By Sheldon Baker07.12.21
Dana Mosman is the director of sales and marketing for Eteros Technologies. Prior to joining Eteros, Mosman co-founded Triminator with a vision to help cannabis farmers manage their harvested crops with increased care and efficiency. He bootstrapped Triminator into a global leader in hemp and marijuana agriculture processing equipment, beginning at the request of grower friends by creating a machine capable of trimming premium flower at a commercial scale. During this time, he was instrumental in building an internationally recognized brand, growing the company’s national dealer network to more than 400 stores, and creating a complete product portfolio encompassing products in every major segment of the market. Before launching Triminator, Mosman was the director of operations for one of Colorado’s largest photovoltaic engineering contractors, where he oversaw the sales and installation of commercial solar construction projects worth more than $20 million.
Area Code 420 (AC 420): Please provide an overview of Eteros and its brands. How do Mobius and Triminator tie in?
Mosman: Eteros Technologies was founded in 2016 by Aaron McKellar, who began his career working in the marine industry. McKellar previously owned and operated his own custom boat building and boat repair business at a four-acre marina along the Fraser River in British Columbia, Canada. Fifteen years ago, a friend approached him about building their first automated hemp and cannabis trimmer, which led to a new venture. The duo eventually went their separate ways, and McKellar started Eteros in Vancouver, B.C. Today, Eteros is the parent company of Mobius and Triminator, whose product lines complement each other precisely because of their differences. The Mobius line offers the most cutting-edge technology on the market and is focused on supporting growers who are operating in a large-scale, highly regulated environment. Triminator, which was founded eight years ago in Grass Valley, CA, offers tried and tested hemp and cannabis processing equipment at a farm friendly price. Triminator is committed to the cannabis and hemp farmer by building a community of hands-on brand ambassadors who have their own farms and can mentor other end-users on the craft of processing.
AC 420: Being Canadian-based offers many advantages. Canada is light years ahead of the U.S. in cannabis product development and sales.
Mosman: As one of the first countries to legalize cannabis nationally, Canadian-based companies gained a head start working with producers to ramp up industrial-scale production and overcome regulatory hurdles. That was true for Eteros, but even then, we realized 80% of our potential sales would eventually come from the U.S. When Congress passed the 2018 Farm Bill legalizing hemp as an agricultural commodity, it unlocked significant new market potential and prompted us to establish our U.S. headquarters in Las Vegas.
AC 420: Your new M9 sorter was designed with cannabis and hemp cultivators and processors in mind. What has the industry previously been using?
Mosman: Hemp and cannabis trimming and sorting has traditionally been done by hand, quite a time and labor-intensive process for cultivators. For decades, the industry has been operating in a legal gray area, which has stifled investment in automation like we have seen in other areas of conventional agriculture. That is now changing, and as the demand for hemp and cannabis products grows, farmers and processors must supply the marketplace with a consistent, quality product. Our equipment helps them achieve that. The M9 Sorter, in particular, can accurately grade 440 pounds of hemp and cannabis per hour, replacing the same output of 6-8 workers sorting by hand.
AC 420: Why is your new M9 sorter considered the latest technological achievement?
Mosman: The M9 Sorter is the latest component of what Eteros envisions as a fully automated, interconnected, front-to-end hemp and cannabis processing line. The entire line was featured at our recent Demo in the Desert, in combination with the M108S Trimmer. As part of the live demonstration, we fed untrimmed hemp into the M108S Trimmer, which was then carried along a conveyor belt onto the M9 Sorter. Within minutes, visitors saw firsthand how the system quickly and efficiently trims and sorts cannabis, with just a fraction of the labor involved in hand-processing.
AC 420: What advantages and features does the M9 sorter offer?
Mosman: The M9 Sorter features an industry-leading nine sorting belts and 78-inch sorting table, allowing for more accurate results. Every grading slot is also longer and fully adjustable, creating more opportunity for an accurate sort. The technology has a sleek stainless-steel design, and 7-inch HMI color controller. Safety interlocked end panels and rear door allow for quick and easy cleaning. Users can also quickly adjust or remove the infeed hopper, without tools.
AC 420: Is this the first time such equipment has been available in the cannabis and hemp arena?
