it is cooperating fully with the investigation.
In 2020, BAM announced its intention to cease international construction activities due to "the lack of positive prospects." All current projects have now been completed and delivered. Royal BAM International is the foreign operating company of construction company BAM, which until recently carried out construction and infrastructure projects in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and North and Central America. In recent years, for example, it laid roads in Dubai, built airports in Tanzania, constructed an LNG terminal in Panama and a container terminal in Costa Rica, and delivered Unilever's headquarters in Indonesia. On the stock exchange, the raid by the Public Prosecutor and the Fiod on BAM caused a sharp fall in the share price. BAM shares lose more than 15 percent at the opening, at 1.98 euros.
Source: https://nos.nl/artikel/2448711-inval-justitie-bij-bouwbedrijf-bam
----- Energy crisis in the Netherlands-----
HAK temporarily halts production due to energy costs, applesauce and peas more expensive
Vegetable and legume company HAK is going to stop production for six weeks starting in January. With current energy prices, it is not feasible to continue production in the winter, says the cannery, which as a market leader is best known for its glass jars of applesauce, peas and brown beans. "It's not only the high price, but also the uncertainty, says director Timo Hoogeboom. "Today it is two euros for a cubic meter of gas, it has also been three euros at times. What it will be in January or February we don't know. So to be on the safe side we stay closed then."
Stock
HAK expects products to become more expensive, but canned goods will remain on the shelves, the company says. In fact, they plan the break when the harvest season is already over. Products such as legumes are more flexible to plan, HAK said, and the company still has a stock for unexpected circumstances. HAK pulls vegetables from the fields during harvest season and then preserves them in glass jars to preserve them. The heating required for that wecking process takes a lot of energy. Also, the glass jars the company uses are more expensive due to the increased cost of energy.
Applesauce more expensive
So the company does expect their prices to continue to rise. "Our applesauce has already become about 20 cents more expensive. If energy prices stay this high, you have to think that products across the board will get 30 percent more expensive." For a 1.80 euro jar of applesauce, it will then quickly become about 2.20-2.30 euros, Hoogeboom believes. "It varies enormously per product to what extent you can pass on increased costs to the customer," says Rob Morren, food economist at ABN Amro. It depends, for example, on how much customers expect certain products in the supermarket and whether there are many alternatives. "For Hak, there are. You can buy fresh vegetables, frozen vegetables or preserves of another brand," Morren continues.
Possible scaling down
If it no longer succeeds in passing on higher energy prices to consumers, eventually product availability may also be compromised. "If companies have to sell below cost for months on end, things will go wrong," he says. For HAK, he does not expect empty shelves for the time being. "But for the chain I don't rule it out, especially in January, February and March." A temporary energy cap for companies could help, the HAK director thinks. "Companies will first see how they can absorb the costs themselves but if that is no longer possible, they will have to scale down," confirms food economist Morren. "I expect this to happen more broadly." Baltussen Canning Plant, another vegetable cannery, has no plans to shut down its production. They are, however, asking for more flexibility in contracts with supermarkets, now that energy prices are so unpredictable.
Source: https://nos.nl/artikel/2446920-hak-stopt-productie-tijdelijk-vanwege-energiekosten-appelmoes-duurder
Part of Chemelot shut down due to energy crisis
More and more companies are in trouble due to high energy prices. Since the end of August, for example, companies on the Chemelot industrial site in Geleen have been partially or completely shutting down their operations.
This is what director Loek Radix told visitors to Chemelot's open day on Saturday.
'Positive is weakened'
Radix: "We are now in a situation where our competitive position in relation to the rest of the world has been greatly weakened. That causes me great concern." Natural gas and oil are important sources of raw materials for the chemical industry. As these become 10 times more expensive than in the rest of the world, Radix says a major problem arises.
