CompetitiveAnalysis_Monitoring_Addendum

Market Research Report

2

Bethany Walter

Caddy, MBA-Josh Nichol RESEARCHERS

April 15, 2016

IntelliFarm PREPARED FOR

Nebraska Business Development Center. 2015

NEBRASKA BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER College of Business Administration University of Nebraska at Omaha

Mammel Hall 200 6708 Pine Street

Omaha, NE 68182 (402) 554-2521 nbdc.unomaha.edu

Josh Nichol-Caddy [email protected]

Bethany Walter

The information provided in this report is intended strictly for informational purposes to be used solely by IntelliFarm because the majority of the content comes from for-profit market research companies, publishing of any material in this report is strictly

forbidden.

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Market Research Report

Market Research Report IntelliFarm

April 15, 2016

Researchers

Josh Nichol-Caddy, MBA Bethany Walter

Table of Contents

Market Research Report.........................................................................................................................................3

Table of Contents...................................................................................................................................................4

Objectives...............................................................................................................................................................4

1 Tank level monitoring.........................................................................................................................................4

1.1 Fertilizer.......................................................................................................................................................4

1.2 Fuel...............................................................................................................................................................5

1.3 Feed..............................................................................................................................................................6

1.4 Grain bins.....................................................................................................................................................6

1.5 Propane........................................................................................................................................................7

1.6 Oil.................................................................................................................................................................8

2 Soil moisture monitoring....................................................................................................................................8

3 Predictive failure.................................................................................................................................................9

3.1 Vibration technology...................................................................................................................................9

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Nebraska Business Development Center. 2015 4 Logistics.............................................................................................................................................................11

4.1 Agricultural fleet management.................................................................................................................11

4.2 Construction fleet management...............................................................................................................12

4.3 Fuel delivery ......................................................................................................................................... 13

Objectives As they pursue new technologies, managers at IntelliFarm seek information about the competitive landscape. Specifically, managers want to know what companies and products already exist within the market for the following technologies. Researchers sought to provide all the information they could find about relevant companies and products. The tables that follow do not include every company with such products, with researchers focusing on major competition.

1 Tank level monitoring There has been a significant trend toward modernization of the agricultural sector. Tank level monitors are the current mechanism by which farmers identify when to reorder vital supplies for their operations. Remote monitors placed on or within tanks transmit such information to a device, such as an iPhone or a computer, is an emerging trend throughout the sector and many companies have sought to meet such demand. Companies selling these devices might appear in multiple tables because they often offer a variety of products – or a single product with multiple uses. That said, the market does not appear to be saturated and certain sectors, such as grain and feed tank monitoring, might represent more opportunity than others.1 There also seems to be little overlap among companies with sensors that monitor levels of liquids and solids. This, then, might present an opportunity to IntelliFarm, if it could offer a unified solution – and, as managers mentioned, one that analyzes use and anticipates needs.

1.1 Fertilizer Company Link Product Price2 Notes AgSense Farm http://www.ag

sense.net/ag sense farm/applicat ions/tank levels/

Field Commander/Wagnet

$1,095-$2,495

Offers monitoring of tank levels as well as control through mobile app

iLevel https://www.i levelapp.com /ilevel/how ilevel works.aspx

Pressure Sensor System Emailed for quote but have yet to hear back.

Uses sensors placed on a storage tank to monitor liquid fertilizer levels; information sent to mobile

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Market Research Report app

HouseLogix https://www.h ouselogix.co m/shop/aquatel - wireless fluid - level monitor - kit

AquaTel Wireless Fluid Level Monitor Kit

$949 Measures tank content levels, low and high alarm status, air temperature, battery and communication status

American Sensor Technologies

http://www.as tsensors.com /submersible _level_sensor s/AST4500__ AST4510

AST 4500/AST 4510 $345 each3 Designed to be submerged, but can be installed outside of the tank

LevALERT http://www.le valert.com/ho w.html

LevALERT Indicator $120-$140 Senses from 4 to 100 lbs./cubic foot; changes color based upon the level in the bin.

1.2 Fuel Company Link Product Price Notes iLevel https://

www.i levelapp.com/ ilevel/how -

Fuel Only System Emailed for quote but have yet to hear back.

Measures fuel level by using the fuel as an insulator to form a capacitor in the sensor

1 This might result more from a lack of demand than a gap in technology. 2 Throughout report: If range is given, researcher was told that price depends on specific customer needs. 3 Longer

cable length costs an additional $2 per foot.

