ISO Group USA, a subsidiary of Dutch ISO Group, a manufacturer of automated plant handling machines, recently hosted a grand opening reception to announce their expansion into central Virginia. The event marks the opening of the Richmond, Virginia office, enhancing service to North and South American markets. Attendees included a delegation from the Dutch embassy, state and local officials, and growers from across the U.S.
“The turnout is even better than we expected,” according to John Menendez, Vice President and General Manager of ISO Group USA. “The tour of our new facilities has been well received, but everyone is especially excited to see the planting robot in action.”
Virginia expansion improves service response
ISO Group has always partnered directly with their customers. The expanded U.S. presence prioritizes this commitment. Local service technicians and a domestic service phone line enhance customer service. Domestic shipping increases parts availability and reduces lead time.
“The benefits of the U.S. expansion to our customers are many,” says Menendez. “Our domestic phone number is more accessible to growers, and parts and service are readily available from our east coast location.”
The expansion is not limited to location but also highlights an expansion of available technologies to the North and South American markets. Planting, cutting, grafting, bulb planting, sorting, grading, and sampling are among the many plant handling solutions currently available. This gives growers choices to increase their operations. Other ISO objectives are to provide growers the ability to broaden beyond annuals and to engage growers in markets that have not yet been automated.
“We want to bring a new development to market every two years. We are still very much focused on ornamental cultivation, but we also hope to do a lot in the food sector,” Wim van der Meijden, President of ISO Group USA, said in a recent interview.
Looking ahead
ISO Group USA is focused on the future. The Richmond office intends to offer onsite training sessions, various machine demos, product testing, and data analysis. Additionally, growers can engage with ISO at events throughout the year, including Greentech and Cultivate, and through innovation updates and a digital newsletter.
“Our multi-year plan includes customer trials for new varieties, onsite training sessions, and emerging technology demonstrations,” according to Menendez. “It’s our goal that each machine runs reliably at peak performance. Additionally, we will continue to innovate based on customer feedback.”
“New ideas come from growers,” noted Raymond van den Berg, International Sales Manager. “Growers tell us how the machine should work for their own plants and product systems.” This feedback drives innovation at ISO. Novel designs not only help growers improve production speed and efficiency but allow them to broaden their product mix.
For more information:
ISO Group USA
293 Turner Road, VA 23225
Richmond, USA
Tel.: +1 (804) 409-5055
[email protected]
isohorti.com