Kahler Automation Creates Flexible, Robust Control System for The Equity

By CropLife Staff|July 1, 2019

What They Needed

The Equity was constructing a new chemical building to replace an outdated facility in Alma, IL, and wanted a liquid automation system to serve its needs not just for today but for a decade to come.

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Aerial view of The Equity in Alma, IL.
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The Equity-Alma, IL, team (from left): Logan Wollerman (Chemical Operations), Jim White (Chemical Operations), Shelly Harpster (Administrative Assistant), and Kurt Berg (Branch Manager).
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Alma’s control center utilizes Kahler’s powerful software to integrate its entire facility.
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KA-2000 controllers provide reliable and continuous connectivity with ethernet connection.
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Liquid chemical injection delivers multiple chemicals simultaneously at controlled rates.
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The metered repack station eliminates the need for a scale.
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The bulk chemical meter system.
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Aerial view of The Equity's Galton location.
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The Equity is headquartered in Effingham, IL.

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.

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.

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.

In today’s complex and fast-paced crop production sector, the team at CROPLIFE keeps 21,000 agricultural retailers, distributors and their suppliers up to date on such decidedly 21st century issues as seed technology, biotechnology, precision agriculture, customer service and retention, and business management. See all author stories here.