Mergers aren’t new to the off-highway equipment industry, but one between two autonomy and automation innovators will bring new opportunities for agriculture. Mach was created through the merger of LSA Autonomy and Redshield Electronics. The announcement, made in mid-December, named Colin Hurd as the new CEO, with Midwest Growth Partners providing backing.
Hurd’s name may sound familiar. He was part of SmartAg, the creators of the autonomous grain cart system that was eventually sold to Raven Industries, which is now part of CNH Industrial. Hurd then ran another startup, with a solid pedigree of real-world tech. LSA Autonomy has worked on ag innovations such as the GUSS autonomous sprayer system used in California.