increase font size
Irish mixer wagon manufacturer Keenan is cutting jobs in a bid to weather the post-Covid economic storm.
Up to 50 jobs look likely to be axed at Irish mixer wagon manufacturer Keenan, who have weathered the post-Covid storm with some difficulties that saw production and profitability compromised.
Based at Borris in County Carlow, the business, owned by global nutrition company Alltech since 2016, currently employs around 115 people.
According to the owners, major hikes in steel prices, component supply chain issues and a lack of available labour have all contributed to their difficulties. Alltech, based in Kentucky US, says it is fully behind the brand and working towards finding solutions for their problems.
A spokesperson said, “Like many other companies in the industry, Keenan has faced difficult headwinds over the past two to three years.
“We still believe in the potential we saw at Keenan when we purchased the business in 2016, yet we now realise that we did not integrate it deeply enough in the Alltech family. As a result, Keenan has struggled to stay resilient during these recent challenges.”
Alltech has also revealed that it is investigating the possibility of outsourcing its manufacturing functions to other companies, with Turkey being mentioned in other news articles, although Alltech has stated that Keenan will remain an Irish company and continue to operate from its current site.
The spokesperson commented: “Looking to complement our expertise, we are looking at manufacturing partnerships, as we believe this might enable us to meet our customer expectations for quality, on-time delivery and operational support in a currently challenging manufacturing environment.
“At this point, these conversations are only exploratory, and we have no intention of developing a Keenan manufacturing facility on any other location.”
As Dairy News goes to press, we understand that several staff members have received letters notifying them of a risk of redundancy, so they are now in a period of consultation before any final decisions are made.
Twin rotor swathers have become the ‘go-to’ for forming swaths to feed hungry harvesters and balers, however, the design layout often means that crop located between the two rotors is not picked up, turned over or incorporated into the swath formed for subsequent harvesting.
Operating large tractors became more expensive back in March due to the ongoing Strait of Hormuz conflict, meaning contractors had to introduce fuel surcharges and farmers had to adjust their budget forecasts.
Close to the Abel Tasman and Kahurangi National Parks, Motueka is known for apples, pear and kiwifruit orchards, alongside specialised crops such as hops. Indeed, that specialisation, saw the area being the New Zealand centre of the tobacco growing, until the early 1980s.
Can-Am has introduced its 2027 range of side-by-side vehicles (SSV) and all-terrain vehicles (ATV), including the industry leading Defender, the Maverick R and the hugely capable Outlander ATV, incorporating a host of advancements designed to deliver an exceptional riding experience.
With battery tools becoming more widespread and more importantly, productive and reliable, it was only time before we saw augers or post-hole borers.
New Zealand's 2026-27 freshwater fishing season has opened, with anglers encouraged to head to rivers and lakes over the coming days as conditions look favourable across much of the country.
Central Otago District Council (CODC) has voted against a plan to spread treated sewage sludge from Cromwell and Alexandra on farmland near Lauder, a decision Federated Farmers says reflects strong opposition from rural residents.
Pāmu has released its FY26 Integrated Annual Report, reporting a Net Operating Profit of $113 million, more than double the $49 million recorded in FY25.
Meat Industry Association data, released alongside the Red Meat Sector conference in Wellington, shows export value climbing across the US, China, UK and Canada.
Applications are set to open for the 2027 Zanda McDonald Award, a trans-Tasman award recognised for identifying and fast-tracking talented young leaders in agriculture and agribusiness.
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (the College) and Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network are calling for investment in a proposed new training pathway for rural GPs, warning that many rural practices are struggling to recruit while a large share of the existing workforce nears retirement.
OPINION: It seems Canterbury processor Synlait is still in the doldrums.
OPINION: Get offside with New Zealand First leader Winston Peters at your own peril.
