Medisun is a medical cannabis producer based in Southern Ontario. “It all started on the family farm,” Art Caron, president of Medisun, explains. “We started in early 2000 with the growing of industrial hemp over 2,300 acres of land, here in Southern Ontario. In 2005, on that very same ground we grew hemp on, I built a greenhouse to grow bell peppers.”
Natural sunlight, active cooling and heating
“Medisun is growing cannabis crops in greenhouses covering over 580,000 sq.ft.,” Laust Dam, COO of Medisun, points out. “The greenhouses utilize natural sunlight as well as active cooling and heating for lower cost. Heating is done with natural gas and CO2 exhaust is used as Co2 supplement for the plants.”
Medisun is constructing an expansion of a cannabis purpose-built greenhouse of 800,000 sq.ft. with a 600,000 sq.ft. grow area. “This patent pending grow system has been developed leveraging many years of large-scale cannabis growing experience, and from looking at best practices of growing high quality cannabis products at scale, while being cost efficient,” Laust points out.
“Greenhouse builder Havecon has been a huge help with the implementing of these technologies in the facility. Propagation, planting, spacing, and harvest will all be automated, ensuring we can make our processes more efficient. The greenhouse is equipped with the newest Monarch LED lights from Oreon. These lights are the smallest and most powerful LED fixtures available in the market, with an efficiency of 3.4 µMol/J. Heating, cooling and dehumidification is done by JV energy, also in light of cost efficiency and sustainability in time.”
Lighting one of the most important factors
Indeed, Laust further explains that the LED fixture by Oreon is one of the main factors that allows Medisun to ensure a consistent quality of their cannabis crop. “Our Oreon LED lights are an important factor to supplement the natural sunlight,” he says. “Very important is to keep a consistent optimum level of light as well as good temperature and humidity control. We find that LED light from Orion give us short and more compact crops as well as shortening of crop sequences makes it feasible to complete one extra cycle per year, The potency of THC/CBD are as well improved over use of traditional HIB lamps. The lower electricity uses comes as an extra bonus. Equally crucial is to select the right genetics that are suitable for greenhouse growing conditions, as this ensures us to achieve the optimal potency levels that align with the market demand.” At the same time, proper equipment only wouldn’t do the magic on its own. “Planning and executing comes to the highest priorities for efficiently growing this crop at scale,” Laust remarks. “As well as having sufficient and healthy mother stocks to have a consistently high quality of cloning material.”
Beyond Canada
Medisun’s cultivation standards allow the company to export its products globally. “Thanks to our consistent supply, both in terms of quality and product specifications, we are prepared to support international GMP facilities, and indeed we are currently exporting internationally,” Griffen Brown, Sales account manager of Medisun, says. “Our operations are carried out following GACP guidelines. On top of that, through our strict testing methods, we can easily support GMP organizations globally.”
With the Covid-19 crisis hitting the global economy, the cannabis industry as well had to adapt to this new normal. The cannabis supply chain was already experiencing some hiccups before the pandemic broke out, and when it did, problems only got exacerbated. However, with ever more countries lifting restricting measures, the efficiency that cannabis companies had to develop all of a sudden will inevitably impact the cannabis supply chain itself, thus ultimately creating a more healthy and steady industry.
“I also think that such difficulties will iron themselves out as more retail outlets and opportunities open up,” Griffen explains. Indeed, one of the main reasons why a number of Canadian LPs went through hard times initially was exactly the lack of store fronts where their products could be distributed and sold. “As said opportunities finally come to the table, you will also see less vertically integrated companies,” Griffen points out. “As regulations catch up with the industry and the market, you will see a healthy cannabis ecosystem which will allow companies to thrive more than they are currently doing. At the same time, the market will remain as competitive, if not even more. Therefore, to be successful, it is of the utmost importance to have solid core competences and the right people making the important decisions. We surely are well poised for this.”
For more information:
Medisun
745 Richmond Street, Chatham, Ontario
+1 855 633 8786
medisun.ca