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Nebraska Business Development Center. 2015

ilevel works.aspx

tube; the level changes the insulation, which is the basis of the data the system provides

SCI Distribution

http://sciww.c om/level shield/

Level Shield Emailed for quote but have yet to hear back.

System sends reports from the tank when certain thresholds have been reached

PS Energy Group

http://psenerg y.com/asset management/ tank monitoring/

Etrac-TM $800-$1,500 Provides continuous readings and remote monitoring of fuel storage tanks online

Ecogreen http://www.ec ogreentankm onitor.com/m onitor.php

Ecogreen Tank Monitor About $20 a month

Solar-powered monitor uses GSM or CDMA cell technology to allow remote monitoring

Level Devil http://www.lev eldevilsensor s.com/the stack - 9175 wireless multi - tank monitoring sys tem/#

The Stack 9175 $955 Mulit-tank, remote monitoring system; pressure sensor connects to tank using a nylon tube and, as the tank level changes, the change in pressure causes the transmission of data

1.3 Feed Company Link Product Price Notes BlueLevel Technologies

www.bluelev eltechnologies.com/produc ts/modelRH RHX.html

Model RH/RHX Emailed for quote but have yet to hear back.

Detects the presence of bulk solid materials, including feed

Power electrics Limited

http://www.in 4ma.co.uk/Re moteMonitori ng/Monitorin gBulkStorage Tanks.html

IN4MA Emailed for quote but have yet to hear back.

Reports changes in state and threshold movements; data sent to devices

LevALERT http://www.le valert.com/ho

LevALERT Indicator $120-$140 Senses from 4 to 100 lbs./cubic foot; changes

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Market Research Report w.html color based upon the level in

the bin.

1.4 Grain bins Company Link Product Price Notes AgSense Farm http://www.ag

sense.net/ag sense farm/applicat ions/grain monitoring/


$1,095-$2,495 Offers monitoring of tank levels as well as control through mobile app; can monitor the grain storage bin temperature

BlueLevel Technologies

www.bluelev eltechnologies.com/produc ts/modelRH RHX.html

Model RH/RHX Emailed for quote but have yet to hear back.

Detects the presence of bulk solid materials, including feed

Custom Marketing Company

http://discove rcmc.com/gr ain - gauge/

Grain Gauge $110 The gauge changes colors based upon the level of the grain in the bin.

LevALERT http://www.le valert.com/ho w.html

LevALERT Indicator $120-$140 Senses from 4 to 100 lbs./cubic foot; changes color based upon the level in the bin.

1.5 Propane Company Link Product Price Notes Tankutility http://www.ta

nkutility.com/ propane monitor app/? utm_ex pid=90392916 - 7.yvQE6ZVtTO - 9qhlJ15kjGw.1

Tank Utility $189 Tank fitted with float gauge that reads the amount of liquid; information sent to mobile app

TankLink http://www.ta nklink.com/Products/Propa ne

Host Mag Mount Emailed for quote but have yet to hear back.

Provides tank information for level, location, and route planning; customer can access data online

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Nebraska Business Development Center. 2015 Technology Assurance Labs

http://owlsite.net/

Overhead Wireless Logic System (OWL)

Varies based on usage; monthly invoicing

Dealer owns contents of tank and charges based on usage plus management fees; customer can monitor levels on a device

Syba Systems

http://fuelmin der.biz/levelc on/f100.html

Levelcon $299 Connects sensor to tanks; sends level data to Internet-capable device.

SmartLogix http://www.sm artlogixinc.co

SMARTank Emailed for quote but

Able to monitor a variety of liquid products;

m/smart products/sma rtank.asp

have yet to hear back.

programmed remotely and reports tanks levels at specific times, at predetermined thresholds, or when changes occur

1.6 Oil Company Link Product Price Notes AgSense http://www.a

gsense.net/a gsense farm/applicat ions/tank levels/


$1,095-$2,495 Offers monitoring of tank levels as well as control through mobile app

Technology Assurance Labs

http://owlsite.net/

Overhead Wireless Logic System (OWL)

Varies based on usage; monthly invoicing

Dealer owns contents of tank and charges based on usage plus management fees; customer can monitor levels on a device

Heat-Timer http://www.he at timer.com/ot m - oil - tank monitor/

Oil Tank Monitor $1,240.00 Displays number of inches left in a tank of any type of oil; activates alarm if it levels fall below a given threshold

2 Soil moisture monitoring Many companies seem to offer a wide range of products, with various capabilities and prices. Research suggests that it might be easier for established companies, such as Lindsay, to pitch such a system as an inexpensive add-on. Once farmers have invested in an irrigation system, they seem more likely to pursue soil