Consequently, many companies can no longer compete on the world market in some components. Prices of raw materials in Asia and America, for example, are much lower than here, in the Netherlands or Europe. "Quite a number of factories have even scaled down or even stopped production altogether as a result. So this is not a situation we can allow to continue for very long," said Radix
'Not a tenable situation'
How many of the sixty plants at Chemelot have been affected, Radix would not say. However, according to director, it is clear that gas prices need to come down significantly soon: "This is so not a tenable situation for the chemical industry in Europe."
poster
Production
Scaling back or shutting down production ultimately affects consumers because (end) products are becoming increasingly expensive. For now, there are no consequences for Chemelot employees. "There is, of course, always maintenance work to do. So there are no rounds of layoffs or anything yet. But again, this is not a situation that should continue for a very long time." In doing so, Radix says there has been a personnel shortage at Chemelot for some time. According to Radix, the energy crisis is also not favorable for the much-needed sustainability of to Chemelot's much-needed sustainability efforts.
Source: https://www.1limburg.nl/nieuws/1854811/deel-van-chemelot-stilgelegd-door-energiecrisis?swipePagination=7d16f2c3-7580-521a-9e60-a9efaf0fcc50
Cold store now paying nearly half a million a month to keep onions and chicory cool
Rapidly rising energy costs are a concern for almost everyone. Many households dread the moment the bill hits the mat. But companies are also struggling with increased energy costs. De Groene AGRI BV in Rutten is one of those companies. At this cold storage and freezer house, farmers can store their products, such as onions, winter carrots, chicory roots and celeriac for a certain period of time. Farmers retrieve them when they want. Because energy costs are rising rapidly, cold stores enter into contracts with a storage rate and a variable energy rate. As a result, farmers now have to pay more in energy costs than before the energy crisis. According to Johan de Groene of Green AGRI, his farm's energy costs have skyrocketed. "We used to pay about 75,000 euros a month and we are now going over 400,000 euros," he said.
Concerns are great
Johan de Groene is very worried. He fears loss of sales. Farmers would look for other ways to store their products, for example in their own barns. They could also sell their products directly. That way, they no longer need the services of De Groene AGRI. The entrepreneur thinks of all kinds of solutions to get energy costs down but he says the possibilities are limited. He would prefer to build a windmill but a solitary windmill is not allowed. He is also thinking of solar panels but that is not the best solution. He needs a lot of power during harvest time. He says that is from October to January. But solar panels produce less power during that period.
The national government has come up with all kinds of measures, including for business owners to compensate them for high energy bills but De Groene does not know if his business qualifies. He says he can sustain the current energy costs for a maximum of one year. After that, no more.
Source: https://www.omroepflevoland.nl/nieuws/304119/koelhuis-betaalt-nu-bijna-half-miljoen-per-maand-om-uien-en-witlof-koel-te-houden
Plantise grower quits due to rising energy prices, 400 people lose jobs
Plantise, one of the largest plant growers in the Netherlands, will close its doors on April 1, 2023. That means 200 permanent employees and 200 flex workers will lose their jobs in a few months. According to Plantise CEO Marco Vermeulen, increased energy prices are a major cause. "Confronting," Marco Vermeulen finds the situation. "Because of the increased energy prices, everything we buy becomes more expensive, and it is all passed on to us." Electricity in particular has become more expensive. And so have the materials that greenhouse horticulture uses and has to buy. Inflation causes workers to demand higher wages. Logical, Vermeulen thinks, but Plantise cannot properly pass on those increased operating costs to the products. So ziji money problems arise. Banks and shareholders were approached for financing, but to no avail.
Plantise specializes in growing organic and regular vegetable and ornamental plants, both at home and abroad. Plantise's Dutch branches are in Bleiswijk, Baarlo, Kessel and Naaldwijk. Vermeulen emphasizes: quitting is the loving choice. Plantise employees still have several months of work and time to find a new job. If the company were to choose to see it through and see if the energy ceiling can reduce operating costs enough, Plantise could still go bankrupt. "And then employees would lose their jobs immediately. That's how we take responsibility." Reporting bad news is never easy to do. Marco Vermeulen tells below what it was like to have to tell his many employees anyway. The plant grower is now no longer taking new orders. The focus is on outstanding deliveries and the future of its 200 permanent employees and 200 flex workers, Vermeulen says. According to the CEO, the company is looking at "transition compensation" for employees and is in talks with the UWV.