Mosman: Automated hemp and cannabis sorting tools have been available in the past, but the M9 Sorter is truly a breakthrough innovation. The speed and accuracy with which the M9 Sorter was designed resolves many of the existing issues the technology has encountered with other sorters. Cultivators are constantly working to increase yields, reduce loss, and ensure the highest quality. The M9 Sorter achieves this with its ability to sort more product, faster, and with better results.
AC 420: The M9 sorter comes with a hefty price tag. Obviously, cannabis and hemp cultivators and processors are doing well enough to afford this new technology?
Mosman: According to the market research firm Grand View Research, the global CBD market was valued at $2.8 billion in 2020 and expected to continue expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 21.2% through 2028. This is due in part to rising acceptance of CBD-infused products, coupled with anticipated regulatory certainty from government agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration. That means cultivators must produce more high-quality hemp and cannabis than ever before to satisfy market demand. When compared to labor savings, the M9 sorter is about 90 times more accurate, and faster, than human labor. If companies are interested in investing in their business, there is no question the M9 Sorter delivers on its price tag.
AC 420: Will you manufacture this equipment in the U.S. and Canada?
Mosman: We will assemble this equipment at our Las Vegas facility, where we expect to add 12 new full-time jobs. By doing all of our design and manufacturing work in-house, it allows us to on-shore more jobs and ensure the highest quality, which are both major points of pride.
AC 420: There are tax advantages to being based in Nevada. Is that why the site was selected for the U.S. facility?
Mosman: Nevada is known to be a business-friendly state. It is also a major travel hub and is extremely accessible via flights. Our Demo in the Desert event, which drew hundreds of guests, was proof of the concept. With an accessible and skilled labor pool, relative accessibility to major markets, and affordable real estate, Las Vegas was a natural choice for our U.S. headquarters.
AC 420: Share your thoughts about the future of the U.S. cannabis and hemp industries.
Mosman: This is a good space to be in. What we see happening is further consolidation within our industry. Hundreds of thousands of farmers are out there doing these very small-scale grows, and while some may fall by the wayside, others are amalgamating with other, larger companies. We are seeing so many of these newer, bigger companies popping up all over the U.S. and Canada. They are the ones who will need our equipment going forward, allowing them to harvest larger acreages that, in turn, give them a competitive edge. It all comes back to consistency and quality, and Eteros’ equipment gives cultivators both.
Sheldon Baker is CEO of the Baker Dillon Group LLC and has created numerous nutraceutical brand marketing communications and public relations campaigns for many well-known supplement and food industry companies. For interview consideration or brand marketing consulting, contact him at Contact@The420AreaCode.com.
Area Code 420 (AC 420): Please provide an overview of Eteros and its brands. How do Mobius and Triminator tie in?
Mosman: Eteros Technologies was founded in 2016 by Aaron McKellar, who began his career working in the marine industry. McKellar previously owned and operated his own custom boat building and boat repair business at a four-acre marina along the Fraser River in British Columbia, Canada. Fifteen years ago, a friend approached him about building their first automated hemp and cannabis trimmer, which led to a new venture. The duo eventually went their separate ways, and McKellar started Eteros in Vancouver, B.C. Today, Eteros is the parent company of Mobius and Triminator, whose product lines complement each other precisely because of their differences. The Mobius line offers the most cutting-edge technology on the market and is focused on supporting growers who are operating in a large-scale, highly regulated environment. Triminator, which was founded eight years ago in Grass Valley, CA, offers tried and tested hemp and cannabis processing equipment at a farm friendly price. Triminator is committed to the cannabis and hemp farmer by building a community of hands-on brand ambassadors who have their own farms and can mentor other end-users on the craft of processing.
AC 420: Being Canadian-based offers many advantages. Canada is light years ahead of the U.S. in cannabis product development and sales.
Mosman: As one of the first countries to legalize cannabis nationally, Canadian-based companies gained a head start working with producers to ramp up industrial-scale production and overcome regulatory hurdles. That was true for Eteros, but even then, we realized 80% of our potential sales would eventually come from the U.S. When Congress passed the 2018 Farm Bill legalizing hemp as an agricultural commodity, it unlocked significant new market potential and prompted us to establish our U.S. headquarters in Las Vegas.
AC 420: Your new M9 sorter was designed with cannabis and hemp cultivators and processors in mind. What has the industry previously been using?
