Hotraco Agri

What Hotraco Agri does

Hotraco Agri B.V., headquartered in Hegelsom, Netherlands, designs and manufactures complete automation systems for livestock barns, serving poultry (broiler, layer, breeder, free-range), pig (sow, piglet, finisher), and other livestock (calves) operations. The company, founded around 1974, builds proprietary control platforms — Fortica MAX and Antares for poultry, the Thomas Automation System for pigs — that integrate climate control, ventilation (including its differentiated SmartFlow central ventilation), feed and water dosing, animal weighing (DWS-8/DWS-9), egg counting (EggXact, Fortica CEC), lighting, and sensor-based health monitoring, all unified through the iHotraco Farm Manager and Prisma Farm Management software platforms and the Fortlink communication hub. Hotraco Agri sells exclusively through an authorized global dealer/integrator channel rather than direct, supporting partners with 24/7 service, remote diagnostics, and the Hotraco Academy training program; revenue is generated from hardware system sales, recurring software subscriptions, and service/training engagements. Following the October 2024 acquisition by Sweden-listed Munters AB (Nasdaq Stockholm: MTRS), Hotraco Agri now operates as part of Munters' FoodTech business unit under the Speria brand, positioning the company toward end-to-end supply-chain offerings that span barn automation into adjacent processing stages.

Name

Hotraco Agri

Legal name

Hotraco Agri B.V.

Website

https://hotraco-agri.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Hotraco Agri B.V. is a Netherlands-based, 50-year-old manufacturer of barn automation systems (Fortica MAX, Thomas, Antares) and farm-management software (iHotraco, Prisma) for poultry, pig, and other livestock farmers globally. It sells exclusively through an authorized dealer network and has been part of Munters AB's Speria FoodTech unit since October 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Livestock Barn Automation Systems

NAICS

Agricultural Implement Manufacturing (33311)

SIC

Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523), Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580)

akta.pro primary industry

Barn Environmental Control & Ventilation (Fans, Curtains, Cooling, Heating) (AFAAAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Livestock & Dairy Equipment (IMAHACAG), Livestock Precision Monitoring Software (Herd/Flock Analytics, Health Alerts) (AFAAAFAM), Livestock Performance Monitoring Services (Weighing Programs, BCS, Data Capture) (AFACAEAL)

Keywords

• Barn automation systems
• Livestock climate control
• Poultry farm management
• Pig farm automation
• Animal weighing systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Hegelsom

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Barn Automation Hardware and Control Systems: Sale of complete automation systems including controllers (Fortica MAX, Antares, Thomas), sensors, weighing scales, climate control equipment, feed and water control systems, and integrated control panels. Hardware sold through dealer network globally.
2. Farm Management Software Subscriptions: Software platforms including iHotraco Farm Manager, Prisma Farm Management, and Fortus Farm Management provide ongoing data insights, remote monitoring, and farm management capabilities, generating recurring software revenue.
3. Service, Support, and Training: 24/7 personal service including remote diagnostics, installation support through dealer network, and training via Hotraco Academy for sales, installation, and service of systems.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hotraco Agri designs, manufactures and supplies complete barn automation systems for livestock farming, combining proprietary hardware controllers (Fortica MAX, Antares, Thomas) with integrated software platforms (iHotraco Farm Manager, Prisma Farm Management) for climate control, ventilation, feed and water management, animal weighing, egg counting, and farm management data. The company focuses on the regulation, control and monitoring of animal housing processes for poultry, pig and other livestock sectors, and distributes globally through a dealer network.

Product overview

Hotraco Agri offers a comprehensive portfolio of automation solutions for livestock farming, specializing in regulation, control, and monitoring of animal housing processes. The product ecosystem centers around two core control platforms: Fortica MAX and Antares for poultry operations, and the Thomas Automation System for pig farming. These platforms integrate with various modules including climate control and ventilation, feed and water management, animal weighing systems (DWS-8/DWS-9 pig weighers), egg counting (EggXact, Central Egg Collection), SmartFlow ventilation, and lighting control. Farm management is supported through iHotraco Farm Manager, iHotraco Farm Data, and Prisma Farm Management software, with connectivity enabled via Fortlink communication hub and mobile apps (Fortica App, Remote+ App). Additional innovations include MiteAlert for pest monitoring, EasyButton for climate phase control, and specialized components like MultiWinch actuators and SD-9 Silo Display.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fortica MAX: Premium poultry control system for efficient poultry farm management
• Antares
• Thomas
• iHotraco Farm Manager
• iHotraco Farm Data
• EggXact
• Fortlink
• Prisma Farm Management
• MiteAlert
• Fortica CEC
• SmartFlow

