Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/744696
www.goodfruit.com GOOD FRUIT GROWER NOVEMBER 2016 13 father Rod and uncle Daryl, who has since died. Abdulla and Hanson also participated. Jordan Matson favored the ASRS, but "I tried to keep my personal opinion masked until the very end," he said. One of the biggest points of reluctance was not the cost, it was the question, "What happens if it breaks?" Jordan Matson said. They have the capacity to get tech- nicians on a video feed, have trained several in-house mechanics and keep a healthy supply of spare parts available. The company performs 99 percent of the maintenance in-house. Matson Fruit decided to take the risk and started con- struction in December 2013, fi nishing in September the next year in time for the 2014 crop. Austrian company LTW Intralogistics built the crane and robotics system. Matson and his supervisors admit they have expe- rienced troubles. They struggled to integrate software. Training was diffi cult at fi rst but is getting better. And the dollies' loop system — a novel approach even for LTW — develops points of instability and wear. But they would do it over again. "Automation is the future as it saves on physical space, energy and labor," Matson said. • PLAY Ride along with a pallet of fruit as it's moved into storage using Matson's robotic system at goodfruit.com/media Northwest FCS Crop Insurance Agents specialize in what they do, with the in-depth knowledge required to guide you through the maze of ever-changing crop insurance rules and regulations. Unlike other insurance providers, our licensed agents focus solely on crop insurance, working full time to help producers manage risk. • Crop Hail • Yield-based Insurance • Revenue-based Insurance Call to see for yourself what sets Northwest FCS apart. 800.743.2125 | northwestfcs.com Crop insurance is all the same... agents are not.