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PJ Dore (left) and Yardmaster executive Seaton Dalley.
Reversing a long-time flow of gear from Ireland to New Zealand, a Waikato manufacturer is about to start exporting to the land of Guinness.
Reid and Harrison, of Matamata, designer and maker of Yardmaster solids handling pumps, will launch in Ireland next month at the Irish Ploughing Event, the country’s premier agricultural show.
The company visited the show last year, helped by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise. The visitor numbers (300,000 in three days) and quality conversations it had with hands-on farmers were impressive, says chief executive Keith Cooke.
“A combination of looking to broaden our sales base outside NZ and the esteem of both countries for agriculture led to us deciding Ireland was a good place to do business,” he said.
Reid and Harrison has partnered with PJ Dore, of Limerick, with 30 years experience in pumps and irrigation systems, who will distribute the Reid and Harrison products. PJ Dore staff have been in NZ getting familiar with the Kiwi products.
The Yardmaster’s foolproof design and reliability will be popular with Irish farmers, says PJ Dore, and already interest is building in the NZ made multi stage pumps, submersible stirrers and separators, all to be displayed at ‘The Ploughing’.
While dairy effluent systems are approached differently in Ireland -- the focus there is on mobile spreading -- they also need to handle solids, says Cooke, who sees NZ leading in fixed plant systems.
“NZ technology is already held in high esteem in Ireland, so we will leverage on this to introduce our products and solve effluent management needs, particularly for those looking to expand farm and herd sizes.”
The Irish Minister of State for Rural Communities says his country and New Zealand face very similar challenges on a range of issues related to agriculture, including climate change, biodiversity and rural depopulation.
In the rural landscapes of New Zealand and Ireland, a shared agricultural heritage thrives, built on a strong mixture of tradition and innovation, with mirror image climates earning both countries global acclaim for their food quality and sustainable agriculture.
Matamata-based Reid & Harrison, well known for its Yardmaster pump brand, has evolved from just being a pump supplier to a full provider for dairy effluent system needs, offering farmers a full service from concept through design, to installation and ongoing maintenance.
MPI director general Ray Smith reckons NZ has a lot to learn from the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority – called Teagasc (pronounced ‘Chog us’).
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