Markets

Emydex & Sustainable Beef. The Journey Goes Live

18th June 2025

Supporting a modern beef processing operation in Nebraska

Emydex is proud to announce the go‑live of its software platform at Sustainable Beef, a newly launched beef processing facility based in North Platte, Nebraska, USA. After months of preparation and collaboration, the Emydex team was on site in June 2025 to assist with the final setup, configuration and support for the system’s first operational phase. This marks an important step in the deployment of our solution across the plant and a milestone in our partnership with one of the most forward-thinking beef processors in the United States.

About Sustainable Beef

Sustainable Beef was founded to bring transparency, efficiency and shared value to every part of the beef supply chain. The project was led by a group of cattle producers and investors with deep regional ties and a vision for long-term impact. The North Platte facility is expected to:

Process up to 1,500 cattle per day at full capacity
Employ over 850 people locally
Contribute more than $1.2 billion annually to the Nebraska economy

These figures reflect not just scale but a commitment to redefining community-driven beef production.

On‑site support during go‑live

During the visit, our team worked closely with Sustainable Beef operators to configure and test the platform in a live production environment. Key activities included:

Activating kill line traceability
Enabling end‑to‑end traceability reporting from intake through dispatch
Supporting inventory and quality control functions
Assisting with the use of plant-floor devices
Ensuring a smooth handover for autonomous system use

Our on‑site support ensured a seamless transition from planning to operation, with full process visibility from day one.

A growing partnership

Sustainable Beef is building more than a processing facility. It is creating a blueprint for transparent, efficient and community-focused beef processing. Emydex will continue to support this mission with scalable modules for production management, traceability, inventory control and compliance. With the successful go‑live now complete, the foundation is laid for ongoing digital transformation and operational excellence. Want to learn more about how Emydex supports beef processors with traceability, efficiency and compliance systems?
Contact us today to schedule a Demo.

Emydex announces Shane Hayes as General Manager for Australasia

16th June 2025

Emydex is pleased to announce the appointment of Shane Hayes as General Manager for Australasia, a strategic move that strengthens the company’s presence and leadership in the region. Based in Adelaide, Shane will lead operations with a focus on expanding customer relationships, improving local delivery, and supporting the company’s long-term vision. With a strong track record across multiple teams and territories, Shane brings deep insight into customer needs and Emydex solutions. Over the years, he has led complex cross-functional projects, contributed to innovation strategies, and built lasting relationships with food processing clients across regions. These experiences have shaped his leadership and prepared him to take on this key role.

It is an honour to take on the role of General Manager in my home country. I am especially looking forward to strengthening our customer relationships and deepening our partnerships across Australia and New Zealand.
Shane Hayes, General Manager Australasia

In this new role, Shane will focus on:

Customer success and expansion, by reinforcing existing partnerships and exploring new opportunities
Operational excellence, through agile, responsive local delivery
Team growth and development, by investing in culture, talent and capabilities

The appointment of Shane Hayes reflects Emydex’s continued investment in strong local leadership and its commitment to providing tailored technology solutions for food processors across every region.

Following Shane’s relocation in September, he and CEO Dave McMahon will begin a series of international visits to connect with customers on-site and strengthen global partnerships.

To learn more about our activities in the region, visit our Australasia market page.

For further information, contact Emydex through any of our global offices in Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Africa or North America.

Cattle Shortage and Processor Pressure: What the Market Is Demanding and How to Respond

30th May 2025

Across Ireland and much of Europe, beef processors are facing increased pressure to secure livestock while maintaining efficiency in operations. With tighter supply chains and shifting dynamics, the need for reliable animal payments software has never been greater.

At the same time, cattle prices continue to climb. Some Irish processors are offering more than €8 per kilo for certain categories. Producers are no longer just suppliers. They are business partners who expect speed, flexibility and transparency in return for their loyalty.

While some plants are adapting quickly, many still face internal friction that makes it harder to keep up. And when delays affect critical relationships, the consequences can be costly.

A Shift in Power and Expectation

Recent news stories reflect this changing landscape. Reports highlight how factories are offering more flexibility to secure cattle. In some cases, a price gap of up to €200 per head is driving livestock north for slaughter. Other headlines note how marts are attracting producers with faster turnarounds and stronger prices.

