Low DLI and temperatures in winter
Transitioning from CMH and HPS to advanced Fluence LEDs
Bio-security“Fluence has provided excellent customer service. Everybody has been quick to answer my questions or find somebody that can answer my question. Nothing is left open-ended.”
“Ascend Wellness is proof that quality and consistency are the benchmarks for the cannabis industry moving forward. Many brands will be playing catch up while looking to Ascend’s model for inspiration.”
Just east of the Mississippi River, the small, unassuming farming town of Barry, Illinois, hides its rustic charm in an endless sea of checkered fields. Those who stop for gas on their way to St. Louis or Springfield may appreciate the slow, steady, peaceful rhythm of Barry—and perhaps even visit the museum—before hopping back in the car. Yet, none would expect this 200-year-old town in flat fields to host two of the most technologically advanced, data driven, and commercially successful vertical cannabis cultivation facilities in the world: Ascend Wellness.
Founded in 2018, Ascend Wellness operates two separate grow facilities in Barry with mirrored administrative teams and distinct cultivation structures. Their indoor facility boasts 52,000 square feet, divided into four double-stacked cultivation rooms. The greenhouse facility is slightly larger at 58,000 square feet, parceled into eighteen grow rooms. A coalition of advanced technologies, best practices, and skilled employees allows Ascend Wellness to deliver unrivaled quality and consistency from one harvest to the next. Consistency remains a major reason for their ascent with popular brands such as Simply Herb, Ozone, Common Goods, and more.
VYPR and RAPTR
From its conception, Ascend Wellness has emphasized consistent quality on par with America’s biggest and most well-known brands. However, growing fragile plants—especially complex cannabis strains—presents incredible challenges for even the most experienced growers and facility operators. The Great State of Illinois offers additional hurdles like insects, low light, and cold winters, but Ascend Wellness has climbed each rung with careful consideration.
The team operates with a rigorous commitment to biosecurity and cleanliness, treating the indoor and greenhouse sections as entirely separate entities to prevent cross-contamination. Dedicated staff perform Integrative Pest Management (IPM) and fertigation, utilizing reverse osmosis storage and direct injectionsystems. Leadership takes pride in maintaining one of the cleanest facilities in the industry, comparing the standard to a pharmacy or medical office to ensure consumer trust.
Advanced Fluence RAPTR LEDs replaced the old HPS and CMH fixtures to ensure consistent high-quality spectra, lighting controls, and canopy penetration during the cold, dark winter months. Argus and Ridder climate control systems were also implemented for precise crop steering. When coupled with Fluence’s Wireless Flex Dimming technology, the Ascend Wellness team can easily ensure the optimal level of light intensity -regardless of the weather or time of year- without the incremental cost and complexity of cables.
Despite the high level of control, the directors acknowledge the inherent difficulties of the “Wild West” of cannabis genetics. They manage friendly competition between the indoor and greenhouse teams while navigating the unique challenges posed by Mother Nature, such as extreme Illinois humidity and winter ice. Ultimately, they view cannabis as a resilient but demanding crop that requires 365-day-a-year attention to detail. This intense schedule and commitment to quality is why Ascend’s Barry facilities employ approximately 450 people, representing a significant portion of the working-age adults in Pike County. The company has become a pillar of the local economy, generating tax revenue and supporting local shops.
Ascend Wellness has enjoyed tremendous success and popularity in short time due to their rigorous attention to detail. The results speak for themselves. For instance, upgrading to Fluence VYPR LEDs resulted in a 19 gram per square foot increase in yield and a roughly 30% overall increase in yield per room. The modular design of the new fixtures allows for easier maintenance and installation. William Slayton, Director of Cultivation, reports that the LED rooms set site records with RAPTR LEDs, averaging 113 grams per square foot. LEDs have proven particularly beneficial during Illinois winters, providing a 9 DLI (Daily Light Integral) increase compared to HPS lights. Both directors highlight that LEDs provide superior light penetration, turning what would typically be “shake” into valuable “B-buds” or “C-buds” deeper in the canopy.
Employees saw a notable difference in flower structure and stacking. One director described the resulting buds as being the “size of Nerf footballs.” One thing is clear: something big is happening in the small town of Barry, Illinois. Ascend Wellness is changing the cannabis industry by proving what is possible with state-of-the-art facilities in the middle of humble, checkered fields just east of the Mighty Mississippi.