Products and services

• Fortica MAX Premium poultry control system for efficient poultry farm management, integrating climate control, ventilation, feed and water management, animal weighing, lighting, egg counting, and farm management through connected controllers.
• Antares Poultry Controller Compact poultry computer controller providing climate and process control for poultry house operations, designed as an entry-level offering.
• Thomas Automation System Complete pig farming automation system combining control computers, dry feed systems, and ventilation, linked to Prisma Farm Management software and the Thomas Remote+ mobile app for climate, feed, water, weighing, and growth monitoring.
• Fortica Swine Swine control system in the Fortica product family for pig farming operations, providing connected process and climate control.
• iHotraco Farm Manager Cloud-based farm management software platform that creates more overview, simplifies complex operations, and accelerates processes across poultry and livestock operations, connecting controllers and data.
• iHotraco Farm Data Farm data management environment for modern agriculture that enables collection, aggregation, and management of data across farm operations.
• Prisma Farm Management Management software for pig farmers providing comprehensive overview of farm operations, integrating with the Thomas system for growth, feed, and water data analysis.
• Fortica CEC (Central Egg Collection) Central egg collection system for poultry farms that automates and centrally manages egg collection with integrated control linked to the Fortica platform.
• EggXact Egg Counter Electronic egg counter for poultry houses that automatically registers the number of eggs, providing continuous insight into egg production and laying percentage.
• DWS-8 and DWS-9 Pig Weighing Scales Electronic pig weighers made of special light-transmitting plastic; DWS-8 for piglets and DWS-9 for finishers, providing continuous 24/7 animal weight monitoring and growth tracking through integration with the Thomas system.
• Fortlink Communication Hub Central touchscreen control unit with integrated communication interface that connects up to 50 Fortica controllers, providing a complete farm overview from one screen with alarm and deviation visualization.
• SmartFlow Central Ventilation Innovative central ventilation system that operates without measuring fans, using negative pressure sensors to measure airflow displacement across compartments with high accuracy at minimum ventilation levels.
• Thomas Feed Dry Feed Controller Dry feed controller for pig farming that enables multiphase feed control across multiple feed circuits with daily composition changes for precision feeding.
• MiteAlert Automated red mite population monitoring system developed with Wageningen University for early detection of mite infestations in poultry houses.
• Thomas Remote+ Mobile App Smartphone and tablet application for remote control and monitoring of the Thomas, Orion, Cygnus and Sirius pig farming systems from anywhere in the world.
• Fortica Mobile App Mobile application for controlling the Fortica poultry control system and all connected process systems via smartphone from anywhere in the world.

Quantifiable outcome

• Precise animal weighing with DWS-8 (piglets) and DWS-9 (finishers) scales for 24/7 growth monitoring
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature13 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• JENNI Lüftungen AGminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSwiss dealer for Hotraco systems. Testimonial from Thomas Jenni: 'A partner who thinks along and offers solutions for the industry. Satisfied farmers are most important for both sides, and that is what we stand for every day.'
• Keijsers-MartensminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDealer/implementation partner for Hotraco systems. Testimonial from Willem Claessens: 'Simple to maintain, even for us. Set it up once and it works.'
• Munters ABcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunters AB (Sweden) and its FoodTech business unit acquired Hotraco Group (including Hotraco Agri) in October 2024 from Amsterdam-based family office Nedvest. Hotraco Agri is now part of Speria (under Munters), building toward end-to-end offerings that improve efficiency, predictability, and productivity across the supply chain.
• Wageningen UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHotraco Agri collaborated with Wageningen University to develop MiteAlert, an automated red mite population monitoring system for poultry houses. Hotraco Agri also participates in a study on LED lighting for pigs conducted at Wageningen University.
• Walbern Agri-SystemsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCanadian dealer who installed Fortica Free Flow systems for poultry farmers in Canada.
• Poultry-Tech LtdminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHungarian dealer that installed modern advanced broiler houses with Hotraco systems.
• Draper Ventilation (Draper Layers)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEnglish dealer that worked with Hotraco Agri on breeder house projects in southwest England.
• AgroconsultminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBulgarian dealer that established new sow barn with SmartFlow ventilation system in Bulgaria.
• CFM SystèmeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCanadian dealer based in Québec, Canada that installed Hotraco systems in poultry barns.
• VentilecminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBelgian dealer that established new breeder barns in Belgium with Hotraco systems.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Skov A/S: Danish provider of climate and production management for livestock buildings, especially pig and poultry houses. Competes head-to-head with Hotraco in climate control and farm management software.
• Fancom: Dutch-based competitor specializing in climate control, feeding, and farm management computers for poultry and pigs. Highly comparable product set (controllers, ventilation, weighing) and similar European mid-market positioning to Hotraco.
• Big Dutchman: Global leader in poultry and pig housing equipment and barn automation. Most direct competitor to Hotraco, offering overlapping climate control, feeding, and management systems at larger scale across more geographies.
• Jansen Poultry Equipment: Dutch supplier of poultry housing systems including feeding, drinking, climate, and egg handling. Smaller and more regionally focused than Hotraco but directly comparable in core poultry barn offerings.
• Vencomatic Group: Dutch poultry housing specialist offering aviary systems, nest systems, and integrated egg flow with climate/control electronics. Adjacent and partially overlapping product portfolio with Hotraco's poultry segment.
• VDL Agrotech: Dutch manufacturer of livestock housing systems and automation for poultry and pigs. Part of the larger VDL Group, providing scale advantages but with directly comparable product offerings to Hotraco.

Emerging players

• Roxell: Belgian manufacturer of feeding and drinking systems for poultry and pigs. More focused on feeding hardware than full barn automation, but overlaps with Hotraco's feed/water control modules.
• Nedap Livestock Management: Dutch livestock technology provider with strong individual animal identification and sow/pig management software. Overlaps with Hotraco on the data/software side of farm management, particularly in pigs.

Broad incumbents

• Munters: Swedish-listed parent company of Hotraco Agri and a global leader in air treatment and climate solutions. The strategic acquirer of Hotraco and overlapping provider of ventilation/climate technology to livestock and adjacent industries.
• CTB / Chore-Time: U.S.-based broad agricultural systems manufacturer with poultry feeding, climate, and egg handling products. Larger and more diversified than Hotraco, with overlapping poultry barn automation offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hotraco-agri-bv
• Xx.com/hotraco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hotraco Agri