5 automation companies to look out for

Added on 20 December 2022

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In vertical farming, efficiency is key for those looking to increase their profit margins. Automation is one way to cut costs and increase efficiency in a vertical farm. By using robots to help with various aspects of farming, we can supplement the need for human labor to complete tasks such as seeding, transplanting, tray washing, harvesting, packaging, labeling, and fertigation.

Automation is important to maintain constant levels of certain farm inputs such as dissolved oxygen, nutrients, and water, and it also helps to cut out repetitive human labor in seeding or harvesting. Since these factors determine the quality of a crop yield, choosing the right automation technology for your farm is no easy task. Automated sensors can let a farm operator know when something in their setup has gone awry and needs fixing. This can be very helpful to busy operators, and some systems even allow you to control the farm remotely via an app.

So, who is changing the game in automation? We have a few contenders:

TTA

TTA’s Flexplanter machine in use at an InFarm facility. Credit: TTA.

Founded in 1996, this Dutch company creates automation equipment for handling and selecting young plants. They also offer harvesting equipment to streamline processes for indoor farmers and farm operators. Their ultimate goal is to provide an automated solution for the entire production process of indoor farming.

TTA encourages potential clients to explore their automation options during the planning process of building their farm. By thinking about the possibilities of automation in the beginning, you can avoid future headaches like not having enough space in the facility for automation equipment. Their equipment is trusted by partners worldwide, and includes the innovative Lowpad, a transit system utilized for in-warehouse travel of pallets and similar horticultural structures.

Priva

Priva’s software and hardware systems allow farmers to precisely control the conditions of their grow environments. This family-owned business has been working in the field for over 65 years and has years of experience implementing automation strategies.

By having humidity, CO2, lighting, and temperature controls all in one place, your job as a farm operator can be much more manageable. Priva’s digital services are available remotely via smartphone, tablet, or computer, so you can be assured that you can always monitor and adjust your farm’s settings. Their integrated solutions can be linked, so that all of your processes can be automated and controlled in one place.

Header Photo Credit: Avisomo

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