SAMCO has signed a €1.5 million contract with a Chilean dairy co-op on the same day it broke ground on its €2 million expansion in Adare, Co. Limerick.
The company’s new Chilean partners visited SAMCO in Ireland before signing on the dotted line in the Dunraven Arms, Co. Limerick, on Tuesday evening last, November 28.
For those unfamiliar with the Shine family’s company, its flagship ‘SAMCO System’ integrates three machines into one.
It sows the seed, sprays the ground with a pre-emergence herbicide and covers the embedded seed with a degradable film. This film is proven to increase temperature – which “promotes” rapid plant growth throughout the season and also protects the young plant from early frost, the Irish firm claims.
Matthew Shine, SAMCO sales director, said: “We have invested a lot of time, money and resources in conducting R&D [research and development] trials in Chile. The country has a wide range of climates which complements the SAMCO System.
We have been working in Chile for the past two years and, with our research completed, we are now ready to push the sales into high gear.
“Our dedicated staff will spend 45 days per year training customers, servicing and maintaining machines, conducting field trials and also showcasing at trade shows and open days throughout Chile.”
Luis Silva, Cooprinsem, and Matthew Shine, SAMCO, sign the €1.5 million deal in the Dunraven Arms
As it is a very seasonal business, it is hoped that this development will be a “great benefit” to the Irish company as it can now offset work, which will give it a 10-month production period.
SAMCO now has the ability to test new products before they are brought to markets in the northern hemisphere with machine developments and mulch film formulations, the firm claims.
The sowing of crops under degradable mulch film begins in the middle of July in the north of Chile, works down through the country to the south and finishes up in middle of November. This allows SAMCO to have a wider window of sales throughout the year.
The Irish company will sell its full range of machinery from maize sowing drills, subsoilers and bag presses; there is apparently a wide range of clients with different demands for the firm’s products.
Helmut Muller and Luis Silva, of Cooprinsem co-op, said the SAMCO System can be used in cooler zones in their country – but also works very well in warmer parts. They claim it traps moisture in the soil after laying, so the farmer has “less dependence on irrigation systems – which is a large saving”.
Muller described the system as a “truly innovative Irish product”, adding: “With many different climates in Chile, we can use SAMCO products five months of the year and not one month like Ireland.”
Meanwhile, SAMCO has begun laying the foundations for a new €2 million expansion.
Robert Shine, SAMCO managing director, said in 2018 they plan to export to over 25 countries with 85% of the sales being export business at a growth of 15% per annum.
Shine said: “On the day of starting our new €2 million investment in a new facility in Adare, it is brilliant to welcome our newest partners from Chile here to SAMCO. It’s a very exciting time for the company.”
