In the Netherlands, Abemec, in collaboration with Doorgrond, recently celebrated a significant milestone: the sale of 95 ARA sprayers for this year. Nard Savelkouls, Product Manager at Abemec, expressed his enthusiasm and referred to last year's successes, in which their customers completed over 3,000 hectares with ARA.

"This year will be even greater. We see a lot of potential in ARA, and this combined with the drive from Dutch farmers to become more innovative and sustainable has led to its success. More than half of the machines have already been delivered to the farmers and they are ready to start the beginning of the season.”

Nard Savelkouls, Product Manager at Abemec

Across Ecorobotix's global dealer network, partners have been actively engaged in showcasing ARA's capabilities. For example, in the UK, The Burdens Group recently conducted a demonstration, elucidating ARA’s prowess to British farmers. Meanwhile, in Argentina, Abelardo Cuffia participated in the ExpoAgro event in San Nicolás, Buenos Aires.

Farmers globally are already using ARA's capabilities to meet different crop management needs. The applications are as varied as the agricultural areas. In the Alpine region, ARA is seen in meadows and pastures, while in Germany, for example, ARA is used to control weeds in sugar beets and onions. The adaptability of ARA extends to crops such as lettuce, spinach, corn, chicory and much more. In addition, ARA offers green-on-green and green-on-brown capabilities to ensure effective weed control in fallow fields for optimal crop growth.

Ecorobotix is also gearing up to participate in several upcoming events, notably in the USA:

• The Summer Convention of the National Onion Association in Anchorage, Alaska
• The Organic Produce Summit in Monterey, California
• FIRA USA 2024 in Woodland, Sacramento, California

A full list of events can be found on ecorobotix.com.

The enthusiasm for ARA transcends geographical boundaries, with farmers eagerly embracing the technology to meet their evolving crop management needs. From precise herbicide application to targeted treatments of fungicides, insecticides, and fertilizers, ARA is revolutionizing agricultural practices through Ecorobotix's innovative Plant-by-Plant AI software and advanced spraying capabilities.

Last January, we announced the collaboration with our partner Bucher Landtechnik for the distribution of our products in Switzerland.

This collaboration started in February with a first meeting between our team and Bucher Landtechnik. The purpose of the day was for Bucher Landtechnik to get to understand our new technology and to familiarise themselves with ARA.

Damien, ARA product manager, and Olivier, agricultural engineer at ecoRobotix, provided the first part of the training for our partner’s team of representatives and service technicians.

The training consists of 3 phases:

Phase 1: theoretical training on the technical elements of ARA and its application
Phase 2: agronomic update of the crops in Switzerland and the different issues involved
Phase 3: practical training in the field

The technical part of the training included a general overview of the machine as well as an in-depth look at the various components of ARA, including the use of the double tank, the location of the various sensors and the operation of the spray nozzles

Secondly, the interface of the ARA control application was explained. The application is provided on a tablet and can be used directly from the tractor cab. The participants were able to browse through the various menus and become familiar with its use.

The second part of the training was devoted to deepening agronomic knowledge with an update on the pests that farmers face.

The third phase will take place in the field as soon as the first pests appear. We will discuss the use of SCBA in different types of terrain, tractor speeds and the optimisation of tank dosing and cleaning.

Bucher Landtechnik

For Sébastien Thiebaud, manager of the Mathod branch and head of ecoRobotix distribution at Bucher Landtechnik, the ultra-precise ARA sprayer meets a real need.

As a distributor of agricultural machinery, we must be able to offer alternative solutions that meet the challenges we face. Environmental awareness has been growing in recent years in all sectors, and agriculture is no exception. The various agricultural policy issues currently on the table in our country demonstrate this. Regardless of the outcome of the votes, the debate on the use of pesticides is alive and well and there is pressure from consumers. We are proud to be able to propose a solution and to participate in the evolution of agriculture, that is also our role. »

For Sébastien Thiebaud, manager of the Mathod branch and head of ecoRobotix distribution at Bucher Landtechnik

The first treatments with ARA will start in April, mainly for dock in grassland, followed by the rape and sugar beet season.

The production unit

The production unit is running at full speed. Behind the door of our hangar, our team is working on a complete production line. Four wheel-mounted chassis are being built to accommodate the various components, such as microprocessors, cameras, nozzles and all the equipment needed for our high-precision ARA sprayer.

Two other machines are outside the hangar, raised and coupled to a tractor, and are in the final stages, ready to be tested in the field.

Now, if you’re walking through the countryside, you might be lucky enough to see our ARA sprayer in action. By day or by night.

For information in Switzerland, contact Sébastien THIEBAUD
079 570 32 90 · sebastien.thiebaud@bucherlandtechnik.ch