May 24, 2021
A world leader in mobile shelving systems, Montel has been a mainstay in the industry for more than one hundred years. When Jerome Doucet, CEO and President of Montel, saw an opportunity to create solutions for a burgeoning market: indoor farming—namely, cannabis, he knew his company could provide a new solution to this growing industry.
But, why indoor-grown cannabis?
It all started in 2015 with the Grove, a cannabis dispensary in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Montel’s first vertical indoor farming client. Jerome and his team have since seen the market explode. As the United States and other countries have begun to legalize medical and recreational marijuana, cannabis operations have started looking for innovative ways to grow efficiently and sustainably without a massive physical footprint.
As Montel attracted more indoor vertical farming clients, Jerome knew he would have to provide this market with the same world-renowned support he’s given his mobile storage clientele. But at the time, Montel’s specialty was storage; Doucet knew he would need an industry insider to consult on how best to tailor his vertical farming solutions to the needs and desires of this emerging market.
And that’s when Agritecture came into the picture.
Agritecture advised Montel to adapt their catalog of products to vertical farming by developing specifications for leafy greens, microgreens, mushrooms, and cannabis. Agritecture also connected Jerome with our network of industry experts, architects, scientists, and more to help him develop all-new solutions for vertical farming.
On the technical side, Agritecture adapted and designed Montel’s first racking system targeted towards indoor leafy green growers. Through Agritecture’s ongoing consulting services, Montel has been able to create a standalone brand and expand their product offerings into the vertical farming industry.
Through the development of a strategic marketing plan to enter the CEA market including content development strategy, thought leadership, and sponsored content marketing, Agritecture supported the growth of Montel’s vertical farming sales to reach 63% of their business in 2020.
Soon, Montel gained attention from cannabis grow ops and indoor producers of leafy greens and herbs. Since working with Agritecture, Montel’s percentage of revenue from vertical farming sales has grown exponentially.
Montel’s science of mobile storage has already helped numerous businesses reinvent their storage. And now, Montel is making their mark on the indoor farming industry.
Why grow only vertically or horizontally when you can do it all?
With their applications ranging from mobile vertical grow rack systems to a line of in-depth products engineered to help you increase crop yield in your vegetation and flowering rooms, Montel has it all. The team continues to innovate for mobile growing with their pull-out drying racks and mobile benches, and is actively reimagining the indoor farming landscape. Their diversified applications allow farmers to grow up and down, left and right and all around
Still, by partnering with Agritecture, Montel can now bring that same principle of space optimization to vertical farming, where it can also help businesses conserve arable land, water, and energy consumption. As a result, they are both saving space and saving the planet.
“It’s a great partnership. Agritecture is a dynamic company with a broad outreach. They are fantastic to work with, and we look forward to working together for years to come. ”
Agritecture’s Founder & CEO, Henry Gordon-Smith, comments that “Montel is simply the best mobile racking solution. Working with them was a no-brainer, and a great match as both of our organizations are focused on being honest with customers, providing high-quality solutions, and good customer service.”
What’s next for the Montel-Agritecture partnership?
Agritecture’s Director of Business Development, Jeffrey Landau, says that “Montel’s racking solution is a premium equipment option for operators seeking to optimize their space and maximize their bed space footprint. Agritecture is excited to bring on Montel as part of the Agritecture Partners Network (APN) for Agritecture Designer. We look forward to providing Montel’s solution as an option for our users.”
APN, divided into financing partners and equipment partners, will supercharge Agritecture’s efforts to help connect new and expanding CEA entrepreneurs to premium solutions in a methodical, digital-first, and data-driven way. As one of the initial three equipment partners of this network, Montel will further support indoor farming enthusiasts, eager entrepreneurs, and transitioning businesses, with their high-density mobile vertical farming systems that not only maximize space, but also crop yield.
