Desch Plantpak Announces Leadership Update & Strategic Restructuring
June 19, 2025 | 2 min to read
Waalwijk, Netherlands – Desch Plantpak BV, a leading manufacturer and innovator in sustainable horticultural solutions, announced a strategic restructuring of its operations, along with a key leadership transition, to better position the company amidst ongoing global challenges in the industry.
Over the past few years, the horticulture industry has experienced a “perfect storm” of disruptions—from the COVID-19 pandemic to the geopolitical conflict between Russia and Ukraine. These events have led to volatility in commodity prices and skyrocketing energy prices, creating unprecedented challenges across the supply chain.
In order to ensure long-term competitiveness and operational resilience, Desch will cease all manufacturing operations at its Mundon, UK site following a thorough review of its manufacturing capabilities. As a result, employees in the UK manufacturing division are at risk of redundancy. In line with UK legal requirements, a collective consultation process has been initiated as the proposal impacts over 20 employees.
Following the eventual sale of the UK site, all manufacturing equipment will be transferred to Desch’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in the Netherlands. Importantly, Desch will retain its UK-based sales team and warehouse operations to ensure seamless service and product availability for its UK customers.
At the same time, the company announces that Jan Willem Wieringa will step down as Chief Executive Officer. We are pleased to announce that Jeroen Schipper has been appointed as Jan Willem’s successor. Jeroen brings a unique combination of operational, commercial and general management experience in the manufacturing industry, which secures Desch’s strategic roadmap and commitment to continued leadership in sustainable horticulture.
“We strongly believe that these changes will make Desch an even stronger partner for our customers,” says Jan Willem Wieringa, CEO of Desch. “With four factories in the Netherlands and Poland, we are optimally positioned to deliver exceptional products and service throughout Europe.”
“On behalf of the Board of Directors and all employees of Desch, we would like to thank Jan Willem for his tremendous commitment and energy in continually seeking opportunities to grow Desch both organically and through potential acquisitions,” said John Comino, Managing Director at Lincolnshire Management. “He has successfully built strong relationships not only with his colleagues but also with customers and suppliers.”
Desch remains committed to innovation, customer focus and sustainability to respond to the changing needs of growers and partners in the horticultural sector.