Apex Greenhouses opens new facility with focus on innovation and grower training
Apex Greenhouses has officially opened its new research and training facility in Virginia, South Australia — a milestone for innovation and education in protected cropping.
The launch coincided with the PCA2025 Conference, where project partners from across the industry came together to share progress and insights from the Growing horticulture through protected cropping innovation project (AS23001). A panel discussion chaired by Dr Gordon Rogers (AHR) brought together representatives from Flavorite Group, Costa, Apex Greenhouses, Agriculture Victoria, Polybee, and AHR to discuss opportunities and challenges in the protected cropping sector.
Following the panel, PCA delegates were invited to tour the newly completed glasshouse — a commercial-scale facility designed to support research, demonstration, and grower training. Hosted by Apex Greenhouses’ owner Folco Faber, the visit offered attendees a first-hand look at the latest in greenhouse design and technology.
Following the launch, participants took part in a full-day technical workshop focused on Plant Empowerment—a science-based approach to growing that supports crop health by balancing environmental factors, facilitated by Ton Habraken of Svensson Climate Screens.
The workshop provided growers with valuable insights into how to maintain equilibrium across three key balances within the greenhouse environment: energy, water, and assimilates. Topics covered included screen selection, airflow management, light diffusion, and the importance of interpreting plant responses through both data and direct observation.
“We’re proud to open this advanced facility with a training session that brought growers together to explore new ideas and techniques,” said Folco Faber. “We see this as the first of many opportunities to support practical learning and innovation in the sector.”
With strong industry support and grower interest, Apex Greenhouses’ new facility is set to become a national hub for collaboration, training, and protected cropping advancement.
Read more about the project here
Tour
The first trials
Dr Gordon Rogers and Folco Faber
PCA panel discussion. From left to right, Gordon Rogers (AHR), Jim Madden (Flavorite), Folco Faber (Apex Greenhouses), Alvaro Vidiella (Costa),
Steph Tabone (AHR), Eduardo Barbosa (Hort Innovation), Ian Goodwin (Ag Vic)