Woerner Companies, Inc. has increased its efforts and investments into research and development in recent years and considers this aspect of the organization to be crucial for both short-term and long-term success. Being a primarily agricultural based company, Woerner’s research and development efforts have been geared mostly towards becoming more efficient with crop production and finding new effective ways to help reduce waste. On the farms, we have been investing in auto-steer tractors for precision field guidance, automated FireFly sod harvesters that improve quality and consistency, and techniques that give our farm managers better insight on production fields to help them reduce both costs and waste. These R & D efforts are also found in other divisions of the Woerner Companies. Woerner landscape outlets are tied closely with our logistics division, Gulf South Transportation, so communication between these two entities is crucial. We have implemented logistical systems that allow our outlet stores to track deliveries and keep customers up to speed with real time information. We send our team of managers to trade shows in their respective fields of work to help them learn how to continuously be competitive and successful. The implementation of these new technologies and techniques on Woerner farm operations and further along the supply chain has helped our organization become more efficient.
The Woerner Companies realizes that there is an aspect of the agriculture industry in need of substantial improvements here locally and across the United States. In 2015, The Woerner Companies made the decision to form a startup company called Bon Secour Valley Ingredients (BSVI) to address the issue of food waste and turn it into an opportunity. This company was formed from the culmination of efforts from one of the organization’s owners, George Woerner. George spent years researching new agriculture opportunities ranging from biofuel renewable energy to helping combat the issue of food waste. The results of this research and development is a state-of-the-art 30,000 square ft. dehydration facility in Foley, AL. BSVI utilizes crops from local farmers, that historically ended up wasted, to make all-natural dehydrated fruits and vegetables year round.
Research and development at the Woerner Companies is continuously bringing together new ideas and technologies to be used on our farms, at our landscape outlets, throughout our trucking fleet and in our newest ventures making this organization better each year. The organization continues to add and improve our technological capabilities and researching new techniques to improve our supply chain to provide the end user with consistent high quality products.
