Clean Seed Capitol Group enters world of planting equipment

The USD$ 13.1 million move expands Clean Seed squarely into the equipment manufacturing market. According to Graeme Lempriere, president and CEO of Clean Seed, the acquisition was finalised after significant efforts were made to find a corporate partner that could accelerate business growth.

Clean Seed Capitol Group, a Canadian company focused on innovation in planter and seed drill technology, has added Harvest International Inc. – an American manufacturer of precision planting equipment – to its portfolio. Photo: Clean Seed

Synergistic industry partner

“We embarked upon a programme to source a synergistic industry partner that could accelerate our growth and position our company to play a major role in the US and international planter markets, complementing our SMART Seeder technology initiatives,” says Mr Lempriere in the company’s official press release. “One company stood out as a seamless fit for Clean Seed, US based Harvest International. This transaction is a transformational event for our collective organisations and drives our speed to market.”

Colin Rush, COO for Clean Seed, described the merger as “pole-vaulting right into the planter market” during Ag In Motion, a recent agriculture expo in Saskatchewan. He went on to say his company is focusing on using the acquisition as an opportunity to bring new ”and exciting” planter technology to market. In the context of North America’s west and Midwest, one of those technology types will be – and is – focused on single-pass seed and fertiliser application.

The purchase will open the extensive American market to his company’s products. Such products include the CX-6 SMART Seeder – a seeder capable of metering to six different products right above each row opener. Photo: Clean Seed

“We’re not relying on central metering air systems anymore,” says Mr Rush. “People want the uptake and that’s why they’ve started trying to seed in Western Canada with a planter, but then have to do multiple passes with fertiliser. So we hope to successfully marry those concepts and bring some new and exciting products out.”

Extensive American market

Byron Friesen, president and CEO for Harvest International, says – in the official press release – his company’s history of farmer-focused innovation will help both parties in the merger will “deliver innovations not yet seen by North American farmers.”

For his part, Mr Lempriere adds the purchase will open the extensive American market to his company’s products. Such products include the CX-6 SMART Seeder – a seeder capable of metering to 6 different products right above each row opener, independently controlling each individual row arm, and operating with row-by-row resolution.