Milwaukee-based Rockwell Automation, a maker of industrial automation and digital transformation products, is partnering with Green Bay-based Fork Farms to build a hydroponic farm on the fourth floor of Rockwell’s headquarters, located at 1201 S. 2nd St.
Fork Farms, an agriculture technology startup, will partner with Rockwell to build the indoor, 7,300-square-foot vertical hydroponic farm by next summer.
Hydroponic farming is a technique used to grow plants without soil. Instead of planting crops in the ground, hydroponic farmers use containers filled with nutrient-rich water without the need for large plots of land.
New technology developed by Fork Farms will provide highly localized HVAC, power, dehumidification, and water handling, which enables crops with varying environmental needs to grow properly in the same growing area at the same time. Fork Farms will use Rockwell technologies to monitor and automatically adjust nutrient, pH, and water levels based on the crops being grown.
“We’re partnering across our industry and within communities to create sustainable impact and change,” said Blake Moret, Rockwell’s chairman and chief executive officer. “Clock Tower Farms will engage employees and the community while serving as a showcase for manufacturers spanning diverse industries who want to see sustainable solutions in action. We look forward to sharing more details next summer upon the project’s completion.”
More than 70 Fork Farms “Flex Acres” will be installed in the facility. The Flex Acre is a hydroponic system that uses nutrient-infused, recirculated water to nourish plant roots. Each Flex Acre is capable of producing over 100 pounds of leafy greens and other vegetables every month.
This isn’t Rockwell’s first time introducing sustainable features at its headquarters. The company also has a 49,000-square-foot green roof that’s designed to manage up to 1 million gallons of stormwater a year. The green roof is also home to more than a dozen varieties of native perennials and in 2022, a small colony of honeybees was introduced.
