Industry News

Technology Labs Will Help the Next Generation of Talent Gain Hands-on Experience with the Latest Technologies in Agriculture and Construction

Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB) and The Ohio State University have announced the opening of two state-of-the-art Trimble Technology Labs for the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) at The Ohio State University. Both of the multidisciplinary labs will enhance the university’s hands-on learning, teaching, research and outreach activities in food and agricultural engineering, as well as construction management.

The two new Trimble Technology Labs provide students with access to leading agriculture and construction technologies used today by professionals in the industry. With added hands-on learning opportunities, these labs will ultimately help a greater number of students prepare for their future careers. In the inaugural year, more than 1,000 students will have access to the labs for courses dedicated to the next generation of agriculture and construction careers.

Trimble Opens Two Technology Labs at The Ohio State University to Advance the Next Generation of Agriculture and Construction Talent

“In recent years, farming and construction industries have faced crucial labor shortages and skilled labor gaps,” said Jim Chambers, vice president, agriculture, Trimble. “With the added technology in these labs, we’re looking to not only attract the next generation of agriculture and construction professionals, but we hope to attract a whole new subset of students looking for technology careers that may not have realized a career in agriculture or construction could be for them.”

Based on Ohio State’s campus in Columbus and Ohio State ATI at the CFAES Wooster campus in Ohio, these labs are the first Trimble Technology Labs to include Trimble agriculture solutions. The centerpiece of the labs are customized training workstations that simulate the use of Trimble agriculture hardware and software in the classroom, including machine guidance and control, assisted steering, field leveling and water management systems. The workstations enable students to interact with technology in the classroom before they begin working with equipment in the field.

Historically, agriculture and construction classes have been focused around lecture-style curricula. By starting in the workstation lab setting, moving to technology-equipped ATV’s and then to full-sized agricultural and construction equipment, learners have more opportunities to master the skill sets needed to excel in precision farming and construction management.

“The new Trimble Technology Labs help The Ohio State University lead the way when it comes to innovative agriculture education, research and outreach programs,” said Cathann A. Kress, Ohio State vice president for agricultural administration and dean of CFAES. “Not only does Trimble help the university in the classroom, but having such a well-respected agriculture partner [1] engaged with the college opens a lot of doors within the industry for our students and community.”

In addition to students, the Trimble Technology Labs will benefit the greater farming community in Ohio and beyond. Ohio State University Extension, CFAES’ statewide outreach arm, will help support training programs to re-equip farmers and agricultural professionals with technologies that can improve productivity, increase efficiencies and drive sustainable farming practices. The labs will not only be used for workforce development opportunities, but also for faculty research purposes, local youth agriculture groups such as Ohio 4-H youth development, FFA and local field days. The labs will also offer opportunities for worker training outside of the usual university, for-credit courses by offering targeted workshops for certifications, appealing to current farm workers, local dealers or businesses in the industry.

The agriculture workstations include a combination of hardware and software to prepare students in agricultural sciences and engineering to use equipment in the field, including workflows such as guidance, autosteer, water management and application technologies. The workstations are designed to replicate what happens in the field.

Alongside the agriculture solutions, the labs include a broad range of Trimble’s industry-leading geospatial and construction solutions such as the Trimble XR10 HoloLens™ hardhat, robotic total stations, 3D scanners and GNSS systems. Advanced software solutions include eCognition® geospatial analysis software, RealWorks™ scanning software, TerraFlex® Advanced GIS data collection, Trimble Access™ field software, Trimble Business Center Infrastructure Construction edition, Tekla® Structures, Tekla Structural Design Suite, Trimble Connect® collaboration software, Estimation MEP, FieldLink Office, Quadri, SysQue and the company’s popular and intuitive 3D modeling software, SketchUp®.

Trimble has a history of working with Ohio State through philanthropic support dating back to 1987. The software and hardware represent the largest in-kind philanthropic investment to support teaching, research and outreach in the history of CFAES. In recognition of this contribution, Trimble was presented with the Corporate Partner of the Year Award from the National Agricultural Alumni Development Association (NAADA), a national philanthropic association for agricultural education institutions. To learn more, visit trimble.com/en/our-commitment/education-and-outreach/overview

Fourteenth HometownH2O project furthers awareness of rural water access challenges

The Dittman family of Parker, Pennsylvania, has received a new water well system yesterday that will provide dependable water access on their property, something the family has been living without. This installation was made possible through a collaborative effort between Xylem Inc., Water Well Trust (WWT) and Waterboys, a charity founded by former NFL player Chris Long. The donation covered all aspects of the project, including necessary equipment, drilling and installation, as well as completion of a home improvement project. Local partners Aquaflow Pump Supply and Flick Drilling played a crucial role in the installation, while The Vinyl Institute provided piping material.

The Dittman family of Parker, Pennsylvania.

Amanda and Samuel Dittman live with their two children in a farmhouse built by Amanda’s great-great-grandfather in 1903. The home, which has been passed down through generations, drew water from a natural spring on the property. Over the years, the family has experienced a continuous decline in their water supply. The spring does not consistently produce water, and provides no water during the dry season, leaving the family without access to a dependable water source. As a result, the Dittmans have relied on family and neighbors to help them haul water daily from town – a 40-minute round-trip drive – and add it to their holding tank. Despite implementing water conservation practices, the family continued to struggle with basic tasks such as cooking, cleaning, showering, doing laundry and tending to their garden.

