Latest news about LACOS

Thuringia has been promoting innovations in the agricultural, forestry and food industry for many years. The Agra Nova is the latest Thuringian innovation award, with an endowment of 10,000 euros donated by the Thüringer Aufbaubank. LACOS Computerservice GmbH prevailed over 21 idea finders and won this year's prize with "ASOS" software. ASOS is a digital assistant to support farmers in ensuring compliance with legal regulations on plant protection and fertilisation.

more on Thüringer Aufbaubank

In the first days of January, LACOS was awarded the "Wirtschaftsmagnet 2018" accreditation. This title was accorded to us for "comprehensive and sustained successful corporate management". The following aspects were evaluated:

• Overall growth of the company
• Creation and assurance of employment and training opportunities
• Innovation and modernisation
• Commitment to the region
• Service and proximity to customers
• Company culture

This accreditation certifies LACOS as "one of the most dynamic of the German medium-sized companies”. For more information, read the opinion of the experts on the panel:

"LACOS Computerservice GmbH develops innovative software for the agricultural sector for use in the areas of animal husbandry, precision farming, agricultural logistics and business administration. In precision farming, LACOS is one of the leading suppliers in Germany. The company is driving the digital transformation of agricultural processes – "Farming 4.0" – through innovative products. In addition, the company offers complete business management solutions from a single source, and reacts flexibly to changing requirements with customer-oriented add-on products. Founded in 1990 in Zeulenroda-Triebes, Thüringen, the company now employs 40 employees, including agriculturists, IT professionals and mathematicians. For innovative projects in the agricultural sector, the company co-operates with national and international companies as well as with several universities. An important factor for success is the creative, open company culture with its flat hierarchies. A number of measures – such as regular training opportunities, flexible working hours, company health management and the opportunity of participating in the back exercise classes as well as an stress reduction seminars – serve to increase employee loyalty. Shared events, such as family day, parachuting and sailing, assure a convivial team atmosphere. For many years, the training rate has been more than ten percent. In addition to that, the company continuously provides training for IT specialists and bachelor students in practical computer science as well as business information technology. In the region, LACOS is involved in the school education, for example in the "cooperation school-business", and sponsors projects in schools and associations as well as regional events."

Zeulenroda-Triebes, Germany, 08/01/2018: LACOS Computerservice GmbH awarded the "Software Made in Germany" seal of approval by Bundesverband IT-Mittelstand e.V. (BITMi). Dr. Oliver Grün, BITMi President and CEO of GREEN Software AG, presented the seal of approval to Thomas Damme. According to Grün, this "AreaControl" software for mobile measurement of agricultural areas is characterised by user-friendliness, flexibility, a well thought-out design, and cost efficiency. The product is also accompanied by competent customer service, and it has already proven itself successfully in practice.

The BITMi president's laudatory speech reads: "The Bundesverband IT-Mittelstand e. V. (Federal Association of IT SMEs) awards the seal of approval "Software Made in Germany" to highlight the quality of German software products. "AreaControl" combines all the features that a successful software program needs for international users." With AreaControl, the user, usually a farmer, can easily record, measure, and document his agricultural land. This is essential for precise use and processing and for documenting environmentally-friendly food production.

According to BITMi, the "Software Made in Germany" seal of approval is a valuable marketing tool for the certified company. "We are delighted to award the BITMi seal of approval", emphasised Thomas Damme. "The "Software Made in Germany" award confirms our strong positioning in Germany. We want to continue to expand this and open up new markets".

Bundesverband IT-Mittelstand e. V. (BITMi, www.bitmi.de) is the only professional IT association that exclusively represents medium-sized interests. The BITMi unites both direct members and associated member associations with the BITMi. In this way, the association represents the interests of more than 1,000 medium-sized IT companies in Germany with revenues in excess of one billion euros.

Cooperation focuses on customer-oriented solutions in the precision farming

Hungen/Zeulenroda-Triebes: LACOS Computerservice GmbH from Zeulenroda-Triebes and Reichhardt GmbH Steuerungstechnik from Hungen wish to combine their skills to offer their customers a full range of precision farming products.

LACOS is well known for its established innovative software solutions for major national and international manufacturers of agricultural technology.

The portfolio ranges from precision farming products, agricultural logistics and telemetry solutions to the development of customer-specific apps.

Reichhardt develops customer-specific electronic solutions for well-known manufacturers in agricultural and construction machinery technology as well as automatic steering systems and ISOBUS retrofit products.

With RTK CLUE, Reichhardt meets the demands of farmers and contractors for real-time correction data.

The two companies hope that cooperation will complement one another's own services and lead to the joint development of entirely new products with high customer benefits.

For LACOS, Thomas Damme and Stephan Hubrich (both Managing Directors): "We see the advantages of this strategic alliance with Reichhardt in combining the long-standing experience of both partners in their respective fields and the use of synergy effects in creating new products for the market and offering complete solutions for OEM customers."

Andreas Reichhardt, Managing Director and owner of the Reichhardt Group: "The combination of essential skills from the two companies will bring our customers faster, more powerful products and thus an even better market position combined with greater customer benefits for vehicles and attachments."

This strategic cooperation in the development of certain products has no influence on the independence of LACOS and Reichhardt.

