News » 28.08.2025 - NL: From innovation to restart
Bringing a new innovation to market in horticulture is never an easy road, and CE-Line, a company that filed for bankruptcy this summer, knows that all too well. The court-appointed trustee has now shared an update in the bankruptcy report.
As of August 1, all company assets have been acquired by PB tec. CE-Line is known for developing a plug-and-play nutrient measuring system that can be connected directly to a grower's existing irrigation line.
The bankruptcy report shows that CE-Line suffered losses in both 2023 and 2024, with nearly €600,000 lost in 2024 alone. That year, the company recorded no turnover at all.
Market introduction
In 2023, CE-Line officially launched the Nutrient Analyser. But the rollout proved tougher than expected. Potential customers raised questions about the system's reliability and performance, which slowed down sales. According to the trustee, this also led to a key distributor pulling out.
Focus on the US
For a while, the company managed to bridge this gap with direct sales and new distribution partners, particularly in the United States. However, by mid-2024 sales began to stall. Rising R&D costs and uncertainty around import tariffs in the US added even more pressure, leading to cash flow problems.
"The market is simply too dynamic for a small company," CEO Simon Meijer told us the day after the bankruptcy filing.
Searching for new markets
Earlier this spring, Meijer also spoke in the Dutch newspaper Financieele Dagblad (link in Dutch). "We're now looking at markets like China and Japan, where there is demand," he said. "We had put those markets on hold because doing business there is more complex. But at the end of the day, we need to find growth somewhere."
The technology itself was widely recognized. This year CE-Line won both the Product Innovation Award at the US-based Indoor Ag-Con and the Future-Proof Technologies Award, part of the Dutch Horticultural Entrepreneur Awards.
Structural recovery failed
Additional financing offered temporary relief, but a lasting recovery never followed. In 2025, CE-Line aimed for more direct sales in other countries and sought cooperation with a strategic partner. Despite serious discussions, no concrete deal was reached. The shareholders were unwilling or unable to provide further funding, forcing the company to cut costs and reduce staff.
At the time of the bankruptcy, seven employees were still on the payroll, but due to the liquidity crisis, wages could no longer be paid. The company was also unable to meet other financial obligations, making bankruptcy unavoidable.
Development of technology continued
So far, 34 creditors have reported claims totaling more than €800,000. The post-bankruptcy sale raised over €300,000. The trustee is still investigating how these funds will be distributed. CE-Line International also filed for bankruptcy at the same time, and both cases are being handled together.
PB tec now plans to continue CE-Line's activities from its location in Emmeloord, working with much of the same team. Existing customers will still receive support, for example with calibration fluids and the interpretation of measurement data.
The bankruptcy was declared on July 22, 2025. Mr. B.J. van Dijen from Lelystad has been appointed as trustee. The case is registered under reference 16.mne.25.375.F.1300.1.25.
Source; www.floraldaily.com
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