“I am proud of the history of this house, but it does come with some challenges. There have been a lot of times we’ve thought about moving, even though it wouldn’t allow us to live how we want to,” said Water Well Trust beneficiary Amanda Dittman. “My neighbor always checks on us in the summer to ask if we need water or to use her laundry. It’s a relief to tell her that we finally have water, and she doesn’t have to worry about us anymore. It’s a huge weight off our shoulders.”

This donation marks the 14th collaborative project for Xylem, WWT and HometownH2O – a domestic water initiative dedicated to bringing clean, sustainable water to people and communities in need across the United States. Launched in early 2020, HometownH2O is a united effort between Long, his Foundation’s Waterboys initiative and Xylem to address water scarcity issues, which currently leave more than 2 million Americans without access to clean water. HometownH2O works alongside WWT, a national nonprofit that helps fund and supply water to low-income families.

“HometownH2O is working to tackle the water crisis here at home. Many people in the United States take safe drinking water for granted, but no matter your zip code, everyone deserves access to dependable water,” said Long, two time Super Bowl champion and founder of the Chris Long Foundation. “Our mission with each well installation we complete is to continue to spread awareness and through collaborative solutions, bring water access to those who need it most. Xylem and Water Well Trust are indispensable partners in this effort.”

“Our partnership with the Chris Long Foundation and the Water Well Trust through the HometownH2O program allows us to continue to address domestic water scarcity issues that impact countless families across the United States,” said Susan O’Grady, senior director of marketing, building services and agriculture, Xylem. “We are proud to be part of the solution to ensure that residents in rural communities, like Parker Pennsylvania, can enjoy the essential resource of clean, safe water.”

Xylem, in conjunction with its Goulds Water Technology brand, is engaged in regular water well initiatives to provide secure water access to rural areas, striving to increase public awareness of the challenges surrounding lack of water access. For more information about the HometownH2O project, visit waterboys.org/hometown.

Sønderborg’s initiative to reach climate neutrality by 2029 recognized as a “replicable, adaptable and scalable” decarbonization model for cities worldwide.

The World Economic Forum’s Centre for Urban Transformation and UN-Habitat has honored ProjectZero with its Award of Distinction for Public-Private Collaboration in Cities in recognition of the positive and measurable impact demonstrated in the city of Sønderborg in southern Denmark.

The award ceremony took place yesterday in Detroit, Michigan, USA, as part of the World Economic Forum’s Urban Transformation Summit which brings together visionary leaders from business, government, civil society, media, and philanthropy to forge new partnerships, showcase innovative solutions and mobilize action in support of more sustainable and inclusive cities and urban economies.

ProjectZero was established as a public-private partnership in 2007 with a vision of turning Sønderborg Municipality’s energy system carbon neutral by 2029. The project was initiated by the Bitten & Mads Clausen Foundation, the majority shareholder in Danfoss, Sønderborg Municipality, the University of Southern Denmark, and several local companies, as well as other public and private organizations. Danfoss contributes to ProjectZero by supplying energy efficient cooling and heating solutions, collaborating on electrification projects, and promoting sector integration where industry, energy production, transport, and others work together to reuse energy which has already been produced.

Last month, ProjectZero announced that energy-related carbon emissions have been reduced by 57 percent, equivalent to a saving of around 400,000 tons of CO2. ProjectZero was recognized as a true example of the benefits of the public and private sector coming together.

“ProjectZero provides a model for how the public and private sector can come together to deliver on big, bold ambitions which might otherwise not be possible,” said Jeff Merritt, Head of the World Economic Forum’s Centre for Urban Transformation. “By recognizing this world-leading effort, we hope to encourage and inspire other cities to follow suit, forging new partnerships to accelerate climate action.”

Rick Sporrer, President of the North America Region, Danfoss, accepted the award on behalf of ProjectZero. He said: “ProjectZero is a clear example of what a city can achieve in the way of emissions reductions when public and private organizations team up to find local solutions to a global problem. Cities account for more than 70 percent of annual global carbon emissions and it’s crucial that we learn from each other. A public-private partnership like ProjectZero is replicable, adaptable and scalable for other cities around the world and can help us achieve our global climate goals.”

The ProjectZero model focuses on creating and demonstrating an intelligent and integrated energy system across an entire municipality, offering energy savings. ProjectZero is one of the main reasons that Dr Faith Birol, Director of the IEA, named Sønderborg “the global capital of energy efficiency” at last year’s IEA conference on energy efficiency.

The various sources of energy and sectors connect in a flexible network that works coherently, allowing, for example, houses to be heated by surplus heat from local companies, electric cars can be charged when there is less pressure on energy consumption, and data is used to ensure that energy is efficiently utilized in the best possible way. This model makes it possible to reduce the costs of decarbonization by up to 50 per cent.

In response to ProjectZero receiving the award, Brian Seeberg, CEO, ProjectZero, said: “The strong commitment and collaboration in our partnership is the very backbone of ProjectZero, and the key to reaching zero in 2029. I am therefore very pleased that this award recognizes this unique partnership. Cities around the world can turn to Sønderborg as a blueprint for how to reduce their own emissions. We’ve shown it is possible to make an impact by focusing on three key principles: energy efficiency, sector integration and green energy sources. This is something all cities around the world can and should do.”