One decade ago, amidst a limited labor supply and growing New Zealand wine industry, Klima co-founders Marcus Wichkam and Nigel George set out to solve their own labor issues with mechanization. By developing a highly efficient vineyard pruning system they have removed the physically demanding portion of the job opening the opportunity to employ fewer, more highly skilled tradesworkers to perform cane selection. This mechanization has enhanced consistency, improved quality, and, with a 50 percent reduction in labor required for pruning, significantly lowered costs.

References:

• 22: Farm Labor Shortage (podcast)
• Immigration and Farm Labor with Dr. Phillip Martin (video)
• Klima.co.nz
• Klima Gen 2 (video)
• Klima Unified Wine & Grape 2020 booth B827
• Mechanical Pruning | Vineyard Team Tailgate (video)
• SIP Certified Self-Assessment
• 2/26/20: Grower Perspectives on Redevelopment: Materials, Redesign, Equipment (event)

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