Fertilizer manufacturer admits: Digitalization has also become the answer to staff shortages

• "The introduction of such an integrated ERP system has significantly increased the level of digitalization in our company. Today, virtually every employee uses IT systems in their daily work," says Hubert Kardasz, CEO of Intermag, a company specializing in the production of foliar fertilizers, biostimulants, and animal health products.
• "At our company, we encounter fraud attempts, spam, and other digital threats every day, so we are constantly working to improve security, using increasingly advanced technologies and collaborating with the best suppliers," our interlocutor reveals. There are details.
• Digitalization is also addressing staffing shortages to some extent. "Agricultural and agrotechnical fields are currently unpopular: student numbers are smaller than before, and young people often choose fields that seem "trendy," but which don't necessarily meet market needs," points out Hubert Kardasz.
• This conversation is part of a series of interviews that will serve as the basis for the report "From Tape to Algorithm: How Digitalization Is Shaping the Future of Industry," prepared by WNP Economic Trends in conjunction with the New Industry Forum (Katowice, October 14-15, 2025) . The premiere will be in October.

What are the most important digital investments Intermag has made in recent years and which of them have had the greatest impact on the company's development?

- Intermag has been developing for 35 years, leveraging organic growth, and digitalization has gradually covered subsequent areas of activity – from accounting, through materials management, distribution, CRM and HRM.

Over time, however , the fragmentation of systems from different vendors and difficulties with data integration emerged. Therefore, about three years ago, a strategic decision was made to implement an integrated ERP system encompassing all key company processes: from accounting and invoicing, through purchasing, materials management, distribution, production planning, to HR, sales, and infrastructure management.

The solution selection process was preceded by over a year of analysis, reference visits, and discussions with suppliers. We are therefore in the midst of a major transformation, divided into several stages. Implementation began in late 2023, with production launch in January 2025.

Currently, the system already includes full accounting, electronic document flow, materials management, distribution (including high-bay warehouse management), basic production processes, and HR modules. This represents approximately two-thirds of the planned scope of the project, which represents one of the largest IT investments in the company's history.

The next, already planned stages include infrastructure and plant maintenance management, advanced production planning functions, an employee portal and extensive HR modules, sales and marketing support systems, and a B2B portal for contractors (in the form of an e-shop for smaller distributors).

"The new IT system means a completely new quality of data and decision-making"

To what extent do you think these projects have increased the company's digital maturity?

"The introduction of such an integrated ERP system has significantly increased the level of digitalization in our company. Today , virtually every employee uses IT systems in their daily work."

Production processes are already supported by barcodes and touchscreens, but full integration of machines with the ERP system is still ahead of us. In the future, we plan to implement solutions that will enable the automatic reading and analysis of process parameters, and their direct control via system algorithms.

We are a medium-sized enterprise with Polish capital, so it's still difficult for us to compete with large corporations and business sharks, but we have made significant progress and are consistently developing further elements in the spirit of Industry 4.0. We believe that this direction will help us consistently grow the company.

What criteria determine digital investments at Intermag, and how do you collaborate on innovation? What barriers do you encounter in Poland?

"The new IT system delivers a completely new level of data quality and decision-making—it allows us to better plan production and resources, and control costs. Thanks to it, we can, for example, calculate production profitability at the level of individual SKUs (Stock Keeping Units - an identifier used to manage a given product – editor's note), which was previously virtually impossible with distributed systems."

In addition to digitization, understood as streamlining information flow, we are introducing more and more work automation solutions. The main driver remains the rising cost of labor, and even more importantly, the shortage of available workers.

Just 10 years ago, it would have been difficult to imagine that a shortage of staff would become one of the main obstacles to a company's development... Now, it happens that we cannot find the right specialist for a year and a half or two – and this is not due to uncompetitive working conditions, but to the limited supply of qualified people on the market.

The problem is particularly acute in specialist roles, but even in sales, the situation is challenging – especially for those with agronomy degrees. We're collaborating with agricultural universities on this and have noticed a dramatic decline in the number of students in agricultural fields. Whereas there used to be a few dozen students per year, now there are often only five to 10, and some fields aren't even being offered at all.

This has a real impact on the availability of employees with agronomic knowledge, which in our industry is essential not only in sales, but also in marketing and development departments.

Therefore, when making decisions about digitization and automation at Intermag, three criteria are key: improving the quality of data and business decisions, increasing work efficiency, and partially compensating for staff shortages in areas requiring specialized knowledge.

"In our company, we encounter fraud attempts, spam, and other digital threats every day"

How does Intermag use data from production and laboratories and what are its long-term plans for plant digitalization, including smart factories, IIoT and virtual process twins?

Intermag uses production and laboratory data primarily to improve resource planning—both production and infrastructure. We analyze it for production planning, infrastructure management, equipment inspections and maintenance, and the allocation of staff to various production processes. This data also supports long-term, strategic company development planning.

Looking ahead, we are working to ensure that process data can be used directly to optimize production processes. We currently have a vast amount of data from field trials and laboratory research, with results reaching thousands from various crops and products.

