Subscriptions - Maximum Yield Cannabis USA September/October 2020 | Page 69

What were the startup years like?
With a desire to bring innovation to
the market, Klase and Johnson were
the first to introduce white light that
mimics sunlight. This was a clear
differentiator in the horticulture lighting
sector, expanding product offerings
and the collective understanding of
photobiology. The solutions Fluence
launched were a stark departure
from the inefficient lighting systems
cultivators previously relied on. Fluence
lights used less energy, lasted longer,
and ran cooler, enabling tiered setups
that multiplied indoor grow spaces
while achieving impressive savings
in energy, HVAC, and water costs. In
its early days — starting with a lean
team of 12 that included engineers,
plant scientists, and growers — Fluence
hired staff directly from the industry
to provide consultative services to the
fast-growing cannabis industry. With
its roots in science, the company also
sought to provide leading research to
an industry desperate for knowledge
and best practices.
How did you gain market
share and recognition?
In 2014, the company branched out from
the research space and began designing
systems that could lead to more
sustainable forms of crop production.
The result was a diverse product
portfolio that allowed the world’s largest
greenhouses and indoor farms to move
away from wasteful legacy lighting to
the quality, output, and reduced footprint
realized by LED grow lights.
In 2016, Fluence published its first
innovator spotlight, highlighting the
success of its SPYDRx Plus solution.
The company also published success
stories from its commercial crop
portfolio and established an early
academic partnership with Princeton
University to measure the impact of
climate change on plant ecosystems.
While LED lighting systems are
quickly becoming the standard in
commercial cannabis production,
it has not always been the case.
Fluence has worked directly with
growers and leading researchers to
create an ecosystem of best practices,
success stories, and cultivation
guides to reinforce the viability of
LED lighting for cannabis.
Has your company moved or
expanded since the beginning?
In 2018, Fluence was acquired by the
Munich-based lighting manufacturer
OSRAM. By combining Fluence’s
proven leadership in LED-based
horticulture lighting systems with
OSRAM’s expertise in lighting
technologies, sensors, and connectivity,
Fluence is today empowering
cultivators worldwide to increase
their output and quality, while
achieving new margins and profits.
Since the acquisition, Fluence has
grown its employee base to more
than 130 staff members globally,
established its EMEA headquarters
in Rotterdam, Netherlands, appointed
key leaders in horticulture lighting
and design, installed fixtures across
approximately 1.7 million square feet
of cannabis canopy, and welcomed
dozens of indoor, greenhouse, and
vertical growers into its portfolio.
What is your current product line?
We currently produce our SPYDR Series
for indoor grows and vertical farms,
VYPR Series for greenhouses and highbay
indoor cultivation, RAZR Series for
large indoor and vertical farm
operations, and our RAY Series which
are versatile for any grow applications.
Where do you distribute?
Fluence distributes its solutions to
growers in more than 35 countries.
The company serves both cannabis and
commercial crop growers in the U.S.
and throughout the globe.
How many people now
work for the company?
Fluence employs more than
130 people globally.
“
Fluence hired staff
directly from the industry
to provide consultative
services to the fast-growing
cannabis industry.”
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