Automating Success

But who’s using them and how? If you’re like a lot of lawn and landscape businesses right now, you might be standing on the other side of robotics and wondering if there’s any scenario in which they make sense for you. In the past, it may have been easy to dismiss these zippy autonomous mowers as a novel curiosity or passing trend. But as the labor shortage intensifies, robotic mowers continue to improve, new mandates demand battery-powered equipment, and clients look for cutting-edge, greener practices, you may now be second-guessing that stance. Joe Langton, CEO of Langton Group, a landscaping business in Woodstock, IL, first saw a robotic mower at a trade show. He says he realized its relevance boiled down to a simple equation: The mower cost and the cost-per-acre compared to his current labor rate and cost-per-acre. “I realized I could be more affordable with robotics,” Langton says. At the time, he found support for robotic mowers from local dealers was minimal to null. So Langton founded Automated Outdoor Solutions (AOS), a company for landscape professionals who want to incorporate autonomous mowers into their businesses. Now, he creates content on a You-Tube channel, Automating Success, in which he shares his expertise in getting started. Currently, Langton Group is 20% robotic, but Langton’s goal is to be 80% in the next five years. He says that robotics makes sense for most landscapers, particularly if they’re currently seeing any profit loss in mowing services. Getting Started Getting started in robotics ...