With 60,000 operating hours to its credit, Naïo is now looking to leverage its extensive experience with new customers for the vineyard.

“In France, TED is already at work for big brands such as Hennessy and Grands Chais de France. We have acquired a great deal of expertise on American soil with Dino: now that we have eight robots in service and over 5,000 hectares weeded, it is time for Naïo to expand its presence in the United States on the wine-growing market with TED, but also with our historical robot Oz which is about to become available throughout the United States thanks to a distribution network that is currently being deployed,”

adds Julien Laffont, Strategy and Development Manager at Naïo Technologies.

A Naïo USA office is already established with a team of 14 people

In response to a local market and to growing demands, Naïo has consolidated an office in the United States in Salinas, California.

It is a team of 14 people who work in a territory covering the whole of California, all the way down to Arizona. With Ingrid Sarlandie recently joining the team as Chief Operation Officer (COO), Naïo US reinforces its positioning:

“Naïo Technologies is the TESLA of agricultural robotics,”

says Ingrid Sarlandie.

New robots for 2022

CES 2022 will therefore mark the beginning of a year filled with new developments for Naïo Technologies.

New robots will complement its existing range of three, with the promise of a controlled, proven, and easy-to-use navigation and to its patented safety system. The team will be strengthened by new hires, in order to meet the growing demand.

The post Naïo’s Vineyard Robot TED Hits the US at CES 2022 appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

“In times of need, it is imperative our communities have access to healthy foods. Providing financial support to our local food banks helps connect the nutritious foods our customers grow to those trying to make ends meet,”

said Mark Littlefield, President, and CEO of Farm Credit West.

Every year, Farm Credit West prioritizes distributing funds to fight food insecurity through its robust charitable giving program. This year, seventeen food banks received a donation to support their local programs helping families impacted by illness, job loss, or loss of a home.

“Stewardship is at the core of Farm Credit West’s mission. Year after year, we keep a keen eye on the most vulnerable in our local communities and respond with financial assistance. Our Association and its Board of Directors recognize the direct impact these organizations have on our communities and dedicate our resources to help ensure no family goes hungry.”

The post Farm Credit West Donates Over $50,000 to Food Banks appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Take one glance at Woody Weld’s eclectic office at ACME Lift Co. (ACME) in Mesa, Arizona, and it is impossible not to ask any questions. It resembles a museum, packed with memorabilia and artifacts – from photos and books to robots, car figurines, and a large dragon sculpture.

“My office is a reflection of the people I’ve known and all the things that have happened over 45 years in the business. They’re things people have given me or that have some story and connection to the business or my life,”

said Weld, president, CEO, and chairman of ACME.

Weld’s rental industry experience helped spur the idea for co-founding ACME in 1997.

“I worked for a big rental company and we would get a job to build a stadium. We would win the whole job – all the lifts, earthmoving equipment, cranes, everything they wanted. Then we’d run short of equipment. We couldn’t find any place for short-term, late-model equipment that we could give to our customers to retain our relationship with them and not give up that relationship to another rental company,”

he said.

After understanding the industry’s need for short-term rentals firsthand, Weld decided to offer a solution.

“We started with the idea that rental companies might share their infrastructure with us if we solve problems for them. We had maybe 40 machines and a couple hundred thousand dollars, and we built ACME up to where we are today,”

Weld said.

Partnering with Hitachi

Today, ACME is the world’s largest wholesale re-rental company, with a $450 million fleet including aerial lifts, telehandlers, portable air compressors, and earthmoving equipment, which most recently includes Hitachi excavators.

In March 2018, Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. (HCM) acquired a 33.3 percent share of ACME. The joint venture allows retail construction equipment rental companies access to Hitachi excavators through ACME’s re-rental business. ACME serves large rental companies as well as small independents.

“I’ve had a lot of business partners and a lot of manufacturers in my life. Hitachi is the best I’ve ever done business with, in terms of how we work together and how well we accomplish the tasks they set forward,”

Weld said.

ACME’s Hitachi excavators range from the ZX130-6 up to the ZX470LC-6. The company also buys used Hitachi equipment through the Hitachi dealer network.

“Our customers have reacted very positively to us carrying the Hitachi brand. And the machines are excellent. Hitachi makes spectacularly good products. This year we are adding at least $40 million worth of Hitachi product into our fleet,”

Weld said.

The War Room

Although ACME’s fleet includes about 300 Hitachi excavators, you won’t see any of the machines if you visit the company’s headquarters. And that’s a good thing – all across the U.S., each excavator is where it needs to be when it needs to be there.

