After 41 years working with McAree Engineering, as its V-Mac Sales Manager, Eamon McMeel has retired to focus on his own family farm enterprise.
Eamon McMeel and family have a large broiler breeding unit enterprise and supply Carton Bros who produce the popular Manor Farm chicken brand. It is one of the oldest family companies in the country and dates back to 1775.
He has worked in every area of the V-Mac silo business and has been a familiar face on at stands at trade shows across Britain and Ireland.
New appointment
Fergal Sherry, another Monaghan native, is the new sales manager. He joins the McAree Engineering team bringing with him over 20 years’ experience as an animal feed technical sales representative with Corby Rock.
Fergal hails from a dairy and poultry farming background and has a diploma in Agricultural Engineering from Silsoe College in Britain.
He also has extensive experience of installing Fullwood Packo milking equipment and bulk tanks.
On his home farm, they have a pedigree Holstein herd and supply Lakeland Dairies. The family also supply broilers to the Western Brand premises in Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo, who currently process 350,000 broilers weekly.
Sales booming
According to Fergal, sales of the V-Mac silos are booming and they have a steady pipeline of orders from Britain and Northern Ireland. Their 1-1.5 tote bins are extremely popular in Britain. Fully galvanized for longer life.
These tote bins have a weatherproof lid, integrated telescopic legs/forklift skids for easy handling. Integrated bagging hooks aid emptying and the Lid latches for extra safety and security.
In Ireland, McAree V-Mac sales to milk producers are vibrant as many new entrants begin dairy farming and purchase a 20-30 t fed silo.
Current producers are expanding so they need a second bin or a bigger feed silo. Pig and poultry producers are also expanding their enterprises, so they required extra bins or bigger ones.
According to Fergal, a typical poultry enterprise now requires a 35t split bin and a 14t single silo.
As regards pig producers, many are upgrading their storage facilities and a typical order is for a 25-35 t bin. Indeed, some of the bigger pig producers are purchasing bins up to 80t in storage capacity.
