Saskatchewan will have its largest ever presence at Agritechnica, Europe’s largest farm machinery show in Hanover, Germany.
Industry and government will invest about $700,000 in a pavilion that will be one of the largest at the show to highlight Saskatchewan’s farm equipment manufacturing sector, known as a leader in seeding technology.
The pavilion, which will be four times larger than at the last Agritechnica two years ago, will feature a stage, meeting rooms and multimedia presentations.
So far, 23 Saskatchewan organizations are expected to attend the November show, including companies based in or with significant operations in the province, non-government groups and provincial ministries, said Lionel LaBelle, president and chief executive of Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership.
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“If you want to see the world’s best cars, you go to the Detroit Auto Show. If you want to see the world’s best air seeders, you either come to Saskatchewan or you come to Hanover and we built the Saskatchewan pavilion on that concept,” LaBelle said.
“We are pretty keen on eastern Europe and through Hanover, we can draw in some major crop producers.”
The big manufacturers will have equipment displays and smaller companies will be there to learn the opportunities in Europe and the former Soviet Union
“The new guys are looking to meet distributors, to meet agents … they want to find where the next level is to market their product,” LaBelle said.
Casey Davis, president of Morris Industries, said the government assistance allows his company to get better value for the money it spends at the show.
Western Economic Diversification is providing $282,000 and the pro-v incial government more than $100,000.
That allows Morris to redeploy its show budget from paying for space to having more people at the event, including an agronomist and research and development staff.
“When we sell equipment overseas we are not only selling our technology and seeding equipment, but there is also support and services that go into the sale. So by having these other people there, our customers from these new markets can talk to them and it really helps make the deal,” Davis said.
“It makes them comfortable that we won’t just sell the piece of equipment and say ‘have a nice life.’ ”
Limited access to credit has been a problem in the former Soviet Union the past few years, but that is changing, he said.
“Now we have got through that rough spot and now they are in a position where they will have cash. Credit is opening up,” he said. “The sales opportunities there are enormous.”
