Inventors Turner Innovations now have the technology to commercialise their reaping machine, having tweaked the concept to mass produce the device, but are looking to break into international markets as reapers before spreading the technology around.
The nascent company has teamed up with Canadian design engineer Grant Seabrook to refine the engineering and create a 3D blueprint of the machine, which means it can now be mass produced.
“They stripped the machine down,” said Allison Turner, speaking of the teamwork between her husband, Oral Turner, the brains behind the technology, and Seabrook.
The consultant was brought in with the assistance of First Angels Jamaica, a network through which Turner Innovations is finding financial backers.
“Grant has the latest software, which is 3D. When you put the coordinates in, it does everything for you and gives the blueprint which basically translates to a pattern on paper that you can give any manufacturer and they can make it,” said Allison.
But the Turners aren’t ready to sell the equipment to others.
While their company will make “at least three more” machines and expand its own dried-sorrel business, which it started towards the end of last year, the harvesters will only be available for hire and must be operated by Turner Innovations’ team.
“The mid-term plan is to keep the technology, buy local product and, in the few years, position ourselves in a few other countries that grow sorrel to process their sorrel. All of these countries will want the machine. Nobody will be able to compete with us,” said Allison.
The plans have found favour with the First Angel backers and newly appointed board.