Mosman: Hemp and cannabis trimming and sorting has traditionally been done by hand, quite a time and labor-intensive process for cultivators. For decades, the industry has been operating in a legal gray area, which has stifled investment in automation like we have seen in other areas of conventional agriculture. That is now changing, and as the demand for hemp and cannabis products grows, farmers and processors must supply the marketplace with a consistent, quality product. Our equipment helps them achieve that. The M9 Sorter, in particular, can accurately grade 440 pounds of hemp and cannabis per hour, replacing the same output of 6-8 workers sorting by hand.
AC 420: Why is your new M9 sorter considered the latest technological achievement?
Mosman: The M9 Sorter is the latest component of what Eteros envisions as a fully automated, interconnected, front-to-end hemp and cannabis processing line. The entire line was featured at our recent Demo in the Desert, in combination with the M108S Trimmer. As part of the live demonstration, we fed untrimmed hemp into the M108S Trimmer, which was then carried along a conveyor belt onto the M9 Sorter. Within minutes, visitors saw firsthand how the system quickly and efficiently trims and sorts cannabis, with just a fraction of the labor involved in hand-processing.
AC 420: What advantages and features does the M9 sorter offer?
Mosman: The M9 Sorter features an industry-leading nine sorting belts and 78-inch sorting table, allowing for more accurate results. Every grading slot is also longer and fully adjustable, creating more opportunity for an accurate sort. The technology has a sleek stainless-steel design, and 7-inch HMI color controller. Safety interlocked end panels and rear door allow for quick and easy cleaning. Users can also quickly adjust or remove the infeed hopper, without tools.
AC 420: Is this the first time such equipment has been available in the cannabis and hemp arena?
Mosman: Automated hemp and cannabis sorting tools have been available in the past, but the M9 Sorter is truly a breakthrough innovation. The speed and accuracy with which the M9 Sorter was designed resolves many of the existing issues the technology has encountered with other sorters. Cultivators are constantly working to increase yields, reduce loss, and ensure the highest quality. The M9 Sorter achieves this with its ability to sort more product, faster, and with better results.
AC 420: The M9 sorter comes with a hefty price tag. Obviously, cannabis and hemp cultivators and processors are doing well enough to afford this new technology?
Mosman: According to the market research firm Grand View Research, the global CBD market was valued at $2.8 billion in 2020 and expected to continue expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 21.2% through 2028. This is due in part to rising acceptance of CBD-infused products, coupled with anticipated regulatory certainty from government agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration. That means cultivators must produce more high-quality hemp and cannabis than ever before to satisfy market demand. When compared to labor savings, the M9 sorter is about 90 times more accurate, and faster, than human labor. If companies are interested in investing in their business, there is no question the M9 Sorter delivers on its price tag.
AC 420: Will you manufacture this equipment in the U.S. and Canada?
Mosman: We will assemble this equipment at our Las Vegas facility, where we expect to add 12 new full-time jobs. By doing all of our design and manufacturing work in-house, it allows us to on-shore more jobs and ensure the highest quality, which are both major points of pride.
AC 420: There are tax advantages to being based in Nevada. Is that why the site was selected for the U.S. facility?
Mosman: Nevada is known to be a business-friendly state. It is also a major travel hub and is extremely accessible via flights. Our Demo in the Desert event, which drew hundreds of guests, was proof of the concept. With an accessible and skilled labor pool, relative accessibility to major markets, and affordable real estate, Las Vegas was a natural choice for our U.S. headquarters.
AC 420: Share your thoughts about the future of the U.S. cannabis and hemp industries.
Mosman: This is a good space to be in. What we see happening is further consolidation within our industry. Hundreds of thousands of farmers are out there doing these very small-scale grows, and while some may fall by the wayside, others are amalgamating with other, larger companies. We are seeing so many of these newer, bigger companies popping up all over the U.S. and Canada. They are the ones who will need our equipment going forward, allowing them to harvest larger acreages that, in turn, give them a competitive edge. It all comes back to consistency and quality, and Eteros’ equipment gives cultivators both.
Sheldon Baker is CEO of the Baker Dillon Group LLC and has created numerous nutraceutical brand marketing communications and public relations campaigns for many well-known supplement and food industry companies. For interview consideration or brand marketing consulting, contact him at Contact@The420AreaCode.com.