This information is useful for product positioning, creating marketing materials, and developing new products and their future direction. Often, instead of individual results, we analyze metadata—trends and generalized information about product performance.

Although not all of this data is yet fully processed in advanced IT systems, it already constitutes a key element of our activities in terms of developing our product offering and marketing communications.

How do you assess the potential and risks associated with exchanging data with B2B partners?

- Data exchange with B2B partners – farmers, distributors, laboratories and universities – is very important to us, because direct system-to-system communication allows us to streamline business processes and better tailor our offer to the needs of our partners.

The implemented production and laboratory solutions are based on international, renowned standards, most often provided by leading global companies that set standards in the agroindustry sector.

We also actively cooperate with universities, primarily with universities of natural sciences, mainly in researching the effectiveness of developed products – sometimes at the concept stage, but much more often just before or after they are introduced into production.

We are aware of the risks associated with data security, which is why we attach great importance to the use of proven information protection mechanisms.

Although collaboration with multiple vendors is possible, the digitalization market is currently largely dominated by global players who provide solutions. Unfortunately, this area is heavily monopolized, which makes pricing difficult and prohibitive for mid-sized businesses.

Continuing the theme: cyberattacks are also on the rise as digitalization continues. How is Intermag protecting itself against this threat? What support should the government provide, especially for medium-sized technology companies?

- The level of awareness and protection against cyberattacks in the Polish chemical and agricultural industry is increasing, but many challenges still remain.

At our company, we encounter fraud attempts, spam, and other digital threats every day, which is why we are constantly working to improve security by using increasingly advanced technologies and collaborating with the best suppliers.

An example of a real threat was when an invoice we sent to a foreign client was intercepted by a hacker who changed the bank account number to a fake one. Thanks to the client's vigilance, the funds were not transferred. Naturally, we reported the matter to the police. Unfortunately, a lack of resources and specialized units meant the case was quickly dismissed.

Such situations demonstrate that cybercriminals feel unpunished, and that the consequences of their actions can be more serious than traditional crimes. We believe the state should provide support in the form of specialized units to respond to cybercrimes and better coordinate efforts in this area.

For medium-sized technology companies such as Intermag, educational and systemic support in the field of IT security is also important to effectively counteract threats.

“Virtually every employee uses the new tools and has undergone the appropriate training process”

How have digitization and the implementation of Industry 4.0 solutions influenced your management methods and the preparation of employees to work with new tools?

We're still in the transformation process, but I can confidently say that the biggest challenge wasn't the technology itself, but planning the change process itself—preparing people to work with the new tools and training employees across the company.

Digital transformation leaders were appointed in each functional area, who participated in both defining requirements during the ERP system selection and its implementation. This ensures that virtually every employee uses the new tools and has completed the appropriate training process.

Digital transformation was therefore associated not only with the implementation of IT systems, but also with a broad process of organizational changes, retraining teams and adapting new ways of working.

What difficulties did you encounter during this process?

"Unfortunately, the biggest barrier to digitalization is people... For many employees, introducing new solutions and changes within an organization is a significant challenge. They are often afraid of new things and reluctant to engage in digitalization processes, which in some cases has even led to resignations. This is especially true for those less open to change."

Therefore, it has become crucial to properly manage the transformation process, explaining to employees why we are introducing new solutions and what benefits they can bring in the long term.

The second significant problem is the lack of awareness among some companies – especially small ones – of the real, long-term benefits that digitalization can bring in specific areas of activity.

The third barrier remains cost – implementing modern IT systems and automating processes is increasingly expensive. More support programs would be needed to facilitate investments in digitalization, especially for small and medium-sized businesses. While subsidies have been available in the past, similar support is currently difficult to find.

You mentioned difficulties in recruiting specialists in the industry. How do you assess the human resources training system in Poland? What skills are currently most difficult to acquire?

- I rate it a bit average... The Polish education system is sometimes detached from practice – students often have theoretical knowledge, but do not know how to apply it in practice.

At Intermag, we strive to address this by promoting internships and apprenticeships. This year, we accepted numerous interns, and the best ones have the opportunity to continue working with us after graduation. This allows students to better target their further education and professional development.

We also collaborate with universities: our staff conduct guest lectures, sharing their practical experience in crop technologies, animal dietary supplements, and the production processes we implement. This allows us to build close relationships with universities specializing in natural sciences and strive to prepare graduates for the realities of the job market.

Unfortunately, as I mentioned, agricultural and agrotechnical fields are not popular these days: the number of students is smaller than before, and young people often choose fields that seem "trendy" but do not necessarily meet the needs of the market... We try to counteract this by participating in job fairs and showing young people what we actually do in the industry.

How do you assess the progress of digitization in public administration? Is it developing? Is it citizen- and business-friendly?

"It's difficult to answer this question definitively, but in my opinion, Poland is relatively well advanced in the digitalization of public services. Many processes—such as agricultural subsidies, registers, and regulatory management—can already be completed online, making it easier for entrepreneurs to conduct business electronically. We perform quite well in this area compared to other European countries."

Thanks to such digitization, entrepreneurs, including us, are becoming increasingly accustomed to the electronic flow of information, which supports the development of innovation and the building of a digital culture in the company.

