When a World Ag Expo exhibitor's new item is chosen as a 'Top-10 New Product,' the recognition often brings a flood of publicity, media exposure and much attention from potential buyers before, during and after the Expo."We were very thrilled to win the World Ag Expo Top-10 award," said Dirk Lennie, vice president of marketing for the Lindsay Corporation, headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.
"We had a unique new product at Expo which brought us into a different area of agricultural irrigation," said Lennie. "For Lindsay, World Ag Expo was the perfect opportunity to gain visibility for the new product."
Lindsay showcased a multi-function irrigation controller that works with its FieldNet micro-irrigation program which can be programed with a laptop or Smartphone.
"World Ag Expo was a 'perfect storm' for Lindsay," Lennie said. "As a Top-10 winner, we gained more press for our products. In addition, the California drought brought many people to our booth interested in irrigation methods to reduce water use."
The Lindsay booth also drew attention from a journalist with the Los Angeles Times newspaper. "The result was a picture of the new product and I on the front cover of the business section of the Times," added Lennie.Earning the Top-10 award allowed Lindsay to market the product before World Ag Expo. At the show, people knew about the product and stopped by the booth to see it.
Lennie noted, "The Top-10 provided additional exposure for Lindsay, increased traffic through the booth and more press coverage."
The Santa Fe, New Mexico start-up company, CAFOweb won the Top-10 award for its new online software program.
CAFOweb software enables operators of confined feeding operations to protect water quality from nutrient contamination by making real-time, science-based management decisions when applying green water, manure solids and chemical fertilizers to fields.
Over the three-day Expo, several thousand people visited the CAFOweb booth.
"Our overall experience was extremely positive at World Expo and the Top-10 New Product award," said Tara Vander Dusse, CAFOweb's executive director. "It was extremely useful for our start-up company. World Ag Expo was a great location to meet different people at one place."
Top-10 winner publicity prior to World Ag Expo allowed CAFOweb to have conversations with potential customers.
Vander Dusse adds, "Meeting them in person at World Ag Expo was extremely helpful. As a New Mexico business, we talked with people from across the U.S."
"The Top-10 program and Expo resulted in more product sales and interest," she says.
GeoBlu Services owner, Jared Sigler of Phoenix, Arizona, won the Top-10 award for his GeoBlu Explorer unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) which offers aerial solutions in agriculture.
For example, the UAV can fly over farm fields to gain a bird's eye view of pest, disease, or water concerns which can help growers respond faster - thereby minimizing crop loss.
"World Ag Expo was incredible; it was nonstop for three days."
Sigler shared, "I was covered by media beyond my expectations. It was a whirlwind, but it
was a fun whirlwind. I really enjoyed it."
The Top-10 experience led to sales and consulting opportunities during and after the show.
Citrus growers quizzed Sigler about using the GeoBlu Explorer to fly over groves to survey growing conditions. Vineyard operators also expressed similar interest.
Mack Robotics Inc. won the Top-10 New Product award for the company's Bin Bot robot, a unique, skid-steering electric robot which handles grain, cleanup and maintenance work inside bins and other confined spaces where it's unsafe and illegal for workers to enter.
Eric Miller, Mack Robotics' sales and marketing manager, said, "We enjoyed being nominated and winning the award."
2014 was the first year for Mack Robotics at World Ag Expo. The South Dakota-based company knows a lot about products for the Midwest (corn, soybean and wheat), and most visitors at the booth were grain producers.
Yet, many western fruit and nut producers stopped by the Mack Robotics' booth to ask if the company could produce similar equipment for the western fruit and nut industries. Mack Robotics is now exploring this new direction.
"A few companies were interested in machines which can deliver low breakage percentage in pistachios," said Miller.
After World Ag Expo, Mack Robotic's staff went to the drawing board.
"We put together a few attachments that we think could properly handle nut crops. We are really looking forward to moving into the nut industry," said Miller.
"We are pleased with our World Ag Expo experience. We are looking forward to what happens with these new contacts and this new market we've discovered for the future."
Mack Robotics began in 2010. The company sells the Bin Bot, plus 10 machine attachments.
Click here to view a complete list of 2014 Top-10 New Product winners and for information about applying for the 2015 competition.
8.13.2014