Sir William Gallagher Features on BBC World News
5 January, 2017
From electric fences to global technological success - find out how we've taken the electric fence far beyond the farm in this short video by the BBC's Mauricio Olmedo-Perez.
Video Transcript:
The robot isn't the first farm technology to expand into another industry - the humble electric fence was first developed as an animal management tool way back in the 1930's by a Kiwi called Bill Gallagher Senior.
His family-run company is now an agritech giant, taking the electric fence far beyond the farm.
"Some of the technology goes through to the Security business - one is our perimeter, the electric fencing we developed for sheep, cattle and deer - that's very good for people."
The Security tech is used in 200 prisons in New Zealand, Australia and the US. Technology development is crucial to their success - of its 1,300 worldwide staff, one in 10 focus on R&D.
"New Zealand is one of the few countries in the world where we have a western standard of living based on unsubsidised agriculture - and that's really done with technology - and about 80% of our revenue is outside New Zealand."
"As things get tougher lower cost methods are looked for, and New Zealand is king of low cost methods."
Low cost but a massive return - agritech now generates exports for the country of more than eight million dollars a year.
Mauricio Olmedo-Perez, BBC News New Zealand.
Press Contact
Liam Ewing
Brand Communications Coordinator
liam.ewing@gallagher.com