Press contact for LACOS Computerservice GmbH:
Stephan Hubrich, Dipl. Agr. Ing. Oek., Managing Director,
Industriestraße 9, 07937 Zeulenroda-Triebes
Germany
Tel. +49 36628.6 88-22, Fax +49 36628.6 88-17
stephan.hubrichprotect@protectlacosprotect.protectde, www.lacos.de

Press contact for the Reichhardt Group:
Andrea Reichhardt, Mag. (FH), Marketing,
Hofgut Ringelshausen, 35410 Hungen
Tel. +49 6043.9 64 5-15, Fax +49 6043.4 365
andrea.reichhardtprotect@protectreichhardtprotect.protectcom, www.reichhardt.com

LACOS has been implementing innovative software in the agricultural sector for more than 25 years. "Landwirtschaft 4.0 – you have the idea, we develop the software" is the motto under which LACOS takes pride in being a competent development partner, especially for national and international manufacturers of agricultural technology. The company's portfolio includes solutions for agricultural machinery in precision farming as well as applications for tablets and smartphones in telemetry, weather, animal husbandry and business administration.

REICHHARDT has been developing innovative electronic solutions for agricultural technology, the construction machinery industry and the municipal sector for more than 30 years. The range of services extends from the development of software and hardware for the control and regulation of electrical and electronic systems in mobile machinery to the delivery of complete hardware such as cable harnesses and electronic modules in the machinery manufacturer's series production. The company is well known in the agricultural industry for its automatic steering systems and the provision of RTK signals via an innovative cluster solution (RTK CLUE). With its sales office in the USA, REICHHARDT has around 130 employees at three locations.

This year's Agritechnica, the world's largest trade fair for agricultural technology, was a resounding success for LACOS. The new trade fair stand, the new corporate design and the increased focus on OEM manufacturers were received positively by trade visitors in general and our customers in particular.

We had many informative and productive discussions with existing and new customers, made many valuable contacts and initiated new projects. The development partnerships announced at the trade fair with Reichhardt GmbH, geo-konzept GmbH and Pessl Instruments GmbH broaden LACOS's opportunities for placing further new, highly innovative products on the market.

By mutual agreement, LACOS Computerservice GmbH and Müller-Elektronik GmbH & Co. KG announce that LACOS has repurchased the shares held by Müller-Elektronik.

Both companies will continue to work closely together on the development of precision farming solutions.

On 30 September 2017, LACOS was awarded the Grand Prize for Medium-Sized Businesses" at a ceremonial event.

The "Oscar for SMEs" is probably the most important prize awarded in Germany within the medium-sized economy. Out of more than 3.5 million small and medium-sized enterprises, almost 5,000 were nominated for the prize this year. The jury finally awarded the prize to 30 of them – including LACOS. This makes us one of the top 30 medium-sized companies in Germany today.

The jury's laudatory speech at the award ceremony:

IT-specialist for agriculture is one of the best two medium-sized businesses in Thuringia.
1990 was founded as a small PC service, "LACOS Computerservice GmbH" from Zeulenroda-Triebes is one of today's competence centres, strongly supporting agriculture in its performance. The think tank and leading provider of software in precision farming has now been awarded the "Grand Prize for Medium-Sized Businesses", nominated by the District Administration of Greiz. Together with another prizewinner, this makes the company one of Thuringia's most exemplary and best medium-sized companies. This prestigious award is a great honour for this innovative company, which currently has around 40 employees, including five trainees; bearing in mind that a total of 174 companies in Thuringia alone were nominated for the award. LACOS Managing Directors Bernd Damme and Stephan Hubrich accepted the award at a festive gala in Würzburg.

For years now, the Oskar Patzelt Foundation's "Grand Prize for Medium-Sized Businesses" has been regarded as a coveted distinction and as Germany's most important and most renowned business prize. Since 1995, the Germany-wide prize has been awarded to outstanding medium-sized companies that are not only commercially successful, but also characterised by committed customer service, innovation, the creation and safeguarding of jobs, an exemplary working atmosphere and broad employee training as well as social and community involvement.

With its team of IT specialists, mathematicians and farmers, LACOS supplies innovative software products for agriculture and trade, which are used successfully the world over. And this from a location far away from large urban centres. The focus of LACOS is on mobile solutions for the agricultural sector in the fields of animal husbandry, precision farming (i.e. precision field construction), agricultural logistics and business administration. As the company's founders are farmers themselves, they know first-hand what moves customers and what they need. In precision farming, LACOS is one of the leading suppliers in Germany. The company is driving the digital transformation of agricultural processes – "Farming 4.0" – through innovative products and has already won several innovation prizes and awards at trade fairs such as Agritechnica and Agrarcomputertagen (Agricultural Computer Days). "At present, everything revolves around "Landwirtschaft 4.0". The digitisation of the processes is intended to increase efficiency and promote sustainability at the same time. And this is exactly where we are – we are ready to develop compatible and, above all, user-friendly software for farmers", explains Bernd Damme. "After the honour of being last year's finalist, the award is an absolute highlight for us and our team and a wonderful appreciation of our work at the same time."

LACOS is not only omnipresent in the agricultural IT sector. The company also offers complete business management solutions from a single source and reacts flexibly to changing requirements with customer-oriented add-on products. The IT system vendor provides regional support to private customers, companies and traders in the acquisition and maintenance of their IT infrastructure. "The prestigious award from the Oskar Patzelt Foundation gives us further impetus", says Managing Director Damme.