“The machinery doesn’t do much good sitting here. It’s in rental company yards or our local laydown yards in markets where we know there’s business and demand, so it can be delivered quickly,”

Weld said.

That timely distribution is thanks to ACME’s War Room. Instead of separate departments handling logistics, service, freight, parts, and sales, ACME has them housed at headquarters in one space called the War Room. The War Room functions as a streamlined operations center designed to provide real-time information about equipment and single-point customer support.

“The War Room is a little bit like an aquarium in that all of the different disciplines required to do our job exist in that one space. Everybody works together to solve customer problems in real-time. A customer can call ACME and rent a machine, repair a machine, get parts for a machine or move a machine with one phone call into one room,”

Weld said.

ACME’s entire fleet, including its Hitachi excavators, is equipped with telematics to monitor equipment availability and usage.

“We don’t get phone calls from people idly wondering what we have in inventory. Our customers call, and they need something right away. The War Room map is basically a heat map of where there’s work. If the Gulf is busy, the machines get drawn there. After the big fires in California, they needed earthmoving equipment for the clean-up. The machines migrate to wherever the work is,”

Weld continued.

Weld said the secret to ACME’s customer service is resourceful employees.

“One of the most important things I teach people when they start working at ACME isn’t that we know the answer to every question. What we know how to do is learn. ACME is about learning. It’s about finding the answer very quickly. The whole point of this place is to make customer problems disappear.”

An evolving industry

Weld’s success comes not only from his industry experience but also from his strength to continuously adapt. When he first entered the industry, the rental was a monthly business. A company would create a machinery list and bring all the equipment to the job on the first day. The equipment yard would be debited as work was carried out. This process has changed dramatically over the years, and by focusing on logistics, Weld ensures that ACME remains an industry leader.

“Now, there are algorithms, product management systems, and highly educated people coming out of construction management programs. Those people are managing down to the hour and the day and the week. Customers are saying, ‘I want it on Thursday at 9:00 a.m. and I want it gone by Friday. And then I want it back again the following Thursday.’ That becomes more of a logistical business than it is a rental business,”

Weld said.

The charismatic Weld forges ahead, making sure he has the best people on his team.

“This company is about people. It’s about the relationships we have with our customers and the interrelationships with all the people on our team. And trying to make sure we do the right thing every day and we’re headed in the right direction.”

Weld also said it’s those relationships, along with the multi-faceted work, that keeps him coming back for more.

“I do this work because I passionately love to be involved. I guess the thing you think about as you age is that you want to remain relevant. I want to have a purpose and a meaning. I can teach young people about the business. Customers have problems we can solve. Manufacturers have issues; we can give them a solution. Maybe that’s why I’m passionate about it because it’s quite fulfilling.”

The article first appeared in Hitachi’s BREAKOUT magazine, Spring 2021 issue, and it was written by Kristin Stires

The post [Job Story] How Hitachi Excavators are Used by ACME Lift appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Case Construction Equipment dealer Sonsray Machinery is expanding into Arizona with new full-line Case sales, rental, and service operations in Phoenix and Tucson. The expansion further establishes Sonsray as the largest Case dealer on the West Coast with 15 locations in five states: California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona.

“Sonsray embraces the unique challenges facing contractors on the West Coast and in the Southwest, and now brings its commitment to equipment support and community development to Arizona. Case and Sonsray share a passion for community building, as Sonsray has actively supported our work with Team Rubicon in providing disaster relief, as well as the good work it does through the Sonsray Force-for-Good Foundation.

says Leandro Lecheta, head of construction — North America, Case Construction Equipment.

“Our growth into Arizona allows us to better serve our clients who work throughout the West Coast and Southwestern U.S., and we look forward to meeting, working with, and becoming active members of the Phoenix and Tucson communities,”

says Matthew Hoelscher, president, Sonsray Machinery.

Local equipment owners are encouraged to contact the Phoenix and Tucson Sonsray operations for special introductory incentives, rental options, financing, service plans, and all parts and service needs.

Source: Case CE

The post Case Dealer Sonray Machinery Expands into Arizona appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Would it be surprising to find out this summery city is actually the winter vegetable capital of the world – and that agriculture is its number one industry? The city is Yuma, Arizona; one that most associate with being a dusty, desert landscape is rich and vibrant with agricultural variety and is home to one of the places growers can find RDO Equipment Co. and John Deere tractors.

