Simier Fleurs Horticulture
Founded in 1970, SCEA Simier has cultivated a deep passion for horticultural diversity for over 50 years. With more than 4,000 varieties and nearly 2 million plants produced annually, the company has become a reference for public green spaces and iconic sites such as Villandry, Chenonceau, and Chaumont‑sur‑Loire. Always seeking innovations that combine plant quality with production efficiency, Simier rebuilt its entire propagation greenhouse system in 2022 following a major fire. This event marked a turning point: Hervé Simier made the strategic decision to eliminate plastic pots entirely. Today, Growcoon has become a cornerstone of the production system, used for 80% of all plants.
‘Growcoon is the first solution we've tested that truly eliminates the need for plastic pots. It doesn't just reduce waste, it eliminates it. For public plantings, this changes everything: there's no need to remove the pots or manage the plastic after planting. The Growcoon degrades naturally in the soil within a few weeks, while the plant continues to root vigorously.’
Why Growcoon?
The transition was motivated by regulatory changes, but also by a strong ambition: reducing waste without compromising plant quality. Simier had already tested Growcoon on a smaller scale and had been convinced by its growing performance and fully biodegradable nature.
'We didn’t want a solution that simply reduced plastic; our goal was to eliminate packaging entirely,' explains Hervé Simier. During reconstruction, Growcoon naturally became the new propagation standard, now fully automated thanks to a Growcoon dispenser combined with a tray‑filling machine. This modernized Simier’s production tool in a single step—technically, environmentally, and operationally.
Reduced labor requirements and lower losses
One of the most tangible advantages for Simier is the reduction in manual handling. With traditional plastic pots, teams always had to unpot before planting, which slowed down the process and created unnecessary waste handling on site. With Growcoon, the plants are delivered ready to plant — no plastic, no extra steps. 'In a planting team of three people, the effective planting time went from the equivalent of 1.8 people to almost 2.9,' explains Hervé Simier. 'That is close to a 30% time saving.'
The uniform rooting structure created by Growcoon also reduces transplant shock, which has led to fewer losses, particularly in more sensitive perennial species. Simier has observed faster recovery in public flower beds, as well as stronger root development in the first few weeks, even in difficult conditions.
‘What we really appreciate is that Growcoon combines agronomic performance with responsible production. In a context of labour shortages, we have been able to switch to a fully mechanised process. The Growcoon distributor, developed by Maan Horti Automation, places the 7 cm Growcoons in reusable 104-cell trays, which are then filled with substrate in about 40 seconds. Simier has since then scaled up to 1.4 million Growcoons annually, reaching 2 million plants, in pots from 3 to 7 cm.’
Sustainability
For Simier, the sustainability aspect goes beyond simply reducing plastic. 'We didn’t want a ‘less bad’ solution — we wanted a growing system that truly leaves nothing behind,' says Hervé Simier. The Growcoon (distributed by the German company Klasmann-Deilmann) is made from biodegradable polymers and fully breaks down within the growing cycle, without leaving any trace in the soil. This means municipalities no longer need to handle, transport or dispose of empty plastic pots after planting — a major operational and environmental benefit.
While labour savings are immediate, Simier sees the long-term value equally in the transition toward a waste-free planting chain, supporting both regulatory compliance and the expectations of increasingly sustainability-driven public authorities.
