Lely's success in Tasmania is closely tied to John Van Adrichem's achievements as a dairy farmer. Originally from Holland, John moved to Tasmania in 1997 and spent several years dairy farming there. Wanting to embrace robotics with Lely, John faced a significant challenge: we denied selling to him!
Why? Well, back in the early 2000s, there were no Lely robotic dairy farmers in Tasmania, nor was there a service provider to support John after installing the robots. It was at this point that John met with Craig Stokes, the manager of Dairy Maintenance and Installation. John proposed that Craig get trained to become a service provider for Lely. With Craig's business not being as large as it is now, he acknowledged that he would need backup support from John himself to do this effectively. So, the two attended 'robot school' together.
Following the smooth installation of John's robots, he joined Craig in assisting startups and troubleshooting issues for other farmers over the next few years. As John describes it, "Craig is technical and I know about cows, so if you put that together I think you end up with a really good system." Together, they built an impressive installation base in Tasmania.
Over time, Craig's business grew significantly, with many technicians and staff now working for Dairy Maintenance and Installation. Despite this growth, John's passion for helping farmers kept him actively involved in assisting Craig with startups. John fondly recalls, "I enjoy most the look on the farmer's face when they see their cows start walking by themselves. I think that's the most fun to see."
From being our pioneer customer in Tasmania to guiding fellow farmers on their path to automation, John has been an incredible partner and an influential dairy farmer in his region. His dedication and optimism for the future of dairy farming are truly inspiring. It has been a pleasure to work with such a unique and friendly family, and we extend our gratitude to John, Craig Stokes, and the entire team at Dairy Maintenance and Installation for their hard work and dedication to robotic dairy farming in Tasmania.
Enjoy watching the full interview with John and Craig below.