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Market Research Report moisture monitoring that they know will interface with it. That said, researchers did not find soil monitoring system that provides other sensory information. As previously mentioned, a unified solution that provides data across every aspect of an agricultural operation, measuring soil moisture and helping to manage various other critical inputs, could represent an opportunity for IntelliFarm.1

Company Link Product Price Notes Lindsay http://www.m

yfieldnet.com/soil -

FIELDNET $800-$950 Works with irrigation system to track soil water levels and local weather conditions

moisture monitoring

MEA http://mea.co m.au/soil plants climate/ soil moisture m onitoring/pl exus

Plexus Emailed for quote but have yet to hear back.

Measures soil moisture tension and content as well as soil temperature and EC, air temperature, and rainfall

Sentek Technologies

www.sentek.c om.au/produ cts/enviro scan probe.as p#e nviroscan

EnviroSCAN Probe $1,000-$3,0002

Provides user with flexibility for precision monitoring of water and salinity at multiple depths

Vegetronix

http://vegetro nix.com/Prod ucts/VH400/

VH400 Soil Moisture Probe

$40 Measures the dialectic constant of the soil using transmission line techniques

Stevens Water Monitoring Systems

www.stevens water.com/pr oducts/senso rs/soil/hydrap robe/

HydraProbe $395 Measures soil moisture, salinity, and temperature

3 Predictive failure Companies within this sector primarily offer hardware capable of interfacing with various control systems.3 These platforms tend to monitor vibration and warn when it exceeds predetermined thresholds but appear not to anticipate potential failures nor diagnose their causes. There also appears not to be a system that targets the needs of the agriculture industry.

1 This also would allow IntelliFarm to charge more, as current options do not garner much markup. 2 Price depends on configuration. 3 Especially within the manufacturing industry.

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Nebraska Business Development Center. 2015 As with grain and feed monitoring, sensors for predictive failure seem to present the most standalone potential within the market.4 Given the lack of overlap between the companies in the following table and those within other sections of the report, there also seems to be opportunity for the unified solution mentioned previously: A single dashboard that brings together this kind of data as well as that from other systems throughout a modern farming operation.

3.1 Vibration technology Company Link Product Price Notes Hansford Sensors

http://www.ha nsfordsensor

HS-500 series Emailed for quote but

Sensors do not come with software but have outputs

s.com/products/vibration systems - and switches/ monitoring systems/

have yet to hear back.

to interface with existing systems

Connection Technology Center

https://www.c tconline.com/ __4_to_20_m a_output_sol utions.aspx

various Emailed for quote but have yet to hear back.

Company offers various options to monitor vibration information but no standard interface

SignalQuest http://signalq uest.com/?gc lid=CN69_M uwicwCFYsC aQod0ScPdA

SQ-SVS and SQ-RPS Emailed for quote but have yet to hear back.

Onboard computation greatly simplifies vibration monitoring and measurement

Data Translation

http://www.da tatranslation. com/Sound and - Vibration Modules?gcli d=CMf_iMux icwCFQIKaQ odJuUBrQ

various $695-$3,395 Includes software for analysis of signal

4 Actually, the potential here might be even greater because there seems to be more demand for such products, based on the competition.

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Market Research Report MicroStrain http://www.mi

crostrain.co m/parameter s/vibration?g clid=CN75tJ myicwCFQcK aQod7BgATA

various Emailed for quote but have yet to hear back.

Input sensors send data wirelessly to various devices for analysis with proprietary software that allows users to set custom alerts and reports (http://www.microstrain.co m/wireless)

IFM http://www.ifm.com/ifmus/ web/news/pn ews_8q5c8h.html

VK Electronic Vibration Switch

$322 Just the mountable sensor, with no platform for monitoring the output

Midé http://bit.ly/1Y y6jHo

Slam Stick C and Slam Stick X

Starting at $1,000

Data logger that measures acceleration on three axes as well as temperature and pressure; micro-USB receptacle allows for connection to a computer, where data can be analyzed with Midé’s software

SKF http://www.sk

f.com/group/products/con dition monitoring/se nsors - and eddy - probe systems/v ibra tion sensors/inde x.html

CMSS series Emailed for quote but have yet to hear back.

