INTERVIEW ▶▶▶


We are looking at automation for these smaller farms but also for XL farms like those in the US and China – of course they need different support and this is something that we are looking at extensively.


The very first installation of the Astronaut A5 in China was done remotely due to Covid-19 and was very successful; can you tell me about this experience? We were forced to do it remotely, but of course working in person would have been much better. We are learning what every com- pany is learning – you don’t always have to be somewhere to make things happen and it’s important to find that balance now in terms of how much can be done in person vs how much can be done remotely. The big learning is that we are all moving towards a more hybrid existence – we are very proud that the outcome was a successful one. Making installation as simple as possible is a process that we are working towards. If the way forward is to do it remotely in a few years – then why not?


Do you foresee major growth in the China market? The potential in China is enormous. But I find it really hard to pre- dict the growth as there are so many factors to consider. It’s not simply about how good a product is but also how willing are the Chinese to welcome a Western company? How much freedom is there to explore the market? There are lots of factors involved. The potential is big and it is certainly a focus as we have a dedicated team there now and that says a lot, but I find it hard to predict.


What’s your expectation for turnover – will 2020 be another great year for Lely? I don’t see us excelling above 2019, and this is the same stance even before Covid-19 because last year we launched the A5 which created a lot of sales opportunities. Our worst-case scenario does seem a lot better now – meaning three months ago we were wor- ried about the market, especially during the first two months of Covid-19 which impacted our orders and we could see a decline. However, now we are seeing a turnaround and it’s coming back up; there is a possibility that it may even exceed our expectations. During Covid-19, people were just waiting a few months to pur- chase. In terms of where we will end up, we could very well reach the intended budget. That would be an amazing result. We have to wait and see.


What is Lely’s sustainability vision? Sustainability is hugely important for us. It’s part of our vision of a sustainable future. Coming from working at Danone, I understand that at the end of the day it’s the dairy consumer who decides what products to purchase, and I know that the customer is be- coming more and more critical. Dairy consumers want their prod- ucts to come from a sustainable operation where there is a high standard of animal welfare, where there is free cow traffic. I like to believe that they are willing to pay a fair price when it comes to the farmer. Sustainability is such a huge topic in the dairy sector –


8 ▶DAIRY GLOBAL | Volume 7, No. 3, 2020


with our manure solution that we will launch, which will reduce nitrogen output, our aim is to give more value to manure, to re- place artificial manure and make own manure more valuable. With all our products we keep sustainability in mind and top of the agenda.


What’s your view on automation in terms of animal welfare? I see automation contributing in a big way to welfare. For exam- ple with the free cow traffic principle we know for a fact that those cows are happier, feel less stress, give more milk and tend to be healthier. The consumer will become much more discerning in terms of animal welfare. Also traceability is a major point: con- sumers ask where does my milk come from? Which farm does it come from, and is that a sustainable operation? Are animal health and welfare standards a top priority there? Therefore, every prod- uct that we develop at Lely has the cow’s welfare in mind.


For more information: www.lely.com


Lely in a nutshell


Lely, founded in 1948, directs all its efforts towards creating a sustainable, profitable and enjoyable future in farming. Cir- cling the cow, the company develops premium robotics and data systems that increase animal welfare, flexibility and the production on the dairy farm. For more than 25 years, Lely has been leading in the sale and service of automated milking systems to successive genera- tions of dairy farmers across the globe. In 1992 a prototype of the Astronaut milking robot was first showcased and was then brought onto the market in 1995. In 2018 the Lely Astronaut A5 milking robot system was introduced. The Lely Astronaut A5 milking robot generated record sales in 2019. For more information: www.lely.com


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