Sweden and Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
October 16, 2013
The agricultural machinery manufacturer Väderstad has taken over full ownership of the Canadian company Seed Hawk, in which it has been a part-owner since 2006. Seed Hawk is a manufacturer of air seeders based in Langbank, Canada. The acquisition will permit expansion on the North American market.
The contract was signed in Regina on the 15th of October 2013.
From the left sitting; Pat Beaujot, Crister Stark, Christina Stark.
From the left standing; Nicklas Bjersér, Brian Dean and Andreas Stark.
Väderstad has demonstrated very strong growth in recent years. During the past year growth increased by 16 percent, to € 240 million. In the same period, the company took on over 90 new staff and now employs 1 100 people in 13 countries.
“We see huge potential in Seed Hawk, since a local presence on the North American market is necessary for success. Tempo, Väderstad’s precision seed drill, will be an important product in accessing this market and together with the Seed Hawk range will increase the chances of success for both companies”, said Christina Stark, CEO of Väderstad.
Seed Hawk has also shown expansive growth and since 2006 has increased its turnover by 700 per cent, to the current level of € 46 million. The company employs 250 people.
“Seed Hawk has shown fantastic development to date and the ambition is to continue developing the company at the same pace”, said Christina Stark.
Continuing growth
The acquisition of Seed Hawk is a step in Väderstad’s strategy for establishing itself in North America.
“This is a strategically important decision. We are convinced that continuing growth on the world market is necessary. Through this acquisition, we achieve geographical, technological and commercial expansion, as well as positive synergy effects”, said Christina Stark.
Two separate companies
Seed Hawk will continue to be managed as a separate company, with its head offices and manufacturing in Langbank, Saskatchewan. The company’s current General Manager, Peter Clarke, will become President and CEO and its two founders, Pat Beaujot and Brian Dean, will continue to work on strategic product and market development.
“We have a good relationship with Väderstad’s owners and know that they will continue building a very strong company in Langbank, since they always look to the longer term”, said Pat Beaujot.
Väderstad acquires Seed Hawk
Langbank, SK Canada
October 17th, 2013
Väderstad, a leading European agricultural equipment manufacturer from Sweden, has acquired the Canadian manufacturer Seed Hawk. The deal brings Väderstad closer to the North American market and opens up new possibilities for both Seed Hawk and Väderstad.
“We see great potential in Seed Hawk. One of the keys to the North American market is local presence, and Tempo, our high-speed precision planter, is a strategically important product for reaching that market. Together with Seed Hawk’s product range we increase our chances to succeed for both companies. We also see great synergies,” says Christina Stark, CEO of Väderstad.
For Väderstad, this is a deepening of the partnership that began in 2006 with the Canadian manufacturer of large seed drills. Seed Hawk is located in Langbank, Saskatchewan, which will continue to be the company’s head office and primary production site. It has 250 employees based at its Langbank, Saskatchewan site.
“Since the beginning of the cooperation, Väderstad has been impressed by Seed Hawk’s spirit, inherent power, innovations and potential for growth. Since 2006 Seed Hawk sales have increased 700 percent,” says Christina Stark.
The acquisition will lead to investment in the Langbank factory, and more job opportunities will be created to enable Seed Hawk to grow. The production of Väderstad and Seed Hawk products for the North American market will be located in Langbank, Saskatchewan, for the long term.
“When Väderstad was considering investing in a North American factory, Seed Hawk management felt strongly that there was no better place to do it than Langbank, Saskatchewan,” says Pat Beaujot, Seed Hawk’s founder.
“However, in order to make an investment of that magnitude, Väderstad wanted controlling interest in the company. When my partner Brian Dean and I looked at what having an even larger factory expansion in Langbank could do for our employees, our community and our province, it just made sense for us to sell. We know Väderstad will continue to build a very strong company in Langbank, as they think very long term.”
The current General Manager, Peter Clarke, will become President and CEO. “Peter has been a key part of our rapid growth in all markets over the last few years and I know he is the right person to take Seed Hawk into the future,” says Beaujot. “In addition, I’m happy to say that it will be business as usual for Seed Hawk customers, dealers and suppliers as Seed Hawk will continue to be run with its core management team.”
“A very important part of the deal for us was to ensure that both Pat and Brian remain with Seed Hawk,” says Christina Stark. “Pat and Brian will continue to work with strategic product and market development and be members of the board, which is reassuring for us. Together Pat and Brian have been leading innovation in no-till seeding technology for over 20 years.”
About Väderstad
The Swedish firm Väderstad was founded in the early 1960s by the farming family Rune and Siw Stark. The small business has grown into a company with 14 wholly owned subsidiaries engaging over 1,000 employees with presence in nearly 40 countries. Väderstad's driving force is to create flexible machines for soil tillage and drilling that do an excellent job regardless of the cropping approach. Väderstad sold $330 million of equipment to farmers in 40 countries in 2012.
About Seed Hawk
Since 1992, Seed Hawk has been building precision seeding systems to better equip farmers and improve agricultural practices. Seed Hawk manufactures state-of-the-art, zero-tillage seeding systems that are sold in Canada, the USA, Australia, and Eastern and Western Europe.
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