Topcon Positioning Group has acquired Digi-Star, a Fort Atkinson,Wisconsin-based global provider of agricultural solutions involving weight sensors and control systems for feeding, planting, fertilizer, and harvest equipment manufacturers.
“After several years of working on development projects together, we are delighted with this acquisition,” said Ray O’Connor, president and CEO of Topcon Positioning Group. “Digi-Star and Topcon Precision Agriculture are a perfect fit, bringing complementary technologies and distribution channels to our rapidly growing precision agricultural division. At a time when many companies are decreasing their investment in agricultural markets, we are increasingly optimistic about their growth based upon our strong commitment to developing management systems and solutions that bring the power of the Internet of Things (IoT) to every farm.”
Digi-Star is a global supplier of electronic equipment, precision sensors, optical yield and feed management sensors, displays, position verification, and software used by farmers and other equipment operators to precisely measure and analyse valuable data from critical farming processes.
With more than 220 employees in Fort Atkinson, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, approximately half being located in the US or Europe, Digi-Star’s operations will continue to be based in Fort Atkinson to provide manufacturers, dealers, and end-users a high level of service, support, and product expertise.
O’Connor noted that Digi-Star has a unique balance of expertise in the livestock and grain equipment markets.
In 2012, Digi-Star purchased RDS Technology, a United Kingdom-based company, which possesses similar technology for agricultural and construction applications — adding engineering, development and manufacturing facilities in Europe.
“We are very enthusiastic about the opportunity of combining these companies. In addition to expanding our reach into the farm market segment, this will further extend our scope of field solutions to help us continue strong growth while serving an expanded customer base for Topcon Precision Agriculture, for the aftermarket and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) clients,” said Albert Zahalka, president of Topcon Precision Agriculture. “We are also excited to add the skilled employees and world-class facilities located in the Midwestern United States, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands to our global agricultural family.”