If it’s hard to believe Yuma is a bountiful agricultural community, just look at Jon Dinsmore’s Instagram account (@thefarmerjon). Yuma is the place where this fourth-generation farmer learned about planting, harvesting, caring for the crops that are now his livelihood.

The Challenge: Year-Round Agriculture Requires Well-Rounded Machines

With 1,200 acres of farmland in Yuma’s diverse and year-round farming area, Dinsmore Farms grows a variety of crops throughout the year.

“We grow a large mix of lettuces and cilantro during ‘produce months’ then alfalfa, Sudan grass, and Durum wheat in the spring and summer,”

Jon said. Along with producing a large variety of crops comes the challenge of finding equipment that can handle the different practices each requires.

“It’s tough to see large tractors parked on the sidelines,”

he explained.

“If they’re not suitable for the crop we’re growing at that time, we can’t use them.”

Jon was always interested in a tractor that could handle a variety of Dinsmore Farms’ practices, particularly its various tillage needs, so it could be productive and working most of the year vs. sitting idle.

The challenge was finding a tractor that could work with the different implements, to go from tilling one season to listing up beds during produce season. If the right equipment was deployed, Jon estimated that it could get them,

“an additional two to three months of work out of the one tractor.”

Smoothing A Rocky Past

As Jon set out to find the right tractor, he had to confront some of his own preconceived opinions. The farm had historically owned and operated a certain brand of equipment, a decision that traces back years before he was ever involved in the business.

“A main reason our farm ran the color and brand we did for so many years is because we were always told John Deere was too expensive,”

Jon said. But he wanted to explore all of his options and set out to find a dealer that could help him get to the bottom of this family folklore and educate him on his options with Deere.

It was then that Jon confronted his second preconceived opinion: dealer reputation. More than two decades ago, the Deere dealer in Yuma wasn’t a great partner to Dinsmore Farms. Jon explained,

“The service aspect just wasn’t there, both my grandfather and father didn’t have positive experiences.”

It’s easy to see how this type of family tradition gets passed down. But Jon says, throughout the years, he noticed the new Deere dealer that entered Yuma in the 1990s, RDO Equipment Co., was different. The way it does business, partners with customers, even its presence in the community have all helped erase the memories of the previous dealership for Jon. That, plus the genuine approach of the team members themselves gave him ample reasons to overcome his long-held convictions. He decided he needed to give RDO the chance to earn business.

About five years ago, Brant Palmer, Precision Product Specialist, Joe Twomey, Regional Sales Manager, and Bobby Walker, Account Manager, began working with Jon, trying to build a relationship and offer solutions they believed would further Dinsmore Farms’ success and solve their unique challenges.

“They gave us opportunities to demo smaller tractors to see if John Deere machines would be a good fit for us,”

Jon said.

“We really liked how the Deere tractors ran, they’re strong machines with more power than what we’d been running.”

That initial experience gave Jon the motivation he needed. As a result of the strong personal relationship plus a new conviction in the power of Deere, Dinsmore Farms converted to three Deere machines for hay work, then made a bigger move two years ago with Deere’s 8345 tillage tractors.

Green equipment would continue to find its way into the Dinsmore Farms’ fleet with another opportunity to address one of Jon’s biggest problems, the earlier-mentioned need for a more productive, robust tractor.

The Solution: Machines

In the spring of 2020, Dinsmore Farms’ Account Manager, Bobby had been talking about Deere’s new 8RX tractor and that it might be the versatile workhorse Jon was looking for, one that could handle multiple tillage practices and give the farm the extra two to three months of productivity it needed.

Coincidentally, Jon had been doing his homework on this tractor. All the online reviews he saw were good. He also follows Precision Product Specialist, Brant on Twitter and enjoyed all the photos and experiences in the valley he was sharing of the tractor.

“Plus,”

he said with a laugh,

“it looked like a cool tractor. It kind of draws out the little kid in you when you see it.”

As they had done in the past, the RDO team arranged for Jon to demo the tractor. Jon was interested to see how the tractor would handle the farm’s various implements, how much impact it had on the field, and how it integrated technology and data management.

The Results Are In

When it came to Jon’s goal of less field impact, the 8RX performed as he’d hoped, saying,

“With the 8RX, I was really surprised it could turn as sharp without leaving as much of a trace. Our experience with two-track tractors was they’d leave a mound of dirt after pivoting at the end of each row.”

In addition to fields looking more aesthetically appealing, the performance cut down on added clean-up work of the mounds.

