The idea that sparked Holland Vision Systems didn’t come from a boardroom or a business plan. It started with a farmer with an apple orchard, a few vegetable plots, and a problem.
The farmer told his friend, Bryan McCranner, one day, half-joking and half-serious, that he needed to talk to Bill Gates.
Why?
Because he wanted an “eye in the back of his head” and he didn’t know who else could help him with that.
He’d spent too many hours on his tractor, pulling attachments he couldn’t see, hoping everything behind him was still working the way it should. He needed to know if the seeder was dropping seed, the tiller was level, or a hose had come loose—any small failure could ruin a day’s work. What he really needed was a camera system to see behind him that could survive the brutal, unpredictable environment of a working farm. Dirt. Vibration. Weather. No cab to protect it. Nothing off-the-shelf would cut it.
Bryan wasn’t sure there was a system tough enough for that job. But being an engineer, he told his friend he’d look into it.
The farmer said, “If you can find something that works, I’ll pay you $2,000.”
Bryan wanted to know, was this a one-off problem, or were there more farmers out there dealing with the same thing?
So he created a survey to ask other farmers in the area: would a rugged camera system be useful? What would you use it for? Would $1,500 be a fair price?
The responses came in, and the answers were thoughtful, practical, and clear. There was a market.
The challenge? Existing RV camera systems weren’t rugged enough. Monitors weren’t built to handle the beating a farm tractor environment dishes out. That’s when it stopped being a side project and started becoming a mission.
Bryan McCranner was a mechanical engineer by trade. He knew how to design things that work, and had a network of friends who knew CAD, electronics, and manufacturing. It wasn’t a company yet—just a handful of engineers and makers, all agreeing to “give it a shot.”
Bryan invested $25,000 of his own money and built 12 prototype systems. He sent them to the most interested farmers from the survey—not to sell, but to learn.
It worked.
The first sale was to the same friend who kicked this off. The $2,000 was a real win—but more importantly, it was proof that he could create something that solved a real problem.
That was the start of Holland Vision Systems.
From Farm Fields to Forklifts
From there, word-of-mouth did the heavy lifting. Farmers talked. Referrals spread. And HVS kept listening.
In 2003, Bryan hired his first employee—a friend—to help with sales. That moment felt like crossing a line from “project” to “company.”
They also launched a website, hoping to showcase their rugged camera systems to a broader audience. Soon after, the emails started coming in—but not just from farmers. Warehouse managers, safety officers, and logistics companies were asking the same question: Could these cameras be used on forklifts?
It was a new kind of opportunity—and HVS leaned into it. They adapted the systems for industrial use, refined the mounts, and made sure the equipment could withstand the jarring, high-impact world of warehouse operations. Just like that, forklifts became the next major focus.
Agriculture was Holland Vision Systems’ first calling, but the principle was universal: wherever operators can’t see, accidents and inefficiencies follow. Over time, HVS realized the same problems existed in warehouses, factories, horse barns, even industrial processes. Forklifts, in particular, became a major focus—used in every industry, all over the world. The camera systems, once dirt-proof and rainproof for tractors, became rugged, reliable eyes for forklift operators in high-traffic, high-risk workspaces.
And because the products were tied to safety, companies still invested in them even during the 2008 economic downturn. That helped HVS survive and grow when many startups didn’t.
We Built It Ourselves—From the Ground Up
HVS didn’t take outside funding. They didn’t launch with a splashy ad campaign. They built. They wrote technical specs. Designed their own circuit boards. Programmed their own microprocessors. Machined the enclosures by hand. Every detail mattered, because in the environments these cameras were working in, shortcuts wouldn’t survive the season.
Over the years, the customer base expanded, and so did the understanding of what it means to be a company that listens. HVS’s approach has always been consultative—they talk to customers, understand their business, and help them find a system that works for them and their budget.
What Made HVS Different?
From day one, HVS was built on the ability to create—from scratch—exactly what customers needed. Off-the-shelf wasn’t good enough. Every camera system was designed to be flexible, rugged, and customizable. That willingness to listen and innovate opened doors others couldn’t.
Looking Ahead
Today, Holland Vision Systems serves industries across North America and beyond. But they never stopped doing what they did from the very beginning—listening, solving, and building. HVS sees opportunities where others see obstacles.
Asked what excites him most about where HVS is headed today, Bryan says it’s the thrill of discovery—finding new ways to make things better, safer, and more efficient.
HVS started because one farmer couldn’t see what was happening behind his tractor. HVS has grown because thousands of people in tough environments have the same need: they want to see. And HVS helps them do that.
See Video Interview with Bryan here:
