NatureGreen greens spaces that would otherwise remain unused |
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Company grows into leading green roof supplier
NatureGreen, a total supplier of extensive green roofs in Europe, is growing rapidly. This growth is particularly evident in Germany, thanks in part to the efforts of four German colleagues. "But there's still plenty of potential in the Netherlands too," says Geert Schimmel, founder of the company. As a farmer's son, he always had an affinity for green, but it wasn't until he moved to a residential area himself that he realised the importance of greening the living environment. "Especially rooftops — places that would otherwise remain unused."
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NatureGreen has grown significantly in a short time. Its client base now includes a wide range of companies, such as roofing contractors, architects, construction companies, wholesalers, landscaping professionals, green roof installers, webshops, garden centres and other green professionals — and also municipalities.
According to Schimmel, this growth is due to their distinctive approach as a supplier, based on three customer promises. "Businesses appreciate our commitment to top-quality products at a fair price," he says. "We always put the customer first, go the extra mile, and proactively think along — that's seen and appreciated. And finally, we are known for our flexibility and custom solutions."
Optigrün
At NatureGreen, knowledge is highly valued. Schimmel: "Ideally, our advisors are involved from the very first planning stages of a project. Much of our work involves calculations and project consulting."
NatureGreen is also the trade partner of Optigrün and handles all inquiries from installers that come through Optigrün — whether for extensive green roofs, retention roofs, or pitched roofs. "We offer great solutions for these types of roofs and continue to develop together with Optigrün in this area," says Schimmel.
Wide product range
NatureGreen's catalogue includes over 100 products, with several standard systems for flat roofs, pitched roofs up to 0 and 45 degrees, and retention roofs. Fresh vegetation options include sedum mats, herb-sedum mats with 16 native herb species, herb cassettes, lightweight sedum cassettes, carbon green roofs, herb mixes, and a wide selection of plugs and sedum cuttings.
Constant innovation
The company is also actively innovating. It offers carbon green roofs in the form of carbon cassettes, carbon substrate, or carbon vegetation mats. The substrate is enriched with a special mineral and microorganisms to break down CO₂.
Schimmel: "This removes about 1 ton of CO₂ per 100 m² with a standard substrate depth. Based on a simulation and measurement method developed in part by TNO, we received accreditation from the Dutch National Carbon Market Foundation (SNK). That means SNK certificates — or carbon credits — are linked to this. In this way, companies can demonstrably offset their CO₂ emissions."
Locations
NatureGreen's fresh products are harvested daily at a nursery in North Brabant, which works exclusively for the company. With warehouses in North Holland, North Brabant and Gelderland, and an office along the A12 in Ede, NatureGreen has nationwide coverage.
"Every working day, we deliver to our customers from these locations," says Schimmel. "All of our colleagues value working for a company that truly provides added value. What we love most about our work? We're always working to green spaces that would otherwise remain unused. That mindset is deeply rooted in our company DNA, and we expect the same from new colleagues."
Looking ahead
According to Schimmel, the future for green roofs looks bright. "The market continues to grow. Green roofs are becoming the norm, and people clearly see the benefits. Let the green roof become the standard — not the black one."
He also sees increasing diversity in demand. "In the past, 95 percent of requests were for a standard green roof with twelve sedum varieties. Today, customer demands are far more diverse. That only makes our work more enjoyable. For example, demand for retention roofs is increasing significantly. We also see growing interest in pitched roofs, green roofs with region-specific herb mixes, and roofs with specially selected plugs — all areas where we offer tailored advice."
There's still plenty of growth potential for NatureGreen, the owner concludes. "We want to keep expanding in our current markets, but also broaden our services in other European countries. We're investing heavily in optimising our processes, giving us more time for our clients while continuing to innovate and expand our product range. Ideally, we do this in collaboration with our loyal clients, so we can develop meaningful concepts together."
This article was previously published on 18 June 2025 on the website of Stad + Groen.
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