The Ideal Facility Size for the Evolving Cannabis Industry
From the days that the legal marijuana industry took off it has been an amazing, and exciting roller coaster ride that is not over yet. As much as the opportunities to get into the business have changed with both huge successes and notable failures along the way, this is still a young industry with a lot of room to grow.
The costs of running and managing the mega facilities within the present business and political realities has had its challenges. What has immerged is that the most successful model is the small to medium sized facilities. Craft Cannabis growers. They are efficient, moderately automated facilities with the production plan emphasis on quality rather than just volume.
There will always be micro growers and mega facilities, and both will find their niches. The 3,000 square foot freestanding greenhouse to 30,000 square foot multi bay gutter connected greenhouse fits the model for a single grower or moderately sized business. Large enough to be viable and small enough to manage with a condensed, dedicated, and knowledgeable team.
The first thing to know is commercial plant production is intense, hands on and needs an experienced and committed team to be successful, and that is easy to underestimate. This is no longer an "if we build it, they will come" scenario.
At GGS we specialize in manufacturing greenhouses for commercial growers of all sizes. We also supply all the systems and equipment for their specific grow plans to create the complete growing environment. For year-round-multicrop marijuana growers, this means the additions required for bench production with the long day lighting and short-day blackout, light dep. systems, irrigation, ventilation, and HVAC, etc. the actual greenhouse is about one third of the total investment. The GGS team has the experience to help walk you through all the choices you need to consider while planning the best facility for you.
Location, local permits, bylaws, availability of electrical and energy (natural gas or propane) to the site and reliable water source are all important parts when choosing the right plan for your facility. Given local climate details and crop temperature differentials we can plan the heating and cooling needs for the greenhouse. Preparing the land with leveling, adding drainage etc. can be done ahead of time.
With the growth of the marijuana industry, numerous new businesses have emerged offering all types of equipment and services to the industry. Many of these do not have years of service and growers need to be careful to make sure businesses are with them for the long term. It is a challenge to sort through and select from all the options available, and without one coordinated effort it is easy for the growing environment to suffer if lighting, and HVAC and ventilation are not all integrated.
The GGS team continues to work with growers of all sizes and grow plans throughout North America. We provide quality solutions for the ever-changing needs of the commercial greenhouse grower.
Since 1979 Growers rely on GGS. We would love to help you realize your growing potential. Contact us today for more information.