“The farming sector is crucial for the society and the reason for our existence. The importance of being close to the farming community is a clear guidance that our success is their success. By being close to the farmer, we will be able to develop intelligent systems”, says Arild Gjerde, President and CEO of Kverneland Group.
“Smart systems in itself make farming attractive, driving farm efficiency by the use of e-technology, digitalization, connectivity, being more precise”, according to Gjerde. “The ease of the use of machinery creates less stress on the farmer, making him better informed by taking decisions, having more information available.
And not unimportant: making it attractive for young people to be in the industry. Young people like modern technology. Connectivity is part of society nowadays and young people are attracted to this. It’s good to see that this is also happening on our side of the industry. It changes the way we are farming.
Kverneland is a broad product lineup company in implement systems. That’s giving us the possibility to combine the right implements and configurations in an optimal solution for the local farming practice. We have a product line that matches well with farmers and contractors, covering arable, dairy, beef and even vegetables.”
Solid mother company Kubota
“Being part of Kubota is certainly a benefit for us. Kubota is well-known for their production system, which is part of their DNA. From there we are learning and getting inspiration. We are continuously developing our factories, based on this production philosophy.
We are selling to the Kubota network in the same way we are selling to other networks as part of the full line to their dealer.
Moreover we have synergies in the field of digitalization, and where we can share our resources. Also, there is synergy in developing TIM (Tractor Implement Management) solutions between tractor and implement, such as with the TIM baler and the TIM spreader. This is strategically important, since TIM is the foundation for autonomous solutions going forward. Our Innovation Centre Europe in Nieuw Vennep in the Netherlands is our center of innovation. This center is working together with innovation hubs and clusters, with universities and even investing in startups for new technology. “
Great Plains and Escorts Kubota
“To a more limited extent we are working together with other Kubota subsidiaries such as Great Plains and Escorts Kubota”, Gjerde continues. “There are synergies / possibilities, and we are looking into these. However, Great Plains primarily focuses on extensive agriculture, like in the US. In general, there are differences in the machines between the American way and European way. Great Plains is an arable player. Still there are components and technology on machines from which we can learn from each other, and we do exchange knowledge. Moreover Great Plains is selling some of our machines on the US market.
We have also been following the India market for a long time. It’s always the question however, how much of western technology will fit agriculture in India. And if you go there, you will need a good distribution network.
Now we are studying how we can fit in there in a good way. And at the end of course how we can cooperate with Escorts Kubota in India. If you look at a market like India, you need to look at the local and international players and have a sound plan to fit the market.
India is huge. They have to produce a lot of food as they have a lot of people. Also an interesting climate, differing a lot across the country of course, with some places where you can grow several crops per year. Interesting thing is how we can provide value with our technology in place. “
The future of mechanization
“First of all there are lot of expectations regarding the future of automatization”, according to Arild Gjerde. “That refers to robots and also to what people sometimes call implement carries, integrated implements into the carrying unit and also to autonomous tractors.
What is still difficult to predict, is how this will develop in terms of customer demand. Which type of operation, which type of farms will choose which solution. Then we need to see and carefully monitor the optimal and most efficient solution, depending on the kind of operation.
So that’s one aspect. The other aspect is about collecting data. This is about connectivity and information exchange in order to become better informed and make the right decisions. That means that machines need to continue a smart journey. They need to be more precise, with operations steered from terminals. More automated also means implements guided by sensors and cameras. One aspect is to use sensors to collect field and implement information.
“We will probably see a segmentation of the market”
So that’s one aspect. The other aspect is about collecting data. This is about connectivity and information exchange in order to become better informed and make the right decisions. That means that machines need to continue a smart journey. They need to be more precise, with operations steered from terminals.
More automated also means implements guided by sensors and cameras. One aspect is to use sensors to collect field and implement information.
As it looks now, we need to be prepared that the market development might split into a mixed demand for robots, implement carriers and again, autonomous tractors. Will these be small ones, big ones? Who knows.
The good thing is that we have implements in the field today which most likely have to continue for a long time with the use of tractors like we know them today. So we will continue to focus on the optimal implement systems for the coming years in general, carefully monitoring which types are dominating in the future. Basically a lot of this is linked to what I said earlier about digitalization, connectivity and smart machines.”
Autonomous vehicles the future?
Arild Gjerde: “What I think is that we need to continue gaining insight into which operations, on what type of fields and different types of vehicles will be the best. From there we will probably see a segmentation of the market. So at some fields people may end up using / need a large autonomous tractor, whereas in other types of operations we might see more the robot types and implement carriers. We need also to think about the logistics around autonomous vehicles, as they will most likely not be used in single fields only. And the differences, such as between a vegetable field and a wheat field which need different types of solutions. Our objective is to offer implements to autonomous vehicles of different brands. In our group it is Kubota that will focus on tractors and Kverneland on implements. That is our agreed focus. “
Hotspot Agritechnica to come
“We embrace Agritechnica’s theme “Touch smart efficiency”, covering innovative agriculture network systems”, Gjerde continues. “This fits with our focus on efficient, connected and sustainable solutions. We are convinced that Agritechnica will again bring together big numbers of customers, dealers and distribution partners from around the world. Our expectation is that we will be able to show and promote the customer value of our systems and solutions.
Another important element for us is to get inspiration from the progress in the industry. That’s absolutely added value on top of our own participation. And discussions about progress in productivity and efficiency in general. Agritechnica is a fantastic platform to be able to really present what the company is thinking that really gives value to the success of farming. We are very much involved in system solution combinations, setting the hardware of the implement into the farming cycle and then to link that with easy to use digital solutions. This hotspot is a fantastic place to do this!”, Arild Gjerde concludes.
