100 per cent plastic

50 years of Elho: what has been the most important decision in the company's history? Olaf Elderenbosch: In short, the best decision we made was to specialise entirely in synthetic materials and in synthetic pots. Elho's product orientation is 100 per cent focused on synthetic pots and related articles in this field. This orientation has secured our existence in the market for 50 years now and has ensured continuity. Why is it a good idea to manufacture exclusively in the Netherlands? It means that we ourselves are close to the production process and able to observe it. That enables us to plan and develop products with greater precision, guaranteeing that perfect quality is delivered - something that is vital for us with regard to the complete supply chain. What trends will prove definitive in the coming season, and what general trends will shape the next few years? Balconies are the focus for 2015, and so lots of innovations are geared towards these. We are "celebrating" the year of the balcony. Consumers are looking for attractive products for the balcony that also offer technical solutions. There will also be plenty of products in the "hanging plant" category and lots of new options and solutions for decoration using plants. New colours have been added. The trend towards pastel shades and powder colours is followed up in the 2015 collection.

Elho lays emphasis on its environmental awareness. So why doesn't the Green Basics line account for a bigger proportion of the range? Green Basics is a sub-collection of the overall range and was launched in 2011. All products by Elho now consist of up to 40 per cent recycled synthetics, and this percentage is growing year on year. Sustainable trading is in the genes at Elho. The company wants to be ecologically responsible and reduce work and business practices that are not environmentally friendly further each year. In April 2015, for example, a windmill is being constructed on our site to enable us to produce and use our own electricity. Our trucks run on biogas, we recycle everything that can be recycled in the company and we avoid unnecessary journeys. Our logistics team is extremely busy in this regard and aims to concentrate as much as possible in one location by manufacturing in…