Striving to develop innovative smart-ag tech hardware and software solutions to improve farmers’ productivity and profitability is the foremost motto of the organization we have featured here. This inside story is dedicated to the remarkable journey of Pessl Instruments GmbH, which has set significant benchmarks over the course of more than 38 years of service to growers, researchers, and managers across 85 nations. The company helps them with customizable precision agriculture hardware and software solutions that address all needs, problems, and difficulties that workers on the ground encounter on a daily basis.
Pessl Instruments, founded in 1984, rose to prominence as a leading producer and developer of smart technology for agriculture throughout all continents. Under the METOS® brand, it offers a full selection of wireless, solar-powered monitoring solutions. Every farmer that uses them relies on their FieldClimate app, which was created in 2005 as the first-ever web platform for gathering and displaying agro-meteorological data. METOS®’s cutting-edge technologies and FieldClimate’s simple user interface facilitate and expedite everyday decision-making. This way, any farmer can provide quality crops in a sustainable manner. “We are confident that METOS® technology will transform agriculture and meet the demands of each individual farmer. Our goal is to be the trusted partner of other industry players, distributors, and farmers as well”, quoted the visionary leader Gottfried Pessl.
Pessl’s unique service offering equips agriculture with a wide range of incredible solutions, including weather monitoring and forecasting, irrigation management, crop and plant disease models, insect monitoring, remote field monitoring, logistics and resource management, nutrition management, spray quality assessment, animal welfare, and a yield prediction tool.
The company’s future plans focus on increasing manufacturing across the globe. Currently, they are producing in Europe and North America, and they are also planning to establish production facilities in China and Brazil. By 2024 and 2026, respectively, they intend to reach 200.000 and 500.000 METOS® connected stations.
While shining a light on how it all got started, the man behind the idea, Gottfried Pessl, stated, “The importance of precision agriculture wasn’t as obvious 39 years ago as it is today, but I early recognized technology and real time weather information as an inevitable part of future farming. This inspired me to develop the electronic disease predictor for apple scab, our first product under the METOS® brand. Since then, the business has focused mainly on the creation of high-performance technology for precision agriculture that helps optimize procedures both within and outside of the agricultural industry.”
What Gives them the Leading Edge?
Being an independent partner for all the global companies in the ecosystem and taking a comprehensive approach to its business set Pessl Instruments apart from other competitors. They provide a full range of wireless, solar-powered monitoring systems that are applicable in all climate zones and can be used in a variety of industries and for a variety of purposes, from agriculture to smart cities, research, hydrology, meteorology, flood warning, and more. They also provide an online platform called FieldClimate.
Their significant technological, agronomic, and agricultural experience also allows them to work as an international team to develop the best all-encompassing solutions for the users. Additionally, they not only take the needs of the farmer, market, and environment into account but also fully comprehend them. METOS® products last longer than those from any of their rivals.
The Visionary Leader at a Glance
With more than 40 years of experience in the industry, Gottfried Pessl is the founder and CEO of Pessl Instruments GmbH. He was raised in a farming household and afterwards pursued studies in export business and agronomy. He desired a career that combined farming and business.
“In my first seven years as a banker, I learned that time is money and that in farming, carrying out field operations at the proper time and location might make the difference between a profitable, successful growing season and a potentially significant economic loss. This was my main motivation throughout the Pessl- METOS® journey: how can we assist farmers in saving time, resources, and money while still making the activities profitable? The power of IoT technology I recognized 20 years ago, and it took one more decade for my ideas to come to life”, asserted the magnificent leader.
Overcoming the Unpredicted Pandemic
Undoubtedly, the past two or three years have been difficult. Their resiliency has been put to the test by unstable supply chains, few opportunities for face-to-face transactions, and rising material prices, but C19 has also offered the team a fresh and insightful view of how the world is now functioning. That demonstrated once more how people grow together when they stand together. The wide network of subsidiaries, affiliates, dependable distributors, and esteemed industry partners they have amassed over the years is a key component in helping them recover from the epidemic stronger than ever. And they value each and every person who will continue to remain by their side.
CEO’s Take on the Significant Impact of IoT
“Every element of our lives is changing because of the IoT, from the way each of us operates on a personal, family, social, and professional level. People are already increasingly connected, businesses are expanding at an exponential rate, and the Internet of Things has made it possible for hardware and software solutions to be simpler to use and comprehend. These factors increase organizations’ cost-effectiveness, profitability, and sustainability.
Making better judgments about crop productivity, irrigation, pest management, and spraying is made possible by the Internet of Things (IoT). It offers the chance to spot issues as they arise without having to physically visit the affected area. It even offers greater accuracy than in-person visits. IoT technologies will aid in reducing the effects of climate change, securing the food supply chain, and preserving biodiversity.”
The Work Culture at Pessl Instruments GmbH
“Even the greatest idea cannot be executed without the help of others!” Gottfried Pessl is confident that their success is primarily based on the team members working cooperatively. Collaboration and open communication between local and international team members are also very important. Last but not least, being a part of the Pessl-METOS® family means helping redefine the future of farming processes, increase food safety, and contribute to a brighter tomorrow, and this is something that the employees really value.
Accomplishments Along the Way
Pessl Instruments has achieved many milestones over the years and received various accolades for breakthroughs in the field of smart ag-tech products and services. Their FieldClimate program, for instance, was the world’s first web platform for gathering and displaying agro-meteorological data.
Further, Gottfried said, “Since our company’s founding in 1984, there probably hasn’t been a year when the team’s work hasn’t been recognized with an award at least once. These awards range from the most recent in 2022, the EIMA Technical Innovation Award for an automatic water level depth sensor in flooded fields, to the Austrian Export Award, a prestigious prize for exporters, to numerous Agritechnica’s, EIMA’s, Macfrut’s, and other similar renowned events’ innovation awards.”
Advice from the Industry Leader
Stay up to date on the latest technology and trends in the industry. The IoT technology didn’t just make everything run smoother, but also faster. Even when you make a breakthrough, you cannot just sit back and rest on your laurels; you have to move forward at all times to preserve the competitive edge. Secondly, focus on building strong and genuine relationships with everyone you come across, from your coworkers to your suppliers, partners, and consumers.