Van der Valk Horti Systems is pushing its ValkPoly+ screening platform as a more integrated climate-control option for professional plastic greenhouses.
The system has already been installed in a 15,500-square-metre project in Spain, and the company is using Fruit Attraction to demonstrate the technology to growers and greenhouse installers.
A screen system designed around polyhouse constraints
ValkPoly+ uses a compact screen package intended to reduce obstruction and preserve natural light. The system also uses a smaller-diameter drive shaft, reducing motor load and allowing multiple greenhouse sections to be connected to one drive.
That configuration is aimed at the smaller structural dimensions and different economics of plastic greenhouses, where systems developed for large glasshouses can be difficult or expensive to adapt.
Recent industry coverage has repeated a company claim that advanced screening can contribute to yield gains of up to 25%. That figure should be treated as a supplier claim rather than an independently verified performance benchmark, because results will depend on crop, climate, greenhouse design and operating strategy.
Why it matters
Plastic greenhouses account for a large share of protected horticulture globally, but many facilities still use comparatively simple climate-management infrastructure. More compact screening systems could make thermal, shading and crop-climate strategies accessible to a broader range of professional growers.
What remains unclear
Van der Valk has not published independent trial data covering multiple crops and climates, nor a standard installed-cost or payback benchmark for ValkPoly+.
Key takeaways
- ValkPoly+ is designed specifically for plastic greenhouse dimensions and drive requirements.
- The system combines screening hardware with calculation software for project design.
- Independent crop-level performance data will be important as adoption expands.
