The first result of a strategic partnership between German company Grimme and British firm Stanhay is on display at Bejo Zaden’s Dutch vegetable machinery show this week.
On show at the popular event at Warmenhuizen is one of the Bourne-based company’s Agritechnica-launched ProAir precision air drills branded as a Grimme machine. The marketing deal currently applies to the seven countries of China, Germany, Poland, Russia, the Netherlands, the UK and Ireland where the ProAir will only be available through Grimme dealers. Stanhay will continue to sell the machine wearing its name and colours in the rest of the world.
The strategic partnership is seen by both companies as a win-win situation, giving Stanhay more market penetration through the Grimme dealer network and bringing the German potato and sugar beet machinery specialist a step closer to offering a complete range of vegetable equipment.
The ProAir is available in a wide range of working widths and row units up to 6.5m static and folding frames up to 15 rows. Suitable for use with any small seeds (both raw and pelleted), the version on display at the Dutch show this week is a four-row carrot planter.
The official launch of the Grimme ProAir, which continues to be made at Bourne, will take place in December at the Grimme Technica machinery show, which is held at company HQ in Damme, Germany.
Available from selected dealers in January 2019, the first opportunity to see the Grimme ProAir in the UK will probably be at LAMMA.
Ahead of the launch, dealers are being trained to handle the new machine and spare part stocks are being organised in the various countries. Grimme says it is too early to discuss whether the company is hatching plans to finish more Stanhay products in its familiar red livery.