Offers just the hardware, with no software that works with it to analyze the data or use it to anticipate potential failure

4 Logistics While there are relatively few companies marketing solely to the agricultural sector for fleet management, there are many able to meet such needs with existing systems. Companies that offer these services, such as John Deere, have enhanced their equipment with smartphone applications, GPS, or other software. Major cellular phone companies, such as Verizon and AT&T, have entered the market through technology that farmers carry in their pockets. Despite significant competition, there might be niche opportunities. CENEX, which appears in the fuel delivery section, provides an automatic refill service that depends on tank sensors. CENEX, then, is doing within the fuel sector what researchers think managers at IntelliFarm want to do more broadly. There seems to be an

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Nebraska Business Development Center. 2015 opportunity to implement such systems, especially within grain and feed, where there seems to be little competition and where this could represent a significant differentiator.

4.1 Agricultural fleet management Company Link Product Price5 Notes6 Verizon http://www.ne

tworkfleet.co m/fleet solutions/

Networkfleet Emailed for quote but have yet to hear back.

See website for detailed information.

John Deere https://www.d eere.com/en_ INT/products/ equipment/a gricultural_m anagement_s olutions/agric ultural_mana gement_solut ions.page

Agricultural Management Solutions

Price depends on local dealer.

Range of integrated products to maximize machine performance.

Flowfinity http://www.flo wfinity.com/s olutions/farm - management-software.aspx

Emailed for quote but have yet to hear back.

Programming-free software that allows the user to create a mobile application suitable for their needs; farm fleet management is an identified use

AT&T https://www.b usiness.att.co m/enterprise/ Family/intern et - of things/iot - equipment machinery/


Provides vehicle and asset tracking and monitoring tools

Connected Farm

https://www.c onnectedfarm.com/growers/

Connected Farm Standard $1.75/acre per year

Monitor fleet positions and health and compare vehicle utilization

4.2 Construction fleet management Company Link Product Price Notes

5 Quotes were difficult to come by because prices were based on customers’ needs. 6 In this section, NBDC thought it would be clearer to refer managers at IntelliFarm to company websites because the software options and pricing are more involved than a simple product description would be.

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Market Research Report Zonar http://zonarsy

stems.com/in dustries/cons truction/


Provides maintenance assistance and data to reduce fuel and tax exposure as well as reduce waste

Teletrac http://www.tel etrac.com/gps - fleet tracking/ fleet-types/buildin g - construction

Fleet Director $30 per month Software reduces fuel costs, improves driver safety, diagnoses vehicle problems, and locates stolen property

Collective Data http://www.co llectivedata.c om/fleet_man agement_soft ware_constru ction.html

Construction Fleet Management Software


See website for detailed information.

Flowfinity http://www.flo wfinity.com/s olutions/const ruction project -


Programming-free software that allows the user to create a mobile application suitable for their needs; construction

management-software.aspx

project management is an identified use

AT&T https://www.b usiness.att.co m/enterprise/ Family/intern et - of things/iot - equipment machinery/


Provides vehicle and asset tracking and monitoring tools

4.3 Fuel delivery7 Company Link Product Price Notes SC Fuels http://www.sc

fuels.com/ser vices/fuel delivery/unbr

Bulk Fuel Delivery Emailed for quote but have yet to hear back.

Delivers gasoline, diesel, diesel exhaust fluid, alternative fuels, and lubricants and chemicals

7 There are many such services, so researchers focused on the biggest companies in Nebraska and the surrounding region. 14

Nebraska Business Development Center. 2015 anded - wholesale/

Nebraska Iowa Supply Company

http://www.ne iasupply.com/delivery service/12547 59

Tank Wagon Service, Transport Delivery Service, SMARTruck Service

Tank Wagon Service – Budget program Transport Delivery Service – Competitive pricing SMARTruck Service – emailed for quote but have yet to hear back.

Tank Wagon Service delivers 100-4,500 gallons, while Transport Delivery Service delivers 7,000-8,500 gallons; SMARTruck, an online tool, manages delivery information

Sapp Bros. http://www.sa ppbros.net/p etroleum/industries/agricu lture/


Offer fuel transport services to on-site storage tanks for farmers

Central States Petroleum

http://centrals tatespetroleum.com/products/

Tank Wagon Gas and Diesel Fuel Delivery, Transport Gas and Diesel Fuel Delivery


Tank Wagon Gas and Diesel Fuel Delivery – delivery of up to 4 different fuels at 100-4,800 gallons Transport Gas and Diesel Fuel Delivery – delivery of up to 4 fuels at 7,000-9,000 gallons

CENEX http://www.ce nex.com/fuels/automated fuel - delivery

Automated Fuel Delivery system (AFD)


Fuel monitor attached to the tank; when level drops below certain threshold, a truck is automatically sent to refill it

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CompetitiveAnalysis_Monitoring_Addendum