More than nuts and bolts: New technologies and automation are becoming the face of the industry

From stress on water supplies to labor shortages, nut growers and processors across North America face a range of formidable challenges to remaining viable and competitive. The situation has led many to look to automation and new technologies for solutions, but do these systems have limitations, and what should growers be aware of before making investments?

Scott Williams, western regional sales engineer at Niverplast, said the past five years have seen a definite shift in the amount of customers seeking integrated or end-to-end automation solutions. Whereas in previous years, solving a single pain point was the principal focus, Williams said today’s processors are instead looking at the entire packaging operation and asking how all the components can work together.

“The trend is clearly moving toward complete line solutions rather than standalone equipment purchases,” he said. “Customers increasingly want integrated systems that connect case erecting, bag placement, filling, sealing, inspection and palletizing into one coordinated process.”

This approach, Williams believes, simplifies operations, improves data visibility, reduces labor touch-points and creates a more scalable platform for future growth.

Based in Salida, California, Flory Industries supplies everything from hakers to sweepers and harvesters, covering almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts and pistachios.

The company has been making advances into automation with the recent introduction of a shaker combined with an automated blower, as well as a technology-assisted sweeper, which keeps a hard-to-operate machine centered in each row of trees.

Flory’s director of product management, Seth Richmond, said these solutions both remove difficult tasks and reduce the amount of equipment and people required by growers.

“What we’re finding is that the biggest wins when it comes to automation are the tasks that are repeated time and time again through the growing season; tasks that are repetitive, slow and don’t require a ton of supervision,” he said. “We’re gearing towards trying to make the operator more efficient, including operators who have maybe one year’s experience, taking them to a level where they’re comfortable.”

Focus on automation

Headquartered in Azusa, California, Rain Bird specializes in drip irrigation and sprinkler systems, which are increasingly incorporating new technologies.

Rain Bird’s marketing manager, Stacey Webb, said greater numbers of growers are looking to data and technology to make their operations more efficient, particularly when faced with significantly reduced water allocations during droughts and caps on groundwater pumping.

“If I can install a controller to turn my irrigation system on and off at a certain time and pause when there is a rain event — that is one less thing to think about,” she said. “Adding in soil moisture sensors adds another layer of complexity but could also help to irrigate only when needed, which could save water and the cost to pump that water.”

In terms of climate control, Webb said automation becomes even more important by being able to anticipate high heat or frost events due to weather cues, allowing controllers to turn systems on and build protective micro-climates to protect plants.

“Using precision irrigation to evenly distribute water directly to the plants is an excellent way to ensure all your plants are getting the correct amount of water so you’re only using the water you need,” she said. “Automation is helping producers achieve greater consistency while reducing reliance on repetitive manual tasks,” said Williams at Niverplast. “In packaging environments, automation improves case preparation, bag insertion, sealing quality and palletizing efficiency.”

Repetitive manual tasks cited by Williams include stacking cases, inserting liners, sealing bags or palletizing finished products. By automating those functions, he believes companies can reassign employees to higher-value activities while increasing production capacity.

For nut processors, he said the benefits extend beyond labor savings, citing the ability to use automated systems to create a controlled packaging process that protects product quality, reduces handling damage, improves food safety and supports freshness throughout storage and distribution.

“Automation also reduces bottlenecks and creates more predictable output,” Williams said. “We’ve worked with nut processors that have significantly improved throughput while reducing variations in packaging quality and minimizing downtime associated with manual processes.”

Oxbo, headquartered in Roosendaal, The Netherlands, manufactures harvesting equipment for a wide range of agricultural crops. Within the tree nut industry, the company offers pistachio harvesting solutions including elevators for loading into trailers, bin carriers, shakers and receivers. According to sales and marketing director Kathryn Van Weerdhuizen, Oxbo has recently focused on delivering integrated technologies for its shaker system, making it easier for operators to use while minimizing harvesting performance.

“For growers, it’s really about how productive equipment is when it’s in the field,” she said. “You can have a lot of automation, but at the end of the day, it’s for every hour spent in the field that directly translates to nuts in the bin and nuts in the trailer.”

Van Weerdhuizen said this means quick turnaround and upload times, a clean crop, minimal downtime and productivity in the field. “All of those things can impact productivity, so it’s a really big driver to efficiency. We’re really focused on robust equipment, uptime and performance.”

The smart orchard

According to Williams, the “smart orchard” of the coming years will be increasingly data-driven, with growers benefiting from greater visibility into crop conditions, irrigation, harvest timing, equipment performance and labor requirements through connected systems and real-time monitoring.

From a packaging perspective, he expects stronger integration between processing data and production equipment, while predicting more investments in technologies that support product freshness and shelf-life optimization.

“Automation won’t replace people — it will provide better information and tools that help operators and growers make more informed decisions,” Williams said.

Van Weerdhuizen agreed, predicting that smart orchards will play a part in the next generation of water technology.

“It’s about growing good crops and getting them from the tree to the next step in the process, so we’re definitely taking a look at optimal shake for trees,” she said. “We’re also looking at crop cleanliness because even if you harvest a crop quicker, you get a lot of sticks and other debris.”

Richmond predicts “fully connected” orchard halves encompassing equipment, irrigation, orchard health, among other factors. Furthermore, he believes automated machinery along with more information will lead to farming with less overall inputs, whether that’s fertilizers, pest control, weed control or overall labor.

There are barriers to greater investment, Williams said they are primarily financial, led by uncertainty over return on investment, as well as concerns over whether new technologies might disrupt production. However, he said most processors find the benefits of reducing labor costs combined with increasing production makes automation a business necessity rather than a luxury.

Investment advice

So what should nut growers and processors be taking into account when considering an investment in automation or new technologies? “My advice would be to do your due diligence,” Richmond said.

“There’s a lot of start-ups out there that claim a lot of things, but a demo is one thing, and for it to work day-in day-out in our conditions is a whole other ball of wax. My advice to the grower would be to do your homework, and fully vet-out any new technology before you adopt it.”

Williams recommended starting by “identifying your biggest operational bottleneck,” and focusing on “the problem you’re trying to solve.” “Whether the issue is labor availability, product quality, throughput, food safety or scalability, the technology should align with a measurable business objective,” he said.

Williams also encouraged growers and processors to think long-term by looking at where their business wants to be five to 10 years from now. “When implemented strategically, automation becomes more than an equipment purchase — it becomes a platform for sustainable growth and competitive advantage,” he said.

“Automation is no longer just about replacing manual tasks,” Williams said. “It’s about helping nut processors build more resilient, efficient and scalable operations. Companies investing today are positioning themselves for long-term success in an increasingly competitive marketplace.”

Photos courtesy of Rain Bird.

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FAQ

What is driving automation in the tree nut industry?

Water shortages, labor challenges and the need for greater operational efficiency.

How does automation improve irrigation?

By using controllers, weather inputs and soil moisture sensors to apply water only when needed.

What packaging tasks are commonly automated?

Case preparation, bag insertion, sealing and palletizing.

What is a smart orchard?

A connected production system using data and monitoring to improve irrigation, harvest timing and equipment management.

What should growers consider before investing in automation?

They should evaluate operational bottlenecks, verify technology performance and align investments with long-term business goals.

Steven Maxwell is a journalist, editor and communications professional with years of experience covering the global produce sector and the food industry. Fluent in Spanish and based in Mexico, he reports on latest developments in fresh and processed produce across the Americas.