LEMKEN ACQUIRE SPECIALIST COMPANY

Lemken and the South African company Equalizer have reached an acquisition agreement.

As a result, the German agricultural machinery specialist say they will be significantly expanding their product portfolio in seeding technology.

With a focus on minimal ground disturbance to no-till farming, the Equalizer product range includes precision planters with up to 36 rows and seed drills with a working width of up to 24 metres. The acquisition is expected to be completed by spring 2023, once regulatory approvals have been obtained.

Lemken CEO Anthony van der Ley says he believes that the Equalizer portfolio complements their seed drill segment and constitutes an important building block for further growth.

“There is no overlap in our portfolios. Equalizer offers solutions for customers and markets that Lemken has not been able to serve so far. In terms of our growth strategy, the Equalizer planters and seeders - also in combination with air carts - close a current gap in our product range.”

An additional, benefit arises for Lemken precision seeding technology, as the Delta-Row technology developed by themselves is complemented by single-row technology established by Equalizer.

Equalizer, which is also a family business, was founded in Cape Town in 2000 and currently employs 180 people. The company serves not only its South African home market, where it is the market leader in precision seeding, but also Australia as its most important export market.

Gideon Schreuder, Equalizer’s founder and managing director, added, “We see great potential for new products with Lemken on our side, and we look forward to our future collaboration. At the same time, we are proud that this agreement reaffirms the success and hard work of the entire Equalizer team and our local dealers over the past 22 years."

The first definite project is the expansion of spare parts logistics in 2023. All of Equalizer’s experienced local staff will be retained. Equalizer will continue to be led as an independent subsidiary by its current management, and the brand name will be preserved.