Exclusive interview with FLIEGL sales manager, Sebastian Smija at AGRITECHNICA & HORTI ASIA 2024

FLIEGL’s sales manager Asia, Mr Sebastian Smija speaks with Far Eastern Agriculture at AGRITECHNICA & HORTI ASIA 2024, that took place from 22-24 May at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre (BITEC) in Bangkok, Thailand 

Mr Smija discusses the significance of the company’s presence at the event, their overall market growth and level of competition in Southeast Asia, among other interesting insights.

Can you tell me a bit about your company and the type of products you manufacture?

Sebastian Smija (SS): FLIEGL is a German, middle-stand, family-owned company, and we specialise in transport. We produce all kinds of trailers for the agricultural industry. 

What is the significance of your presence at AGRITECHNICA ASIA, this year?

Sebastian Smija (SS): AGRITECHNICA Asia, here in Bangkok, is a place that is easy to reach for most of the important buyers or decision makers from Southeast Asia. So on this show, we are not only here because of the Thai market, but for the whole Southeast Asian market and countries.

Which regions are your target markets in Southeast Asia?

Sebastian Smija (SS): Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, a bit into Cambodia and Laos.

Can you like shed some light on the latest products that you are presenting/launching at this show?

Sebastian Smija (SS): We did not really launch anything here at the show because the market here is a developing market. So, the machines that are not necessarily new in Europe, are new here. So for this market, our important product is normally the spreaders either for solid or liquid manure, to spread organic fertiliser. That is what we normally present here. And that is what we sell mainly in these markets.

What makes your products unique and what is the level of competition that you generally receive?

Sebastian Smija (SS): Competition here, depends a lot on size. That is why we sell and also exhibit mid size to large machines, because there is no competition for that. There is no manufacturer that produces such a machine, here in Thailand.

Do you mostly focus on large scale or small scale farms?

Sebastian Smija (SS): Large scale farms, because the smaller the farm, the more competition you have. If there is local Thai, or Vietnamese competition, we have no chance and we are too expensive.

Have you collaborated with the Thai government or local organisations and companies here?

Sebastian Smija (SS): Here in Thailand, we cooperate with the companies, yes. They use our machines and also distribute them if needed. With the government or government organisations, not really.

How is your market growth now in comparison to the past few years?

Sebastian Smija (SS): Steadily growing. During Corona, the sales were still good. We did not have any problems with selling the machines.

But production was more affected, because parts were missing, and so on. 

What are your short and long term goals?

Sebastian Smija (SS): Our goal—why we are here—is to represent the brand, to keep the awareness where such a machine can be bought up. Because if you look around, there is no one else presenting such a machine, but it is an important machine for the husbandry industry and many pig farms that have cows or chicken or whatever. Many farms still underestimate the value of organic fertilisers and our aim is to show what these machines can do for them. In terms of improving yields as well as a proper disposal of animal waste.

Since these machines are very new, are you providing any training programmes to the younger generation or to farmers on how to use them efficiently? 

Sebastian Smija (SS): We don’t have enough interest for these, but in the future, I hope that there is enough interest and enough serious projects. Then it would make sense to do training on demonstrations and field days and this kind of promotion.

What are some of your best selling products?

Sebastian Smija (SS): Our best selling products are the products with this type of technology—i.e. in the front, there is a push off system, a hydraulic system to unload the machines so that you don’t need any chains or the machine doesn't have to tip up—that is very successful.