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Why did you decide to locate your EU headquarters in Ireland?
When we were beginning to look at expanding into Europe, we were looking for a suitable location. With the impacts of Brexit, and Australia’s growing trading relationship with Ireland, it was logical to set up our base here.
What countries in Europe are you targeting for sales growth?
Clipex has achieved good traction in the UK. Now we are focused on building sales in Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, where there are significant livestock numbers.
What are the biggest challenges of expanding into the EU market
The single biggest challenge as an Australian company entering the EU is finding and building relationships with the right people. It’s imperative that we understand the differences in cultures and techniques from country to country. Working with local people who understand and share our mission and vision will be the key to success.
Do you manufacture everything from your plant in China?
Everything Clipex manufactures comes from our wholly owned manufacturing plant in Ningbo, China. I have resided permanently in China for more than nine years to manage the day-to-day operations of the factory. Living in China has its challenges such as language and culture barriers. Deciding to base myself in China meant leaving my life and family behind me in Australia in order to adapt to a totally new way of doing things.
Do you have to adjust the size of your products (ie handling units) to fit the typical farm size in Europe?
The core components of our sheep and cattle handling equipment suit most operations globally. We are able to adjust the quantity of the peripheral items as needed to satisfy local demands. Where a typical Australian farm size might be 10,000 acres, the average size in Europe is far less. Regarding fences, when in Europe we talk in metres as opposed to kilometres in Australia.
Outside of Australia and Europe, what are the other big markets for Clipex products?
No doubt the Americas present us with a massive market opportunity. We already have sales in Canada and have recently entered the South American market by establishing an operation in Uruguay. We are due to launch Clipex in the US in 2018.
What are the biggest challenges of scaling a family business?
Outside of finding quality people, the single biggest challenge in scaling our business is finding suitable and affordable finance. We started as a very small family startup manufacturing company in 2007 with no track record. But we have taken on large multinational corporations and survived. We employ more than 75 staff in Australia, more than 200 in China and five staff in Ireland.
Title: Founder of Clipex.
Products: Fencing products and handling equipment.
Manufacturing location: Ningbo, China
Employees worldwide: 280.
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