Working together on 157 hectares of greenhouse horticulture
What began in 2013 with a single 2.5-hectare greenhouse on the edge of the Sahara Desert in Tunisia has grown into a long-standing international partnership. Over thirteen years, Agro Care and VB Climate have worked together on roughly 157 hectares of greenhouse horticulture projects in Tunisia, France and the Netherlands, built on a foundation of partnership and mutual trust.
The collaboration began at the Desert Joy location in El Hamma, Tunisia, where VB Climate supplied the greenhouse heating system. The two companies worked together on a smart solution to reuse heat from cooled irrigation water to warm the greenhouse, an early example of the practical, innovative problem-solving that would come to define the partnership.
In the years that followed, Agro Care steadily expanded its production capacity in Tunisia, choosing VB Climate as its partner for nearly every new phase. What started as a single project grew into several large-scale horticulture sites, including the current Hicha Joy project.
Despite the roughly 2,000-kilometer distance between the Netherlands and Tunisia, this proved no obstacle. Thorough preparation and close cooperation allowed the companies to move quickly when needed. Clear agreements and strong on-site supervision kept the projects running efficiently and successfully.
The partnership has since expanded beyond Tunisia. In France, VB Climate installed the climate systems for Agro Care's sites in Brécey and Isigny-sur-Mer. Their first joint project in the Netherlands, a greenhouse under construction in Middenmeer, got underway in late 2025.
The strength of the collaboration lies not only in the scale of the projects but in the knowledge and trust the two companies have built up over the years. Their long working relationship means each side understands the other's approach well, allowing for quick decision-making and sound technical choices early in the process.
In the photo, Philip van Antwerpen on behalf of Agro Care and Marco de Bruijne, Operations Director of VB Climate, sign a new agreement within the long-term collaboration between the two companies.
"It's remarkable to see how we've grown together, from a first project of 2.5 hectares in the Tunisian desert to a partnership that now spans several countries and more than 150 hectares," says Marco de Bruijne. "Every location calls for its own technical approach. It's precisely because we know and trust each other so well that we're able to develop solutions that work in practice."
In figures
- Collaboration started in 2013
- Projects realized in Tunisia, France, and the Netherlands
- Approximately 157 hectares of climate and heating installations
- More than 15 project phases completed
- Thirteen years of collaboration, partnership, and knowledge development
