Vogelsang is on something of a roll at present, with strong sales in 2025 following a poor 2024 during which the whole machinery trade suffered.

The upswing in sales has brought a chance for expansion and, to this end, the company has joined forces with Atkins of Co. Cork to promote its slurry-handling equipment in the Munster region.

Atkins recently completed the redevelopment of its Bandon branch and it is here that the Vogelsang operation will be centred, with the focus being on developing and supporting the brand throughout the south-west of Ireland.

This is the first major dealer appointment by the company in the Republic of Ireland and it heralds a move away from dealing directly with farmers and establishing a firm retail base in the country.

For any company wishing to grow its business, having committed agencies is essential because farmers, quite naturally, prefer to deal with people they know and trust.

Vogelsang as been active in the Irish market for 13 years, with its headquarters in Co. Galway and a parts and distribution centre in Co. Dublin, yet this move, it claims, will take it closer to its customer base.

Atkins is one of the longest established dealers in the country and its survival has depended to a great extent on backing the right horses.

With Vogelsang, the dealer obviously believes it has picked another winner.

There is a vibe in the trade that suggests that the tanker market is now sated - with the Irish tanker fleet now being more or less fully upgraded - and that the future for spreading lies with umbilical systems.

Vogelsang has avoided going down the tanker route, instead concentrating on the treatment and spreading of slurry itself, and that is where the company intends to focus its sales efforts.

One market opening in which the company is enjoying some success is slurry separation, which greatly extends the storage capacity of farms, although farmers are still bound by legislation that only recognises tanks as a storage medium.

This is unlikely to change any time soon, but there are significant advantages in dealing with the two materials.

For instance, the solid faction can be used as bedding, a practice that sounds all wrong but is often followed on the continent with great success,

Yet there is still a strong market for all the other components of slurry handling and management, from transfer pumps to heavy-duty umbilical systems. and the complete Vogelsang range will be available through the Bandon depot of Atkins.