The Institut de technologie agroalimentaire du Québec (ITAQ) will host the GEA DairyRobot R9500 milking robot for the next three years.
In the photo: Pascal Giguère, Team Leader of the AET program at ITAQ in Saint-Hyacinthe, Yves Jacques, GEA Technical Support Specialist, David Scott, owner of Lait'Quip Scott and GEA milking equipment dealer and Jérôme Voyer, Sales Specialist - AMS with GEA Canada.
The Institut de technologie agroalimentaire du Québec (ITAQ) in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, will host GEA's latest milking robot, the DairyRobot R9500, this fall. Over the next three years, students in the Agromechanical Engineering Technology (AET) program will be able to hone their mechanical skills by closely examining the operation of the GEA's milking robot.
''We are delighted to partner with ITAQ, a recognized educational institution in Quebec's agricultural and agri-food sector,'' explains Jérôme Voyer, Sales Specialist - AMS with GEA Canada. ''We are starting the school year with the 2021 Edition of the DairyRobot R9500 and each year, for the three years it will be at ITAQ, the robot will be replaced with a new one and all updates will be made as they become available. This way, we will ensure that the students have access to the latest technology offered by GEA.''
The 2021 Edition of the DairyRobot R9500 is the best robot ever designed by GEA. It offers updates on already well-known features:
- The GEA In-Liner EverythingTM milking process that performs all the milking steps in a single attachment.
- Faster, easier maintenance thanks to the unique, removable service module.
- New operating software for efficient cow management and faster box time.
- One supply unit can now support up to four milking robots, optimizing water and power consumption.
''Automation and the constant evolution of technology in the field of dairy production require an increasingly specialized workforce,'' explains Pascal Giguère, Team Leader of the AET program at ITAQ in Saint-Hyacinthe. ''The three-year AET program is unique in Quebec. It aims to train our students to diagnose and solve technical problems on agricultural equipment of all kinds. There are many opportunities for our graduates,'' adds Mr. Giguère. ''Once in the job market, some will work in parts, sales or customer service positions with farm equipment dealers while others will use their training to start their own ag business or join the family farm.''
GEA Canada is very pleased to make the DairyRobot R9500 available to all the students in the AET program of the Institut de technologie agroalimentaire du Québec (ITAQ). In the photo: David Scott, owner of Lait'Quip Scott and GEA milking equipment dealer, Yves Jacques, GEA Technical Support Specialist, Jérôme Voyer, Sales Specialist - AMS with GEA Canada and Pascal Giguère, Team Leader of the AET program at ITAQ in Saint-Hyacinthe, QC.
GEA Canada is very pleased to make the GEA milking robot available to all the students in the AET program. Providing quality service through an outstanding dealer network is essential. Today, dairy farmers base their purchasing decision not only on the quality of the product, but even more on the choice of dealer and the dealer's reputation for customer service. David Scott, owner of Lait'Quip Scott and GEA milking equipment dealer located in Saint-Paul-d'Abbotsford, can tell us a lot about that. ''Service is the most important thing and in the current context, where it's difficult to find specialized workers, the programs offered by ITAQ train the technicians we are looking for to fill a good number of vacant positions.'' And he adds, ''We hope that the students will be seduced by GEA's milking robot technology and enticed to join the GEA team by applying to one of the many dealerships in Quebec once their training is complete.
The Institut de technologie agroalimentaire du Québec is a college-level educational institution that offers seven technical training programs related to agriculture, food, agri-environmental, horticultural, and equine activities, as well as a continuing education service in these sectors. ITAQ has two campuses, one in La Pocatière and the other in Saint-Hyacinthe.
