Chemical Building Automation Upgrade
Bulk Chemical Metering With Injection & Repack Station
PROJECT: The Equity, Alma, IL
OVERVIEW
The Equity was constructing a new chemical building to replace an outdated facility in Alma, Ill., and wanted a liquid automation system to serve its needs not just for today but for a decade to come. The rising cost of crop inputs made inventory management a critical piece of a new system; reducing inventory shrink presented an opportunity to enhance The Equity’s return on investment.
WHAT THEY NEEDED
The system had to be fast, accurate, and fully integrated. They needed to keep sprayers moving in the field to increase efficiency. Hot loading tenders quickly and accurately for multiple fields and sprayers was a must, ultimately reducing the need for additional equipment to service customers. With crop inputs constantly changing, the Alma facility required the ability to quickly adapt to the dynamic agronomy environment. And The Equity’s call for efficiency and speed required trucks to continue loading top or bottom in two bays while still receiving product in the third.
WHAT WE DESIGNED
Kahler Automation answered the call. Our powerful software tracks every transaction, from order inception to delivery and invoicing. Not a drop of product leaves the facility without The Equity knowing how much, where it is going, and who is paying for the product. All of the tracking is done electronically, with very little if any paper shuffling or multiple data entry points.
Using highly accurate instruments and cutting-edge technology we are able to dispense multiple chemicals and fertilizers into a mix batch simultaneously — no waiting for scales to settle or product to discharge before moving to the next step in the sequence. All systems are integrated into one ultimate package, operating multiple pieces of equipment super-efficiently to save time and money.
Kahler Automation created a flexible and robust control system for the Alma facility, using the best components in the industry, but our relationship with them didn’t end at startup. Not only does The Equity’s system allow our support staff to access and update controls remotely — providing support in minutes — if they should ever require emergency hands-on assistance, they know that a Kahler field technician can be at their site in a matter of hours, courtesy of our fleet of support aircraft.
WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY
Wes Ware, Facility & Project Manager, The Equity
“The Equity has numerous locations with Kahler Automation systems in place, with more scheduled for installation by next spring. Our main reasons for going with Kahler systems are the reliability and functionality; beyond that, they deliver accurately and efficiently at high speed, resulting in notable cost savings. Kahler Automation’s support is the best, and the people there go above and beyond to solve any issues. We love the integration into our crops software, saving so much back office work.”
Tim Glienke, Territory Sales Manager, Kahler Automation
“It was a privilege to bring another blending facility online for The Equity. They are clearly dedicated to bringing best-in-class technology to customers across their entire family of agronomy sites. Working with their team on a complex facility like Alma was a truly rewarding experience, and we look forward to further partnering with The Equity as they serve southern Illinois growers.”
