Root out. That's pretty much the method Harkboot uses when it comes to rooting out aquatic plants. The company from Roden has a unique way of sustainably getting rid of exotics and other undesirable aquatic plants.
Harkboot is growing almost as fast as the rooting aquatic plants it fights. Year on year, the plus is around 150 percent. That has everything to do with the unique method offered by the Drenthe-based company. Unwanted aquatic plants are removed root by root. And that gives a much better and especially longer-lasting result than the standard method: mowing aquatic plants.
Leon Sterk devised a way to rid waterways of rampant aquatic plants ten years ago in Loosdrecht. Simply put: he sails a boat over them, behind which hangs a rake that scrapes through the bottom. The plants and roots float to the surface and can be fished out of the water.
,,You saw that the overgrowth stayed away much longer as a result. That's when I knew I had to do more with it, that I had a solution to a big problem.'' What's hot. In Europe, the damage is running into billions every year. Waterways and ports grow thick, exotic aquatic plants proliferate. And with mowing you end up putting the cart before the horse, says Sterk, who founded Harkboot. ,,With that you actually create little cuttings, which all grow into the water plants you don't want. You make the problem bigger.
Leader
That awareness is growing, as is the need to control unwanted vegetation. In 2018, Europe came up with a list of invasive exotic species that need to be controlled. That gave Harkboot a boost, says operations director Peter van der Wal, who joined the company two years ago. ''That caused a sharp increase in demand for our services.''
It was running such a storm that Van der Wal and managing director André Baars have decided to scale down a bit in the coming period. Peter van der Wal: "We have grown so fast that it is now time to work on the structure of the company. We are going to put people in their place better, give them more rest and clarity, ensure that everything will run more streamlined.''
This will create room to scale up further in an efficient manner. Those plans are certainly there, the opportunities are also there. Leon Sterk: ,,We are leading the way and see that people are trying to copy our way. That is why it is now time to professionalize further, so that we stay ahead and can help even more customers.''
Harkboot now has ten boats working daily, at home and abroad. Water boards, harbors, provinces, municipalities and angling federations are its main customers. Meanwhile, Harkboot is thinking of more. It is working on new machines, which can also handle other types of greenery, such as plants that proliferate on the bank. Van der Wal: ''We are also working on autonomous variants. That is the future in the end.''
Knowledge Center
To properly enter that future, Leon Sterk decided to take on another position. ''You know, I came up with it and find engineering very interesting. But I'm not a manager. Other
people do better. I want to focus entirely on collecting and making available the knowledge we have gained in aquatic plant removal.''
He is in the process of developing a knowledge center, where training on the best way to control it will be central. ,,I imagine that eventually you'll order a Harkboot directly from the factory we work with, and you'll get training right along with it. Buying a machine that controls weedy plants in the best way is one thing, knowing how best to handle it is another.''
In 2018, a European regulation was issued to compulsorily detect and eliminate invasive exotic species that are on the Union list. To guarantee the quality of the work and execution of the raking method to the clients, a European standard was developed in 2022, the CWA 17916. Harkboot.nl is the first company that is now also certified according to this standard.
''We think everyone who does this work should meet this standard. That doesn't happen everywhere. One of the things I'm going to do is make sure that this standard is included in the specifications of governments, ports and water boards. By working according to this European standard, clients know that the quality of the work is guaranteed and that it is carried out with respect for nature and the environment.
And so Harkboot has long been more than just a rakeboat. That the future is bright for the company, they agree at NOM. That's why new funding has been provided to help make the dreams come true.