Jon was pleased with the tractor’s performance, both in terms of having the power to handle implements, as well as the added bonus of comfort.

“It’s a good, stable tractor in the field,”

he said.

“It really grabs the ground and distributes that power.”

Jon continued, pointing out the 8RX could handle a variety of implements, while being fuel-efficient and providing a smooth, comfortable ride.

The technology aspect also impressed him, saying,

“We had no GPS issues. When trying to get an A/B line, the tractor didn’t waver off point, which is a big deal, because with other systems, we’ve experienced down moments when they drop the satellite signal.”

Jon further commented on this key aspect, noting the ease of data sharing from the machines to their devices.

“I can pull up everything right on my phone, be able to monitor hours, keep track of where the machine is, watch all the data easily. RDO also has access so Brant can send us breakdowns and make it easier to understand the usage reports. It takes the pressure off us because, we all know that when work gets busy, you can get complacent. But the reports make it easy to understand the data and get us to best usage.”

Speaking of usage, the real benefit xperienced from the 8RX demo was the one that he’d hoped for and directly affected the bottom line.

“Using the 8RX, we realized we can downsize from running two competitive-brand tractors because it does everything we need,” he said. Jon also recalled his earlier comment, his father’s and grandfather’s previous concern with Deere equipment being too expensive.

“There’s a lot of available technology that gives us more opportunities. That’s on top of the savings that come from getting more production out of a single machine. Overall, it saves us money.”

While not a drawback of the machine, Jon acknowledged one adjustment they’ll have to make with the 8RX is monitoring hours and maintenance due to the tractor running more hours than they’re used to.

“With two tractors we’d normally share the workload, so with the increased hours per machine, we’re cautious not to over use it.”

The demo period went so well that Jon decided to move ahead with a purchase of the 8RX tractor. He’s eager to have it as a permanent fixture in the fleet so he can keep doing what he loves – farming.

The Future of Farming

Jon’s long family farming history is certainly a point of pride but he’s glad he further investigated the family’s folklore on Deere and the local dealer. In selecting his Deere equipment, Jon is starting new family traditions and using those machines to power them forward.

“It wasn’t until I got a little older I really started to grasp and understand what a blessing of an opportunity it was to grow up on the farm,”

he said.

“I always wanted to follow my grandpa and dad, and now I get to provide that same opportunity for my kids.”

Jon says that, even if they don’t share his same passion and follow in the family’s farming footsteps, the lessons learned on the farm will serve them well, no matter the path they take.

“I don’t know if any of them have it in their heart but I hope they find whatever it is that lights the fire like farming does for me,”

he said.

SIDEBAR – Making Farming Social

With more than 5,000 followers and dozens of photos and videos shared every month, Jon has done something many farmers haven’t – in fact, something many Instagram users haven’t: created an engaged fan base that gets a behind-the-scenes look at the hard work and beauty that is farming. And for Jon, the value of social media has nothing to do with how many likes and comments he gets.

“I love to connect with other farmers on Instagram, from everywhere,”

he said.

“It’s especially fun when people tell me my photos remind them of their farm where they grew up, even if they’re not still in the business.”

As a professional farmer, part of the Dinsmore Farms family, Jon also appreciates the business aspect that comes with the connections he has built, opportunities to share ideas and best practices, and see new equipment.

“There’s real business that happens on social media,”

he added.

In addition to Instagram, Jon is also on Twitter (@thefarmerjon).

Source: RDO Equipment Co.

The post RDO Equipment Co. and John Deere Tractors Team Up for a Yuma Farmer appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.

Mark Littlefield, President and CEO of Farm Credit West, said:

“Virtually overnight, local communities where our staff and customers live and operate have experienced unprecedented challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Food banks are struggling to meet demand as local families face increasing food shortages. These communities are the backbone of our Association and our board is committed to contributing resources to provide relief to those impacted by this crisis.”

Farm Credit West distributed $4,000 grants to thirty food banks throughout the regions in which they operate.

“Our stewardship and philanthropic partnership program have been a core component to our business operations since our inception over 100 years ago. With the recent school closures, challenges to the workforce and increasing health risks, we believe it critical to respond quickly and in a significant way to provide financial assistance in the regions we serve. As we enter this time of uncertainty, our Association is committed to monitoring and responding to the needs in our communities.”

Source: Farm Credit West

The post Farm Credit West Distributes $120,000 to Food Banks in California and Arizona appeared first on North America FarmQuip Magazine.