Digitelling the future of horticulture
Klasmann-Deilmann pursues digitisation drive in commercial horticulture
Developing a digital perspective with customers
Klasmann-Deilmann is driving digitisation forward in commercial horticulture. At the International Plant Fair (IPM) 2020, the company will be presenting IT solutions that simplify processes between growers and substrate producers, and that bring customers added benefits.
“While growth, and the plants themselves, remain ‘analogue’ in nature,” says Managing Director Moritz Böcking, “growers are benefiting from the advantages of going digital. It speeds up commercial procedures, makes logistics systems more transparent and horticultural processes easier to control. And Klasmann-Deilmann is leading the way here.”
In this connection, the company has developed a range of digital applications that are now being rolled out among our customers. The IT solutions include a webshop and a tracking tool, as well as a platform for monitoring and consulting.
- Klasmann-Deilmann’s webshop allows growing media to be ordered online. Each horticultural business has a personalised customer account containing details of its order history, making re-orders a matter of just a few clicks.
- The company’s tracking tool shows the status of current orders and tells the user when deliveries can be expected.
- Klasmann-Deilmann’s online platform Log & Solve allows observation and analysis of cultivation parameters (monitoring), which are used to advise on day-to-day crop management (consulting). Log & Solve helps enhance the efficiency of cultivation methods and reduce failure rates. It does this by tracking key cultivation parameters such as nutrient levels and substrate moisture content, and by generating automated status updates for a given crop. On the basis of the data obtained, undesirable developments can be rapidly identified and averted by adjusting crop management. Klasmann-Deilmann’s experts are available online to provide guidance.
“Complementing horticultural processes through digital solutions is the future,” says Managing Director Bernd Wehming. “And even in the present, our IT applications already enable us to offer our customers digital added value.”
Furthermore, within the foreseeable future it will be possible to digitally track and analyse ongoing processes in horticultural companies worldwide. Klasmann-Deilmann’s specialists in Germany will then be able to provide advice online and in real time to customers in China, France and Chile.
“Interconnectivity is increasing,” says Bernd Wehming. “Modern businesses have a broad, diverse data base, the benefits of which are fully realised only when pooled with other companies’ data to achieve a shared goal.” In future, industry players – such as substrate manufacturers, fertiliser suppliers, pot producers, machinery constructors and individual growers – will become digitally interconnected. Business interaction will then encompass operational resources in their entirety, with all components integrated and in alignment.
“The crucial factor in acceptance of a digital solution is customer benefit,” adds Moritz Böcking. “We are inviting our customers to join us as we embrace the digital era. The IPM is an excellent opportunity to get talking, to share ideas and to develop a shared digital perspective.”