Vantage Partners to Provide Farmers with Trimble Technology Solutions that Increase Farm Efficiencies and Productivity

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 8, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Trimble (NASDAQ: TRMB) announced today that it is extending its distribution channel by establishing a new global network of independent distribution partners to serve the needs of the rapidly evolving precision agriculture industry. The new Vantage™ distribution network will provide growers, advisors, retailers, co-ops and local OEM dealers with precision agriculture expertise for the entire farm. Vantage partners will provide the complete Trimble precision agriculture portfolio and advise growers and their advisors on the right combination of technology-based solutions for their operation to improve farm efficiency and productivity.

As the complexity of integrating multiple systems together across a farming operation increases, so does the need for seamless service and support from technicians that have an extensive skillset in all areas of precision agriculture. Being a Vantage distributor will include a requirement to provide a premier level of technical expertise, customer service and support capabilities regardless of location. As a result, whether it is individual farmers or large farms with global operations, all Vantage customers will be able to expect a consistent level of technical expertise and service when working with Trimble Vantage partners throughout the world.

Vantage partners will be required to complete an extensive level of training to ensure they operate at a premier level and become a regional center of excellence. Vantage technicians will be professionally trained to install, set up and support the entire Trimble precision agriculture portfolio from planning through reporting. The Trimble agriculture portfolio has evolved from guidance and flow & application control systems to now include advanced solutions for irrigation, agri-services, plant health monitoring, soil analysis, aerial imaging, variable rate application, and total farm and data management with the Connected Farm™ solution.

Vantage partners will be committed to provide reliable, responsive and dedicated in-field service and support, as well as to create a hassle-free experience for the grower and their advisor when implementing advanced technology solutions. They will also provide training so growers and advisors have a better understanding of how to use the technology in a way that best meets their farming needs.

In addition, Vantage partners will operate with a strategy that fosters technology interoperability in mixed fleets used on a farm, whether it is machinery, seed, or chemical. This allows growers and their advisors to work with the best possible solutions for their particular needs regardless of brand.

The Vantage distribution network is expected to consist of approximately 120 dealers worldwide and is planned to be completed over the next 36 months. The current Trimble Agriculture dealer network will continue to offer Trimble hardware to its farm customers.

"We are excited to launch the Vantage distribution network to better support the increasingly sophisticated technology needs in the agriculture industry worldwide," said Darryl Matthews, senior vice president and sector head of Trimble. "We expect Vantage regional partners to become the local 'professional services' experts who assist growers and their advisors with making precision technology work seamlessly across increasingly complex farming operations. The end result for the grower is maximized productivity and efficiency."

The first four Vantage distribution partners include:

Vantage Southeast: Vantage Southeast was established from Trimble's authorized reseller in the southeast U.S.—Ag Technologies. Based two hours south of Atlanta in Cordele, GA, Vantage Southeast focuses on Trimble total farm solutions for growers and crop advisors throughout Georgia, Florida, Alabama and South Carolina.
Vantage France Nord: Vantage France Nord was established from Trimble's authorized reseller in France—Latitude GPS. Based two hours west of Paris, France, Vantage France Nord will provide Trimble total farm solutions throughout most of the northern regions of France.
Vantage South: Vantage South was established from Trimble's authorized reseller in the southern U.S.—Ag Management Solutions. Based in Enterprise, AL, Vantage South focuses on Trimble total farm solutions for growers and crop advisors throughout Alabama, Florida, Mississippi and Tennessee.
Vantage Balkans: Vantage Balkans was established from Trimble's authorized reseller in Romania—NIK. Vantage Balkans' central office is located in Bucharest, Romania, and will offer Trimble total farm solutions to growers throughout the surrounding Balkan region.
For additional information about Vantage, visit: www.vantage-ag.com.

About Trimble's Agriculture Division

Trimble Agriculture solutions enable customers to maximize efficiency and reduce chemical and fertilizer inputs while also protecting natural resources and the environment. Trimble's precision agriculture solutions cover all seasons, crops, terrains, and farm sizes, and its brand-agnostic strategy allows farmers to use Trimble products on most vehicles in their fleet—regardless of manufacturer. To enable better decision making, Trimble offers the Connected Farm solution, which allows farmers to collect, share, and manage information across their farm in real time. To optimize water use, Trimble provides water solutions for irrigation, drainage, and land leveling. Trimble's product suite includes vehicle and implement guidance and steering, as well as a portfolio of correction options that are the most versatile of their kind in the industry. Additional solutions include an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for aerial imaging and mapping; agri-services; application control for seed, liquid, and granular products; a harvest solution; and farm management software.

For more information on Trimble Agriculture, visit: www.trimble.com/agriculture.

About Trimble

Trimble applies technology to make field and mobile workers in businesses and government significantly more productive. Solutions are focused on applications requiring positioning or location, including surveying, construction, agriculture, fleet and asset management, public safety and mapping. In addition to utilizing positioning technologies such as GPS, lasers and optics, Trimble solutions may include software content specific to the needs of the user. Wireless technologies are utilized to deliver the solution to the user in the field and to ensure communication between the field and the office. Founded in 1978, Trimble is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Calif.

For more information, visit: www.trimble.com.