Sales Team

Dan has a farming, and a computer design and graphics background. He has spent the past 12 years working for Plains Irrigators, initially in the field, leading teams and installing irrigators, mainline, stock water and effluent systems, power cable and buried underground guidance systems. For the past 7 years he has worked in the design and sales office. Dan as attended courses with Geosystems and is responsible for all the GIS mapping used by the company for locating pivots and ancillaries. Dan is studying to obtain accreditation as an Irrigation Designer under the Auspices of irrigation New Zealand. Dan has full operational experience of all facets of centre pivot, lateral, and ancillary installation.

Ian grew up in the Hawkes Bay. Moving on from the Hawkes Bay Ian went to Victoria University of Wellington, where he studied and completed a BSC and MSC. Ian took part in a number of research projects but the two that stood out were Tuatara populations on Stephens Island, and Possum distribution in the South Island High Country. Ian also under went his Master’s thesis and researched and mapped the mapped home ranges of Black Rhino in South Africa and related this to their population demographics. After University Ian was employed by Terralink NZ and now works as a Designer and Surveyor for Plains Irrigators.

Frederik J Van Der Merwe (Frik), achieved his Government Mechanical Engineering certificate after completing mechanical engineering apprentice ship in 1979, furthered his tertiary studies in engineering at the Pretoria Technical Institute of Engineering (Tech.DipN6), South Africa, majoring in Mechanical, Civil and Structural engineering.

In 2002 due to political circumstances, his job was made redundant and left the cheese company. This started a long deserved holiday to NZ, which ended in a new job opportunity.

In July 2002 he started as general field worker with an Ashburton Irrigation company, then moved on as pump and pivot technician. In 2008 attended Christchurch Polytechnic and successfully achieved ESTA-A (distinction) and ESTB-B electrical courses as Electrical Service Technician. In July 2010 with Plains Irrigators Ltd, in Timaru branch. Currently on the Sales Design and Service team, looking after customer needs, servicing, design and sales.

Frik married Veronica in 1979, have 3 kids, daughters Maryke & Natalie (married Shaun), son Sarel (married Nastsja), and 3 grand kids, Maria-Jane (7), Nicholas (1) and Blake (6m).

Hamish grew up in sunny Marlborough on a small Dairy farm. From a young age always had a love for agriculture and computers, after completing high school went on to work dairy farms making his way right through to contract milking on the west coast and then managing a large scale dairy operation in the Waitaki valley. During this time, he completed a certification in computer engineering and multiple agriculture based certifications from staff management to effluent management. Hamish has come to us with a fresh mind after spending 3 years as a sales rep and service technician for Waikato milking systems and looks forward to sharing his knowledge on farm.