Africa Needs Superior Grain Storage

Superior Grain Equipment is a Kindred, ND based manufacturer of grain storage and drying equipment. The company has been pro-actively pursuing partnerships in Africa since 2011, when International Sales Manager Jon Engelstad first participated in the USA Pavilion at the NAMPO farm machinery show in Bothaville, South Africa. The USA Pavilion gives US companies exhibit space and sales support at the largest ag show in Africa, in the corn production region of South Africa. There is significant grain loss due to poor grain storage practices throughout Africa, so the need for “Superior” grain storage has driven strong ongoing interest for the company. After participating in NAMPO 2011, Superior signed up a dealer in Zimbabwe, and this dealer went on to become one of Superior’s most successful dealers. 

After many years exhibiting with a booth at NAMPO, Superior decided to try something new. “In 2018, for the first time, we set up a grain bin on site, and that drew in so much more additional foot traffic and quality contacts,” said Jon Engelstad, International Sales Manager for Superior. “We gained several inquiries and orders, all from new contacts who identified us at the show, and we even sold the demonstration bin right at the show!”

Engelstad reports that as a direct result of contacts from NAMPO, Superior has generated approximately $2.5 million in sales in Africa.

Other leads continue to come to Jon from support by U.S. Commercial Service (CS) staff, including site visits via the Big Iron Farm Machinery Show (supported by the ND Trade Office) and visits by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s SABIT program. Engelstad continues to follow up on additional leads developed through country visits and the use of CS’s Gold Key Service contacts in several additional countries in Africa. Superior has even recently connected with another participating NAMPO company for a new sales opportunity in another African nation.

For more information on Superior, click here. For more information on the US Commercial Service, visit export.gov/northdakota.