Mobile-enabled Agri-tech Planning System
Web software to model fertilizer release curves, specify products and plan fertilize use in the field
The Overview
Florikan is a leading agri-tech business specializing in manufacturing, blending, and distributing controlled release fertilizer. Headquartered in Sarasota, Florida, Florikan serves the major markets of professional ornamental horticulture, landscape & turf, and specialty agriculture throughout North America and select international markets. Florikan’s customers rely upon the company’s advanced technologies and use increasingly scientific approaches to their fertilizer uses.
The
Challenge
Florikan wanted to differentiate themselves from the competition and support their growth strategy by providing customers with a mobile-enabled fertilizer specification solution. Proper application of agricultural fertilizer solutions is a precision undertaking with multiple scientific factors at play. To increase the optimal use of their products and control the extent of expert human time required, Florikan needed an automated solution.
The
Solution
To bring Florikan’s vision to reality, MercuryWorks developed a web-based fertilizer usage planning application that their sales representatives can use to help their customers plan out their Florikan fertilizer needs. Utilizing scenario analysis across various conditions and environments, the fertilizer planning application computes release curves to help customers track and manage their fertilization plans over time. It also provides Florikan with much better control of its information and invaluable insight into its customers and their fertilizer consumption needs.
The
Results
The Florikan fertilizer planning solution helps users create custom mixes to model via release curve and use in the field.  Distributor reps are warned when they are spec’ing a Florikan product in a way that would yield non-optimal results, even including impacts of regional temperature on the fertilizer release curve.  Furthermore, the Florikan web software platform is supporting Florikan’s growth in a way that would have only been possible with extensive hiring.
Dig In
App Features
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Even More
Other Key Highlights
20% Calculation Time Improvement
Utilizing updated calculation routines, optimized C# libraries and web-based charting we were able to reduce average curve calculation time by 30%
25% Increase in Distributor Exposure
Getting release curve tools in distributor hands has traditionally been tough – universal web-based access to the tool has brought a large increase in utilization
15% Customer Satisfaction Increase
In the quarter following the initial fertilizer solution rollout, distributors and distributor reps reported a 20% increase in customer satisfaction scores across the rollout sector
Behind The Curtain
Core Technology
.NET Core
C#, Entity Framework and the .NET Core were used to implement all business logic and data marshaling for the application. Enterprise authentication practices and Core tie-ins provide a locked-down and robust security platform.
SQL Server
Provides a robust data storehouse and query platform to store all enterprise data, marshal data for integration and provide a source to the app’s API tier. In-cloud SQL Server was used to provide instant scalability and rapid querying.
Microsoft Azure
Provides database storage, web app, authentication and web services. Azure provides an ideal solution for back end mobile applications with a multi-data center Platform as a Service (PaaS) cloud solution.
React
The React JavaScript framework provides the UI base for the entire system, providing rapid and smooth data fetching, storage and screen painting. Supporting use of modern CSS provides interaction and responsive display.
