Brochure - Kuhn Krause

KUHN KRAUSE AND THE NEXT AGRICULTURAL REVOLUTION

P R O J E C T PA R T N E R S :

BRINGING AGRICULTURE into the DIGITAL AGE

With smart machinery and robotics, Kuhn Krause is resolving the agriculture sector’s biggest pain points and meeting the demands of digitisation

D

igitisation is transforming businesses across the globe – and the

the time savings, the agronomic

agriculture sector is no exception.

focus that we take in designing

With the world’s population mushrooming, consumer demands changing, and commodity prices becoming more volatile, the

and building our machinery,” he adds.

Looking forward, the digital

agriculture sector is being pushed beyond tra-

agriculture market is expected to

ditional business models into the digital age.

triple in size to $15bn by 2021,

With 100 years’ experience in manufactur-

according to PA Consulting.

ing farm machinery, Kuhn Krause is a melting

With this in mind, Director of

pot of traditional agricultural values and tech-

Operations, Eddie Smith, says he

nological innovation.

has seen a seismic shift in the

It is perhaps this unique perspective which has thrust the American firm into the spotlight 04

“It’s all about the profitability,

way farmers operate.

“I think we’ve seen a dynamic

as one of the leading agriculture and farm

change in the way farmers

machinery manufacturers in the market today.

approach business,” he explains.

“No matter what segment of the agricultural

“They’re no longer just trying to

industry we’re in, our mission is to build the

make a living for their families but

best equipment and deliver the best customer

are now increasingly looking

experience with that equipment,” explains

towards more technical aspects

Marketing Director Curt Davis.

of farming.

“That really comes from identifying and

“I think they’re better educated.

understanding the customer, understanding

They’re business people and they

their needs and providing the equipment that

run the farm more like a business.

solves the everyday problems many of the

They have expectations that their

farmers face with their operations.

fathers or their grandfathers

“This mindset helps us to create a differenti-

didn’t have, and so they are look-

able product in the marketplace, so that when

ing to derive value. They’re

a customer hears about our equipment they

looking for the latest and greatest

will immediately say to themselves, ‘This is the

technologies that can give them

solution I’ve been looking for’.

profitability.”

The agriculture sector is a difficult one to be in, but Davis believes technology is key to realising the market’s financial potential.

“It’s paramount to have a good experience with the equipment, but it’s also important that customers realise the value and return on their equipment investment,” he says.

“In today’s agricultural market, commodity prices are somewhat depressed. This is a worldwide situation, not just in North America, and so it’s very important for our customer to stay profitable.

“They want to invest in machinery that is going to improve their profitability and decrease their cost of investment, whether it be through time, fuel or labour.”

“ It’s all about the profitability, the time savings, the agronomic focus that we take in designing and building our machinery.”

— Curt Davis, Director of Marketing and Product Management

Whether it’s creating state-of-the-art equipment for livestock feeding and bedding, tillage, planting and seeding, crop protection and more, it seems innovation runs deep at Kuhn Group.

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“The sheer fact that Kuhn Krause has prospered for such a long period of time is a testament to the product and the people at the facility” — Eddie Smith, Director of Operations

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This is clearly demonstrated by the firm’s cutting-edge manufacturing facility.

By investing in smart machines, Kuhn Krause’s technology provides operators with “instant feedback on the performance of

weld cells are helping to provide feedback, speed up operations and produce better quality products.

“With all this technology, we

machines,” says Smith, which makes the

haven’t replaced any workers,”

manufacturing process faster and more effi-

Smith continues. “It has actually

cient.

given us more flexibility with our

Meanwhile, the firm’s million-dollar investment in smart machining centres and robotic

workforce and has improved our productivity and efficiency.

Kuhn – Invest in Quality 07

“The integration of technology is

standardising, sustaining and upholding

helping us make the interface

safety – the agricultural equipment firm is

between man and machine more

focusing on what matters: its products.

productive.”

Pushing its efficiency further, the

In conjunction with this, Smith also champions the company’s use of Gemba walks, to

team at Kuhn Krause has also

gain insight into what’s happening on the

implemented a clearer, lean way of

shop floor.

working.

Adhering to the 6S method of sorting, setting in order, shining,

“One of the main things we’ve done is that we set up a model area in each department,” Smith adds. w w w. k u h n n o r t h a m e r i c a . c o m

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“When a customer hears about our equipment they will immediately say to themselves, ‘This is the solution I’ve been looking for’” — Curt Davis, Director of Marketing and Product Management

“Once we validated that a process was converted and changed using

the skills and expertise of its team.

“The sheer fact that Kuhn Krause

the lean methods, then we would

has prospered for such a long

expand it to other areas in that

period of time is a testament to the

department. When we wanted to

product and the people at the facil-

change something, we always went

ity,” observes Smith.

back to the model area to change it.

“We also introduced spaghetti dia-

“I think from a manufacturing standpoint, one of the challenges

grams to reduce the flow or waste of

we’ve had is adapting to the differ-

time of material moving from point A

ent generations of workers

to point B. We had over a 40%

because today we have some

reduction in one department, in one

workers that are celebrating their

area, just by doing that.”

45th year with the firm. In some

Technology and new business

cases, we have taken our sea-

models have undoubtedly trans-

soned workers and placed them

formed the business, but when it

alongside some of the younger

comes to the success of Kuhn

workers to let them learn the new

Krause, the pair both also point to

technology. They’ve been very w w w. k u h n n o r t h a m e r i c a . c o m

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receptive to doing that.”

“Finding good people is always a challenge,” adds Davis. “It seems like in today’s world if you can find a good foundation of character, work aptitude and knowledge about the business, you can begin to build upon that with the specific things that they need to know for the industry and the company. It’s a constant challenge to find good people and to retain them but we’ve managed to

Over

10

350

employees work at Kuhn Krause.

achieve this.”

Tapping into the latest industry knowhow, Kuhn Krause has not only hired the best talent, it is also developing strong industry partnerships to guarantee a superior customer experience.

“For instance, one of the companies that we have an alliance with is Montag,” notes Davis.

“Montag provides a fertiliser delivery solution which we attach to our strip-till machine called the Gladiator®. Both of those machines work together to really provide good value to the customer. It delivers a whole package to the farmer. That relationship with Montag has been very instrumental in increasing our market

position with the customers for the

Although the company’s roots lie

strip-till application of fertiliser place-

firmly in America, it seems Kuhn

ment.”

Krause remains optimistic about the

Now, looking forward, the agriculture equipment firm plans to continue the company’s historic leg-

future and is eyeing opportunities further afield.

“In the next decade, we plan to

acy by embracing new and

continue to grow in the North Ameri-

revolutionary technologies.

can sector, both in the US and

“In the future, I predict we will con-

Canada,” Davis says. “Globally I see

tinue to increase our technology use

that we have many opportunities,

in all aspects of manufacturing,”

especially in growing and developing

reflects Smith.

countries where agriculture is vital to

“That will allow us to have flexibility.

produce enough food for the grow-

This is important because the agri-

ing population. Continued

culture market is cyclical, which

development in those growing and

means you need to able to flex-up

emerging countries are going to be a

and flex-down your manufacturing

priority for us.”

capability to continue to be profitable.”

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305 S. Monroe St. - Hutchinson, KS 67501 T 800-957-2873 www.kuhnnorthamerica.com