South of the North Carolina state capital of Raleigh is the small rural town of Clinton, N.C., the headquarters for Vertical Crop Consultants, or Cropbox.
Tripp Williamson, Owner, and Founder started VCC in 2016, after years of working for the family business, Williamson Greenhouses, and finding his passion and success. Tripp had the vision to create more innovative and sustainable ways to grow local produce. He also wanted to provide insights to all indoor growers, not just the shipping container market.
Williamson grew up on a family farm that grew watermelons, tobacco, and cantaloupes. His father introduced Tripp to the greenhouse business, exposing him to alternative ways to grow produce from a young age. After earning his Agriculture and Business degrees from NC State, he left home for five years, a rite of passage his father insisted on, to prepare his son for the real world. He moved to Richmond, VA, where he worked in heavy transportation equipment sales. He eventually landed a medical sales job and moved from Richmond to DC before finally returning to his roots in North Carolina in 2011.
He married in 2012 and began researching ways to get back into the family business, but more sustainably with an eye for the future. Tripp was also busy making a family of his own. His son was born in 2016, and the Williamson family can often be found playing at the beach and spending time with other friends and family.
In 2015 Tripp was introduced to the Growlink brand of climate-controlled automation. He was impressed with the flexibility and innovation the system provides, along with its rugged dependability. Trippe re-imagined a way to create a one-stop-shop for container farming, complete with lighting, climate-controlled automation, recycled irrigation, and upgrade options that include windows, LED lighting, and a logo on the outside. The completely enclosed environment eliminates the need for expensive and harmful pesticides and uses 90% less water than traditional agriculture forms.
Like farmers who pour everything they have into the land to provide food for others, Vertical Crop Consultants pour everything into developing the most innovative and high yielding food production solutions possible.
As they say on their website, "We are a part of something greater, taking care of our planet and one another. Cultivating a family and community of like-minded people by putting nutritious food into the hands of those who need it most is the mission of Vertical Crop Consultants. Let's get growing together!"
When discussing how Tripp feels about his ongoing relationship with Growlink, he said, "It's more of a partnership, not just an equipment sale. The best thing about Growlink is they show you how much they care and want you to succeed."
Growlink is proud to work with Tripp to expand his business and support his ongoing climate control automation needs.
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