English
Français
A Breakthrough in Farming, and the Role We Played in It
When the team at Plenty set out to build the world’s first commercial-scale indoor strawberry farm, they weren’t just growing berries indoors. They were rewriting the future of agriculture. Their facility in Richmond, Virginia, combines artificial intelligence, robotics, and vertical farming technology to produce berries year-round.
But growing strawberries in vertical layers, completely indoors, isn’t easy. It takes more than lights and water. It takes precision control over temperature, humidity, and airflow at every level of the grow system.
That’s where our team came in.
What Made This Project So Unique
Strawberries are a sensitive crop. They’re prone to mold and need a very specific climate to thrive. Growing them in a stacked, high-density environment means even slight temperature or moisture imbalances can impact quality and yield.
Plenty needed a custom ductwork system that would keep every inch of their grow environment consistent. The system had to be space-efficient, energy-smart, and flexible enough to adapt to the farm’s vertical design.
The challenge wasn’t just airflow. It was delivering uniform conditions across multiple layers while keeping energy use low and maintenance simple.
Our Solution and Why It Worked
We designed and fabricated a custom ducting system specifically for Plenty’s vertical setup. Traditional metal ducts wouldn’t do the job. So we used advanced fabric ducting that could be shaped, sized, and installed to fit tight grow zones without compromising performance.
The system included fabric ducts with evenly spaced perforations to deliver balanced airflow across each tier. These ducts are lightweight, antimicrobial, and easy to clean—perfect for a food-grade environment.
We also built in the ability to adjust airflow in different zones. That gave Plenty’s AI-powered controls the flexibility to fine-tune temperature and humidity where needed, helping the farm respond in real time to crop conditions.
Our team worked closely with Plenty’s engineers to make sure the entire system supported their high-tech, high-yield vision.
Why This Project Matters
This wasn’t just about ductwork. It was about enabling a smarter way to grow food.
Plenty’s indoor farm uses 95 percent less land and 99 percent less water than traditional agriculture. It brings strawberries to market with fewer emissions, shorter transport times, and better flavor.
Our ducting system played a behind-the-scenes role in making that possible. It helped create the stable, controlled environment needed to grow strawberries indoors at scale—something no one had done before.
Looking Ahead
This project shows how thoughtful engineering can support bold ideas. It’s proof that even something as simple as airflow can have a big impact when designed with purpose.
If you’re working on a high-performance grow facility or any environment where airflow matters, we’re ready to help. Let’s build something groundbreaking together.
