Carlow based Keenan, which had a "long track record" in the manufacture of diet feeders and mixer wagons to increase yield and quality from herds, as well as the provision of a technology based review and support service to farmers, had suffered financial losses and was insolvent when Alltech bought it in April this year.
At that stage it sold its technology in 25 countries.
But the equipment maker is said to have witnessed continued growth and strength since the acquisition.
Robert Walker, CEO of Keenan, told us about the fundamental factors behind this reported improvement:
“Alltech’s network and expertise across its more than 120 locations around the world has been of huge benefit to Keenan. Of course, investment was also a key element to the turnaround.”
Selling refurbished machines, particularly to more economically challenged markets, where Keenan would not have traditionally had a presence, has also been critical to its recent successful run, said Walker.
“Keenan now has access to markets such as Peru, for example, where this month we will be meeting key contacts and interested groups,” he continued.
Asia, Romania, Latin America
And Walker said Alltech teams are operating as agents for Keenan in all the markets the company is operating in, with its machinery now being exported to Romania, India, Japan, China and Latin America.
“In markets such as Romania and India we are witnessing co-operatives, groups of farmers coming together to invest. Recently in China, Alltech and Keenan signed a memorandum of understanding with the financial group, Haier; we are very keen to enhance our presence in the Chinese marketplace,” said the Keenan boss.
In September, those three parties established what they said was a long-term strategic alliance to develop the Chinese agriculture industry – Keenan’s role will be to deliver its feed mixers and its precision feeding technology, InTouch, to farmers in the Asian behemoth.
Keenan said, through collaboration with Intel, its InTouch technology automates data sharing and enhances nutritional analysis for farmers. It reported that around 3,000 users are now connected to InTouch hubs in Ireland, France, Scandinavia and New Zealand, with plans to create more such hubs in South Africa, China and Canada in the coming months.