Hot weather--and hotter innovations

Amy Stankiewicz

The proverbial dog days of summer saw a record-breaking group of attendees converge onto Columbus, Ohio, for the 2013 OFA Short Course. And while the heat outside was less than desirable for the annual event’s attendees, inside a bevy of hot products were being showcased on the Greater Columbus Convention Center’s trade show floor.

I thought I would take this opportunity to mention just a few of the products I found particularly interesting. Of course, this space doesn’t permit a full run-down of the show’s best highlights, so be sure to look to our September issue, where we’ll cover much more of this year’s Short Course happenings.

AgriNomix’s new KV-XL filler was hard to miss on the trade show floor. Word has it that it took nearly three days for AgriNomix team members to assemble the product for the event. This new filler places the soil hopper directly over the filling belt, ensuring even side-to-side container filling while minimizing use of floor space. It’s capable of filling any style container up to 22 inches wide and 17.5 inches high, something that wasn’t possible with AgriNomix’s previous filler systems.

The robotic plant mover, a joint collaboration between AgriNomix and Harvest Automation, was quite a sight as well. Talk about the future of automation! Check out our video at bit.ly/13Rr61y to see how this machine operates and how it can save time and money for growers.

Dramm’s new DrammPress Hose Crimper caught my eye because it seems like it will save significant time for growers who need custom-sized hoses regularly. Using Dramm’s standard hose fittings and ferrules, the crimper can terminate ColorStorm hoses to a similar finish as the company’s larger hose press.

I also want to mention how impressed I was with the success of McConkey’s rEarth plastic water bottle recycling program. The company unveiled a Million Bottle Club at Short Course, which recognizes those companies that have made it possible for McConkey to recycle 72 million bottles for containers each year.

Again, be sure to check out our September issue for more coverage of the 2013 OFA Short Course. And visit our website for on-the-show-floor videos capturing some of the coolest technology at work in today’s horticulture industry.

Amy Stankiewicz | astankiewicz@gie.net
216-236-5960 | Twitter: @Greenhousemag