Exact Corp: Autonomy case study
The Company
Exact Corp is a California-based manufacturer of harvesting equipment for the horticulture industry. With three generations of experience serving farmers, the company has established itself as a key player in the nut production sector, with a focus on specialty nuts including almonds, walnuts, pecans, and hazelnuts.
The family-owned company focuses on designing and manufacturing a complete line of harvest equipment, tailored for various phases of nut production. Their products are developed and engineered to be durable and reliable, and the company invests in the latest innovations to ensure their equipment withstands the rigorous demands of each season and meets the ever-evolving needs of growers. This combined focus on innovation and durability has given Exact a competitive edge.
The Challenge
The California nut industry, like many horticultural sectors worldwide, faces significant challenges. Despite years of strong demand, growers are experiencing narrowing operating margins due to lower global prices and higher operating costs. These market factors threaten the profitability of many of Exact's customers.
Autonomous orchard vehicles have emerged as a potential solution to this challenge and Exact has been exploring how best to make autonomy a reality for their customers. Their deep understanding of growers' needs has led them to identify several important criteria for effective autonomy solutions:
Solutions must be cost-effective to implement and operate
They must perform reliably in complex orchard environments
Equipment should be able to withstand harsh orchard conditions
Autonomy solutions should be adaptable, allowing integration into existing vehicles as needed
“Many autonomy solutions on the market today offer an expensive, all-or-nothing approach, which doesn't align with the diverse needs of our customers. Growers require solutions that can either be built-in or integrated into a fleet gradually, based on the results of testing. The best approach combines affordability with flexibility.”
— Doug Flora, Exact Corp CEO
The Solution: How Machines at Work is helping Exact
Machines at Work has emerged as an important partner in Exact’s efforts to help their customers realize the promise of autonomous orchard vehicles.
The first vehicle to incorporate Machines at Work’s autonomy platform is the popular E5100 sprayer. This technology enables the sprayer to operate without a human driver, offering benefits such as reduced labor costs, improved vehicle utilization, and enhanced health and safety. After a period of extensive testing, the autonomy package for the E5100 sprayer is now being demonstrated to Exact’s customers.
“Machines at Work provided an excellent demonstration and set clear expectations about what was possible, and what wasn’t. They have followed through on their commitments.”
— Doug Flora, Exact Corp CEO
Exact identified several benefits from working with Machines at Work:
Affordable and flexible: The Machines at Work solution significantly reduces the capital outlay required for Exact's customers to access autonomy. Additional retrofit capability allows for flexible integration with existing machinery at any time.
Collaborative partnership: Unlike other providers that prefer to operate "off-orchard," the Machines at Work team has taken a partnership-based approach, actively collaborating with Exact to bring their vision to life and addressing field-based challenges in real time.
Advanced technology: The Machines at Work solution utilizes advanced vision-based technology that is uncommon in agriculture, providing superior precision, simple operation, and an excellent experience for the end user.
Specialized for orchards: The solution has been designed with specialty orchards in mind and is suited to the challenging orchard environment common among Exact’s customers - narrow rows, obstacles, and canopy cover.
By partnering with Machines at Work, Exact can offer autonomy solutions that are not only technologically advanced but also economically viable and operationally practical. This collaboration helps Exact to maintain its position as industry leader while addressing the pressing challenges faced by growers.
“We've explored several potential autonomy partners, but many are inflexible and don’t understand our customers. Machines at Work have shown a high level of innovation and willingness to get involved in solving real on-orchard challenges. Their approach aligns with our own hands-on ethos.”
— Doug Flora, Exact Corp CEO
If you're a machinery manufacturer looking to add automation to your product range, get in touch today