Royal Reesink is primarily a distributor of agricultural equipment throughout Europe and the rest of the world and is also owner of the Kaweco brand.
As part of its business, it has a manufacturing subsidiary in the Netherlands known as Reesink Production which was mainly known for the manufacture of slurry tankers and slurry injectors, sold to the world as Kaweco.
The distinctive feature of the tankers is that they are made of glass fibre rather than steel, making them virtually rot proof as well as being lighter and therefore kinder to the soil.
Kaweco cease trading
However, it now appears that the company has decided to close its Dutch subsidiary at the end of the year, explaining that:
“As a result of Royal Reesink’s increased focus on distribution and service of machines, the production of machines is no longer part of its core activities.”
The factory will close its doors on the December 31, 2024.
Royal Reesink also admitted that the operation has been loss-making, with the current conditions in the agricultural machinery market further negatively affecting income.
The company also fears that that there are insufficient prospects for improvement, an understandable sentiment as the company operates in a highly competitive market segment where prices are high, but unit sales are relatively low.
Royal Reesink goes on to note that it was unable to find a buyer for Reesink Production, therefore discontinuing Reesink Production’s operations was the only responsible route.
Kaweco also produced a range of material handlers alongside the slurry equipment. It was a fairly small business based away from the main site, and presumably this will cease to operate as well, although that has not been confirmed.
Although not a brand known in Ireland, the company brought a demo tanker over last summer to test the reaction of Irish farmers to the concept.
It is not known whether any were sold into a market that has recently become saturated with home produced machines.
