Construction begins on RootWave’s new centre for electrical weed control innovation

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This story is taken from our newsletter The Volt. To read a magazine version of this and other stories, click here.

RootWave’s new headquarters at ‘The Arena’, Kineton, UK will provide state of the art facilities to underpin the continued growth of the Warwickshire based electrical weed control pioneers.

A test version of RootWave’s tractor mounted ‘Volta’ machine has been operating in maize, sugar beet and apple crops this summer. The company’s new HQ will have research and development facilities on site to match the company’s world leading position in chemical free weed control.

The facility will be the global centre for electrical weed control innovation, including laboratories, workshops and office space for over 100 team members. This will allow the company to continue the revolutionary work in developing an effective and safe alternative to chemical herbicides, which started with the launch of award-winning hand-held weeder RootWave Pro in 2017.

Chief Executive Officer Andrew Diprose said: “The scale of what we can achieve in agriculture is enormous, and I am delighted that our facilities will include space for visitors to see our products in action. The initial results from tests this summer are hugely exciting – a visit to RootWave will be a chance to see the most effective and safest electrical weed control available.”

Head of People Laura Wrench said: “This is such an exciting step for us, not only because it shows how far we have come, but also how much lies ahead. Our new home will provide top-level facilities for our world-leading team and will be the staging post for a revolution in weed control.”

RootWave hope to be welcoming visitors to the site early in 2023.

RootWave Appoints Experienced Chairperson

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Kersten France becomes RootWave Pro distributor

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Kersten France, a stockist and importer of professional horticulture and gardening equipment, has become the latest European distributor of RootWave Pro the award-winning professional hand weeder designed by electrical weed control specialist RootWave.

There are now more than 100 RootWave Pro machines operating across Europe, with established distributors in Germany and The Netherlands. RootWave’s game changing technology has been particularly popular with weed control contractors, who have provided positive feedback on the machine’s efficacy and efficiency.

Kersten France, based in Montignac, near Bordeaux, Southwest France, is an important player for communities, rental companies, landscapers, loggers, farmers, winegrowers, arboriculturists and olive growers, with a fleet of more than 6,000 machines in service.

Established in the amenity market

Head of Global Sales for RootWave, Stephen Jelley, said: “Kersten France is a great partner for us, as an established business who already have contacts in the amenity and green space market within France.

“They have experience of stocking innovative products, such as the Kersten range of remote mowers, and mechanical weed brushes for clearing moss and weeds from pavements. I expect our partnership to be a successful one for RootWave, Kersten and the weed control contractors of France!”

For more information regarding Kersten France and the supply of RootWave machines within France and French speaking Switzerland, visit: https://www.kersten-france.fr/

For more information about becoming a RootWave distributor, contact hello@rootwave.com

Naveen Maruthachalam

Team stories: Why I joined RootWave – Naveen Maruthachalam

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Naveen Maruthachalam joined RootWave in November 2021 as Digital and Embedded Software Manager – he has nearly 15 years of experience as a software manager and engineer. He is now looking to build a flexible multi-disciplinary embedded software team to support RootWave’s growing range of products.

“I chose RootWave because the company is growing, and it is growing because it has game-changing new technology. That is a great prospect for any engineer, but I also love that our products could make such a positive impact on the environment – that fits well with me and my personal values.

“The company is about to scale the technology across a range of products, and they want to build a solid software foundation with ease-of-use for the customer at its heart. Equally important will be to create a digital offering that works for the customer, a system that takes their data to help them make informed weed management decisions. To be in a position to create a team to deliver this is a really enticing challenge for me.

“I am customer focussed – I want to develop products that the customer loves using and that they will come back to again and again. My job is to always keep the customer at the front of our minds. The challenge at RootWave is that we have technology that can work in several different environments and scenarios, as part of the core architecture team we have to build a foundation that will help produce consistently good products.

“That means looking at the details from all scenarios, analysing the differences, but importantly the similarities, so that we get the best possible platform. It is a big challenge but getting it right can unlock so many opportunities for the company, I love that.

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“I want to build a team with a range of skills that is dynamic, flexible and one where we can all learn from each other. I have found the existing team and RootWave to be so welcoming and supportive. There is a positive atmosphere here, it feels like we are working on something special. Everyone wants to go the extra mile, but everyone listens too – I feel respected and valued – it is inspiring.

“I have managed teams of up to fifteen people in the past, based across multiple locations. RootWave is happy to support flexible and hybrid working opportunities, so I know I can get on and put together a great team that will deliver a great customer experience.

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“Its never boring here, everyday is new and it really feels like we are making progress. I like getting into the detail and I like the idea that what we are doing now is going to benefit our customers for five, ten or even 15 years to come.

“I come from a safety critical software background where I have delivered software at various safety levels. In other words, this involves following a formal software development life cycle, which is something I have already started implementing at RootWave. I am looking forward to having a team around me that can bring the skills we need to deliver a platform that works across a range of products, in a range of environments and most importantly for a range of customers.”

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RootWave is currently recruiting for Embedded Software Engineers, and other roles. Visit: https://rootwave.com/careers/

New support engineer for RootWave Pro customers

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This story is taken from our newsletter The Volt. To read a magazine version of this and other stories, click here.

Peter Dury has joined RootWave as a Technical Support Engineer, helping to make sure that all RootWave Pro customers are able to get the most out of their machines. 

Peter has nearly 10 years’ experience as a field service engineer, working in the machinery industry, specialising in electrical vehicles and hydraulics. He joins RootWave from Linde Material Handling UK where he led a team of 12 field service engineers. 

After his appointment Peter said: “It is great to join an exciting company like RootWave, I love that we are developing game changing products. 

“The customer will always come first for me and I am really looking forward to getting to know our clients and working with them to ensure they can treat weeds in the most effective way all season long.” Existing RootWave Pro customers in the UK can contact Peter on +44 781 878 7654 or support@rootwave.com

Peter Dury