In any case, Plantise's staff is being assisted by CNV Vakmensen. "Terrible," CNV union executive Jeroen Warnaar called the closure of Plantise on Radio Rijnmond. "On Tuesday the personnel were informed, then of course the emotions were released. People like you and me are affected by the high price in the supermarket, but they are also losing their jobs." Director Vermeulen wants to deal with the blow first. After that, the union is going to help staff find new work. "You can say it's a period when other work is available," Warnaar says, referring to staff shortages in many sectors. "Just not everyone fits every job. We're going to look carefully at how we can help them find work." The collapse of Plantise is a sweeping sign for the greenhouse horticulture sector, though, Vermeulen thinks. He has heard noises that other horticulturists are putting their greenhouses "cold or without light. Warnaar foresees reorganizations within companies in the sector and thinks more closures cannot be ruled out. "Let's hope it's limited and jobs remain intact," he said. Giant gas prices and upcoming winter are a toxic cocktail for horticulturists
Source: https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/1559874/kweker-plantise-gaat-de-deuren-sluiten-door-stijgende-energieprijzen-400-mensen-verliezen-hun-werk?swipePagination=62703434-6df9-5cbc-81e9-18f5aafa3a83
Erica grower quits orchids due to energy prices: 'You don't just decide that'
Van Geel Orchids from Erica will stop growing orchids after May next year. The reason is the sky-high gas prices, making the company choose to switch to other cultivation. What that will be in the future is still being studied. The company grows about 2.8 million orchids annually. "We are producing until May next year," explains director Martijn van Geel. "We are no longer putting up new orchids. With the current energy prices, this is not a good product for now."
'Big shocks in the market'
In fact, growing orchids requires a lot of gas, according to Van Geel. "In five weeks there are such variations. From 3.50 euros to yesterday 1.60 euros per cubic meter. You can do bad business with that, if you then use a few million cubic meters of gas per year."
"If the cost price doubles, that gives big shocks in the market." According to the director, over fifty million orchids have been taken off the market nationwide in the last six weeks. "That's twenty times our business. That has never happened before, that so much of one product disappears from the market."
'Not a dramatic story'
Van Geel emphasizes that he does not want to make a dramatic story out of it. "We are still perfectly capable of making our own decision to stop. There are also growers who were forced to stop. Yes, of course it is a shame and a waste of knowledge. We have grown big in this product over the past fifteen years. You don't decide that just like that."
From the government, he has to see what will come of the support measures. "I know they are working on a support package, but I don't expect big things for us for that. It's very difficult to apply customization in our sector and come up with solutions for that."
This is because growing orchids has a long cycle, which reduces your flexibility as a grower. "The plants we buy are a year and a half old. Then you have to grow one more year. So that's a total of two and a half years. If you say you're going to stop, there's really no going back. You can't just start again then," Van Geel explains. "We also get a lot of feedback from customers all over Europe that they are sorry and not happy about it."
Looking for alternative
In addition to the orchid nursery, Van Geel also has a chrysanthemum nursery, where the cycle is ten weeks. The company continues with that as well. An alternative will be sought for the orchids in the coming period. Stopping this business, also offers perspective for the future. "We bought sixty percent of the gas we need for this cheaply a few years ago. Now we don't have to buy additional forty percent expensive gas," Van Geel explained. "And we can resell the other gas more expensively. This at least gives us opportunities to take up the challenge with a large part of our team, to make new sustainable products." "We have built new greenhouses in recent years. They are brand new and modern, with all the trimmings. We will be looking for new ideas, crops and products. We are going to do thorough research on that in the coming period. We can grow anything: flowers, vegetables and fruit, but of course we have to see what the market is for." Staff members do have to leave because of this choice. Between now and the end of May, the company will be saying goodbye to fifty people. That leaves thirty-five people. What will happen after that is not yet known. "I can't promise them anything until we have made a decision. And we really don't know that yet. We still need time for that."
