New Zealand-based company Robotics Plus, a specialist in agricultural automation solutions, have announced it has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. to form the foundation of Yamaha Agriculture Inc., a new company focused on delivering autonomous equipment and AI-powered digital solutions that help growers in the specialty crop market become more sustainable, profitable and resilient in the face of scarcer resources and climate change.
Robotics Plus specialises in developing automation solutions for agriculture, combining expertise in robotics, automation, sensing, and data analytics. With a proven track record of delivering innovative technologies to global markets, the company continues to push the boundaries of agricultural automation. Its latest development, Prospr, is a robust, autonomous, multi-purpose hybrid vehicle designed to perform a range of orchard and vineyard tasks. Built to tackle labour shortages and enhance efficiency, precision, sustainability, and safety, Prospr is capable of multiple activities including spraying and weed control.
Since 2017, Yamaha Motor, the parent company of newly launched U.S.-based Yamaha Agriculture has supported Robotics Plus with strategic investment to drive development of agricultural automation technologies and to expand its presence in the agtech sector. Following Robotics Plus’ acquisition, the company will continue to operate its core business at its headquarters in Tauranga, retaining high value skilled jobs and IP development in New Zealand, while benefiting from the support of Yamaha Agriculture, to grow globally.
Steve Saunders, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Robotics Plus says, “Robotics Plus was founded on a vision to develop state-of-the-art robotic technology to solve some of the global agriculture industry’s biggest challenges, including labour, productivity and sustainability issues. This acquisition is a testament to the strong partnership we’ve built with Yamaha over the years, driven by a shared vision and commitment to empowering large-scale growers.’
Nolan Paul, Group CEO, Yamaha Agriculture, Inc. said, “Guided by our mission to ensure growers are sustainable, profitable, and resilient, Yamaha Agriculture recognises that the challenges facing specialty crop growers require thoughtful solutions that will take time to develop. We believe meaningful innovation in agriculture emerges through close collaboration with growers and industry partners. The capabilities of Robotics Plus in robotics and automation will be an important building block in addressing these challenges along with AI-powered data analytics.”
