Cultilene is celebrating its 45th anniversary. Dennis Wertheimer has been the managing director for precisely ten percent of those years. Dennis has been with us for 4½ years now, and he shares his experience over this period as well as his ambitions for the future.

Dennis was born in the Netherlands but moved to Paris with his parents as a teenager, which sparked his interest in an international lifestyle. He returned to the Netherlands to study, but his love for France remained undiminished. So when he had the opportunity to start as a management trainee at the French company Saint-Gobain after completing his economics degree, he didn’t hesitate. 

After holding various roles in finance, sales and as commercial director, nearly five years ago he was offered the role of managing director at Cultilene. It was an easy decision for him. Dennis: “In essence, this job was everything I could have wished for. And as a bonus, I get to work with a product with which we can make a difference to the world and to our fellow humans. It was a wonderful opportunity.”

Building confidence as experts
When he joined us as managing director, Dennis set himself several goals. “I wanted to make Cultilene a real Saint-Gobain company. We have been one for years, of course, but operationally we felt a bit of an outsider as Saint-Gobain is mainly focused on construction. I also wanted to boost Cultilene’s market position. Our products are at least as good as the alternatives, but we needed to get that message across even more effectively.”

Dennis has since achieved those goals. He adds: “We have a fantastic new brand identity and a team brimming with self-confidence. Our people increasingly see themselves as real ‘Saint-Gobainers’. That self-confidence radiates to the outside world as well. We now proudly present ourselves as experts – something we always were, but now we make it visible to others.”

Moving forward together
Another of Dennis’s goals was to inspire people to work more sustainably. He reflects: “I’ve been with Saint-Gobain for 23 years now, and one reason I want to stay on for longer is our commitment to sustainability. At the other Saint-Gobain companies, this is reflected in the supply of insulation materials like glass wool, stone wool, wood wool and insulating glass, which all help reduce the energy you need to heat or cool buildings.” 

Cultilene already helps growers grow plants and produce healthy food sustainably for people worldwide with stone wool slabs. But Dennis has more ambitions for the future: “We’re looking at glass wool as a substrate, for instance. Worldwide, Saint-Gobain has even more glass wool than stone wool furnaces. So glass wool gives us greater proximity to the end customer in some countries. By offering different materials, we can provide every grower with a solution and move towards an even more sustainable way of growing.” 

Wood wool as a substrate is also on the agenda. Dennis continues: “Saint-Gobain is currently investing in bio-organic insulation materials like wood wool. If properly adapted, it’s easy to compost after cultivation. That makes it even more appealing to the horticulture sector. The great thing is that we’re working with the Saint-Gobain network on this. By pooling our expertise, we can innovate together.”

Stolen heart
Although horticulture was a new sector for Dennis, he soon felt at home – despite some practices that were unfamiliar to him to begin with. He recalls: “I spent many years as a sales representative. In that role I would drink about 10 cups of coffee a day. During my second visit to a horticultural client, I was given the choice between coffee and fresh, home-made tomato soup. I’d never encountered that before. It may seem a small thing, but it symbolises how unique this world is. Naturally, I went for the fresh tomato soup.”

But it was a visit to Italy during which horticulture stole his heart. “On top of a mountain above a small village, there’s a greenhouse that has been in use by the same family for 90 years. The current owner decided to build a new, high-tech greenhouse next to it, where he uses our products. He sells the tomatoes, aubergines and courgettes he grows there to the villagers in his own supermarket. It’s fantastic to see how technology and tradition can go hand in hand.”

Humanity as a strength
This example perfectly illustrates what Cultilene stands for: being there for all growers. He sums up: “One of Cultilene’s strengths is our humanity. We brainstorm, share our knowledge and listen to what customers need. It’s not only about our products but also about the advice and support we offer. If we can continue to provide our customers with this kind of value, I have every confidence that we are fit for the future: ready for a sustainable future, with healthy plants, looking out for each other and with room to innovate.”