Northern Ireland-based SlurryKat, which has operated since 2008 creating a range of slurry handling and spreading equipment, has unveiled a significant investment in its manufacturing base with the official opening of a Research and Development Facility and Team Hub.
In its 15 years in business, the firm has grown extensively, with sales increasing 40-fold since inception and the workforce growing from a team of two to more than 80.
Through extensive research and development, and sustained investment in the manufacturing process, the firm has designed innovative solutions for precise slurry distribution systems, as well as other agricultural equipment and developing products for the waste and biogas industry.
SlurryKat’s manufacturing facility, set on a 25ha site at Waringstown, Craigavon, has seen major expansion during the past decade. Initially starting in a small workshop that saw the first development of alternative slurry spreading technologies, to an 11,000 square metre production facility.
The latest investment includes a 1,000 square metre Research and Development Facility, understood to be the first of its kind globally, and represents a multi-million investment to support the company’s ongoing development and growth into the years ahead. Part of the advanced facility will allow the firm to test equipment with different pressures and flow rates in their bid to continually develop and refine the performance of new and existing products for the global slurry market.
The firm has also opened a Team Hub for staff as part of the investment, including a canteen, shower facilities and a commercial-grade kitchen, as part of its ongoing commitment to improving the well-being of members of staff.
The firm’s success has been underpinned by a global sales network to include Norway, Iceland, Chile and New Zealand, with exports to more than 25 countries representing 70 per cent of sales.
Marking the anniversary of the company, chief executive Garth Cairns said he was immensely proud of its achievements in the past 15 years.
“Slurry plays a big part in the agriculture industry across the UK, Ireland and beyond,” he added. “We wanted to build equipment that could overcome the different challenges we see in different markets across the world, and over the years our team has been working tirelessly to evolve and develop our machinery to be as efficient as possible for our customers.
“It’s a competitive industry and as a company we’ve been constantly growing and evolving with the industry and adapting our designs to be leaders in the market.”