Source: https://www.rtvdrenthe.nl/nieuws/15018182/kweker-uit-erica-stopt-met-orchideeen-wegens-energieprijzen-dat-beslis-je-niet-zomaar
Barger-Compascuum supermarket closes due to high energy prices
The village of Barger-Compascuum will lose its only supermarket by the end of the year. Operators Elsbeth Maatman and Jeroen Koopman are pulling the plug. Literally and figuratively, because high energy prices have been the reason for the difficult decision. The store will close its doors in December. According to Koopman, he and his business partner had been walking around with the idea of quitting for some time. "Last week we finally tied the knot. Energy prices have been depressing our business for some time." According to the operator, a remodeling of the premises is actually necessary to make it more energy efficient. The money for this operation is just not there. "So we saw no other solution than to quit." Government measures are too inadequate for the Compascumer supermarket. "Partly because they only take effect from the second quarter."
Real shame
The decision has since been passed on to Spar, the chain the store is part of. Koopman and Maatman had been running the supermarket since 2016. In that year, they took over the store from the then owner. Before that, they worked as employees at the supermarket. Koopman regrets the outcome. "It's really unfortunate. Also for the village and people who really depended on this store for their groceries."
Source: https://www.rtvdrenthe.nl/nieuws/15072683/supermarkt-barger-compascuum-sluit-vanwege-hoge-energieprijzen
Large bakery bankrupted by high energy prices, 48 workers laid off
Bakkerij d'n Bekker with six stores in the Land van Cuijk has been declared bankrupt by the court in Den Bosch. All stores are closed and 48 employees will lose their jobs. "With these energy prices, it is no longer a viable option," says baker Hans van Duijvenvoorde. It is one of the first large bakeries in Brabant to go bankrupt due to high energy prices. Bakkerij d'n Bekker has six stores in Haps, Grave, Cuijk, Boxmeer, Mill and in Gennep, Limburg. Since Tuesday the stores are closed. On the door hangs a bill. "With pain in our hearts we have unfortunately had to decide to close the doors. Due to extreme price increases of our raw materials and electricity, it is no longer feasible to continue our beautiful work," the bill reads. "We have tried to hold out until the end," baker Hans van Duijvenvoorde reveals in a response. "At some point you sit and wait to see who is going to last the longest. You or your colleagues. If your colleague falls over, you might be able to take over some of his sales. But now I was the first to go."
48 people laid off
The biggest culprit is the skyrocketing price of energy. "For the store in Haps alone, it went from 2,000 euros a month to 12,000 euros. That's the store with the highest costs because that's where most of the baking takes place," van Duijvenvoorde says. "And you can't pass on all those prices in the bread. You're already at the maximum you can ask for a loaf of bread." And so the bakery chain has now been declared bankrupt. "Monday night we spoke to the staff. 48 people are now on the street," says the baker. Since Tuesday, all stores have been closed.
10 percent go bankrupt
The central government is working on a support package to partially compensate companies such as bakers for high energy prices. This would then be introduced in the spring. "That comes too late for us," van Duijvenvoorde says. "Your energy costs have to be 12.5 percent of sales. Normally with us it's 4 percent. Now with these energy prices at most 10 percent. So we wouldn't qualify for that support." Baker Hans van Duijvenvoorde thinks he is not the last to fail. "I expect 10 percent of bakers to be bankrupt by the end of the year," he said.
Source: https://www.omroepbrabant.nl/nieuws/4170249/grote-bakkerij-failliet-door-hoge-energieprijzen-48-werknemers-op-straat
Translated Dutch to English with www.DeepL.com/Translator