However, the greatest challenge remains the instability of the law and the lack of transparency in regulations, particularly tax regulations. Often, decisions regarding tax liabilities require individual interpretations, as the regulations are unclear and ambiguous. This limits the effective use of digitalization and requires further efforts to simplify and increase legal transparency, so that businesses can fully utilize digital public administration tools.

"Artificial intelligence in technical areas still has limitations"

Is AI changing your business model? In what areas does Intermag see the greatest potential for artificial intelligence?

- I believe that artificial intelligence is still underused in Poland because it is a relatively new solution that has only been available on a wider scale for a few years.

For example, ChatGPT launched four years ago, and companies are only now learning how to effectively implement AI into everyday business processes. We, too, are still in the learning and testing phase of how AI can best be applied in our business.

Currently, AI is primarily used for simple office tasks like assigning materials, automating emails, and supporting analytics. It is not yet applied systematically or fully integrated into our production or planning processes.

We see AI in our enterprise as a tool that can help us in several areas. For example, in planning, where large amounts of data need to be analyzed and conclusions drawn. It can also improve customer service by taking over some routine tasks, and support market analysis and business decisions.

We are also considering more advanced applications, such as optimizing fertilizer recipes or personalized recommendations for farmers.

On the other hand, we know that AI in technical areas still has limitations – it won't always distinguish reliable knowledge from pseudoscience. Therefore, we approach this carefully to ensure that the results are truly valuable and safe for business.

"The Industry 5.0 trend is becoming increasingly important also in the agro industry"

And what does a business like yours expect from the EU and Poland's digitalization megastrategy?

- Above all, well-understood deregulation and regulatory simplification. We compete globally with China, India, and the United States, while excessive bureaucracy and regulations in Europe make it difficult for entrepreneurs to implement innovative projects.

In the context of new technologies like artificial intelligence, support programs that reduce investment risk—for example, grants and subsidies for research and development projects—would be useful. We're all learning these solutions, and the risk that some of them will fail is high. Therefore, financial and advisory support would be very helpful.

I will also highlight the concentration of power in the hands of global digital platforms. Currently, online communications and marketing are largely dominated by a few giants, making it difficult for small and medium-sized businesses to compete without incurring high costs.

Any limitation of monopolization or introduction of more transparent rules for the operation of these platforms would be beneficial for entrepreneurs.

Is Industry 5.0 also inevitable in agriculture? How is Intermag responding to growing demands for environmental sustainability and crisis resilience?

"Industry 5.0, which combines technology, sustainability, and human focus, is becoming increasingly important in the agribusiness sector. We're seeing tremendous technological progress in this sector, especially in digitalization and automation."

Leading these changes are primarily agricultural equipment manufacturers, who now offer not only modern tractors and combine harvesters but also entire digital platforms for farm management. Thanks to the integration of IoT, GPS, and autonomous systems, agricultural equipment can collect data in real time, perform certain tasks autonomously, and even optimize input demand.

At Intermag, we are closely monitoring these changes and adapting to the growing expectations of farmers and the market regarding environmental sustainability, carbon footprint, and crisis resilience. For example, we are testing our products for use with modern technologies, such as drone spraying, which uses significantly smaller amounts of spray liquid than traditional sprayers. In practice, this means our inputs must operate effectively at lower doses, supporting more sustainable and precision agriculture.

The dynamic development of autonomous solutions, drones, and digital farm management systems forces us to continually adapt our offerings and analyze how these technologies might impact the future of the agribusiness. This allows us not only to respond to current market needs but also actively participate in the transformation of agriculture towards Industry 5.0.

To what extent do your digital solutions support the Sustainable Development Goals? How do you view ESG reporting?

- I have an ambivalent attitude towards ESG... On the one hand, the idea is right, on the other – many companies use it for so-called greenwashing, communicating one thing but guided by completely different motives.

Nevertheless, in the current times of high energy costs and CO2 emission burdens, as well as in the context of the upcoming ETS2, implementing solutions that minimize carbon footprint and energy consumption is becoming essential also for smaller companies – such as ours.

At Intermag, we're taking concrete steps to address this. We utilize our own renewable energy sources – we have photovoltaic panels on our hall roofs, allowing us to produce more energy on sunny days than we consume. We're also analyzing how to optimize production in terms of energy costs, and we plan to introduce energy storage facilities in the future.

Digitalization plays a key role here – our ERP system allows us to collect data from all areas and use it to minimize waste. In the chemical industry, there is no completely waste-free production, but with precise information, we can better manage waste internally and reduce waste discharged externally.

In practice, the primary motivation for our ESG efforts is economics – energy and waste disposal costs are so high that companies are forced to implement digital and environmentally friendly solutions. Improved data quality allows us to manage resources more effectively, optimize energy consumption, and reduce waste, which directly translates into company efficiency and sustainability.

Intermag is a Polish company founded in 1988, specializing in the production of foliar fertilizers, biostimulants, and animal health products. Although formally a medium-sized enterprise, it has already established an international presence and strong technological potential.