Innovator Spotlight: The Fireweed Factory
Juneau, Alaska
With the SPYDRx PLUS we are getting amazing canopy penetration, we are seeing buds all the way down, we hardly have to take off any lower bud sites, which means we can really maximize the plant material that we have in a very small space.Paul F. Disdier Lead Cultivator
Inside The Fireweed Factory: Staying Ahead of the Curve
Named after a wildflower native to the area, The Fireweed Factory in Juneau, Alaska has built a reputation for growing beautiful cannabis flowers befitting their name. More impressive than the visual appeal of their production is the manner in which The Fireweed Factory cultivates their crop. Long before the Disdier family founded The Fireweed Factory, growing cannabis in Alaska has been part of the family tradition. In the 1970’s Alaskan residents were able to grow up to twenty-five plants. This is when Paul V. Disdier, Owner and Manager of The Fireweed Factory, began growing cannabis. Initially growing in a greenhouse, relying on the limited sunlight even during the summer months, the Disdier family knew they needed to look at a new model of cultivation to produce the yields and quality required at a commercial scale.
We are finishing about a week sooner overall with the majority of our strains, which is awesome for our longer flowering strains where we can now harvest in a few monthsPaul F. Disdier Lead Cultivator
The Fireweed Factory Transitions to LED
Being one of the first commercial cannabis operations in Alaska to be awarded a state standard cultivation license, The Fireweed Factory made efficiency the top priority to meet customer demand while ensuring a successful business. The team retrofitted a small warehouse for commercial production. The plan was to build a vertical garden to utilize the most out of limited space. Paul F. Disdier, Lead Cultivator, worked with Trevor Kirchhoff, the owner of the local hydro shop Get Growing, to find a lighting solution to meet his design needs. Both Paul Jr. and Trevor tested the Fluence SPYDRx PLUS fixture and were impressed with the results, leading Paul Jr. to outfit his facility entirely with SPYDRx PLUS in a three-tiered vertical grow.
With the SPYDR series, the plant canopy can be grown up to six inches away from the fixture. “Getting this close to the light allows us to maximize our vertical cubic space, it’s not just about one plane anymore,” said Disdier. By growing with Fluence LED solutions, Paul has seen an increase in overall yield, potency and flower quality.
The Fireweed Factory’s Fluence-Powered Vertical Farm
The Disdier family are proud of their local roots in Juneau and the commercial cannabis industry. Many of their strains are home-grown in Alaska, some strains in his garden were even bred on their home island of North Douglas. The tourism industry has spurred incredible demand in the Juneau market. With nearly one million visitors each summer, The Fireweed Factory is currently one of three growers supplying both the local and tourism demand. “We are always looking into the future and we know prices are going to drop substantially, it is important to deploy as efficient of a grow as possible to compete against larger operations. Fluence allows us to produce a product at a lower cost while maximizing our square footage. The fact that we can grow this product at a lower price is huge for our business.”