This is not isolated. It is a pattern. Producers are making decisions quickly and expect the same from processors.

But when internal systems are outdated, everything slows down. Manual payment processes, delayed reconciliations and unclear supplier statements can erode trust over time. These are not just inefficiencies. They are risks. And in a supply-constrained market, every delay can mean losing a load of cattle to a competitor.

The Role of Technology in a High-Pressure Market

For processors navigating this new reality, technology needs to do more than automate. It needs to provide clarity. It needs to inspire trust. And it needs to integrate seamlessly into daily operations, especially where payments and producer relationships are concerned.

At Emydex, we work closely with some of the largest food processors around the world. That experience has shaped the way we build our systems, always focused on what matters most in practice. Our Animal Payments System is designed specifically to help plants manage livestock payments with greater efficiency and transparency.

The system supports multiple species and payment models, with flexible rule configurations and detailed supplier statements. It integrates with existing ERP and finance systems, supports both EFT and cheque payments, and ensures full audit compliance from end to end. The result is a process that runs faster and more accurately, with fewer disputes and stronger producer relationships.

Why the Right Animal Payments Software Matters

When supply is tight and prices are rising, maintaining trust with producers becomes essential. And that trust is built on reliability. Fast, accurate payments show suppliers that a processor values the relationship and is ready to do business with clarity and professionalism.

This is no longer just a finance issue. It is a strategic one.

Processors who continue relying on manual processes risk falling behind. Those who modernise their systems will be better prepared to move quickly, respond to market changes, and maintain a steady intake of quality livestock.

Emydex helps make that possible. To see how our Animal Payments System supports processors in high-pressure environments, visit our page.

To learn more, contact Emydex at any of our global market offices in Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Africa or North America.

Brazilians in Emydex

13th March 2025

Brazilians in Ireland: Innovation and Diversity at Emydex!

At Emydex, we take pride in our diverse and talented team, where more than 15 nationalities come together to drive innovation and excellence. Among our global workforce, our Brazilian colleagues stand out for their creativity, resilience, and unique perspectives, strengthening our company and pushing boundaries in the food processing industry.

How Brazilians in Emydex Drive Global Innovation

From different backgrounds but united by a passion for technology and transformation, our team contributes to our mission of optimising food production worldwide.

As one of the largest producers and exporters of beef, poultry, and agribusiness products, Brazil plays a crucial role in feeding the world. With a highly advanced and competitive food processing sector, the country continues to set global standards in quality, sustainability, and innovation.

As Emydex continues to expand its global reach, we recognise the strength and impact of the Brazilian food industry on the world stage, a sector that shares our commitment to efficiency, traceability, and excellence.

To our Brazilian colleagues Lorraynne de Oliveira, Valerio Ferreira, Jonatas De Macedo Rocha, Thiago Moreira, Daniel Fernandes and our entire global team representing 15+ nationalities, thank you for making Emydex a leader in food industry innovation!

We are also excited to welcome back another Brazilian colleague, joining us soon! Looking forward to having you as part of our team once again.

If you want to learn more – contact Emydex in any of our global market offices in Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, or North America

Emydex CEO Update – Reflections on 2024 & Expansion Plans for 2025

7th March 2025

2024 Highlights

Global Expansion and BAADER Partnership

In this Emydex CEO Update, reflecting on 2024, Emydex has continued its global expansion, driven by BAADER’s acquisition of a majority shareholding in July 2023. Headquartered in Luebeck, Germany, BAADER is a global manufacturer and supplier of food processing machinery and solutions, with 30 subsidiaries across Europe, the USA, China, South America, Africa, and Asia. BAADER employs 1,650 people in more than 100 countries worldwide.

Emydex is collaborating with BAADER on several significant opportunities with meat processors in new Emydex markets, including Brazil, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the Middle East.

New Markets and Customer Growth

In January 2024 and 2025, Emydex exhibited on the BAADER booth at the IPPE trade show in Atlanta, USA, the world’s largest annual poultry, meat, and animal food industry event. Since then, Emydex has expanded beyond its traditional core markets of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, securing new customers such as Murray’s Chicken in New York and Sustainable Beef in Nebraska, USA. New Emydex hires have also been onboarded at BAADER’s Kansas City, Missouri, factory base.

System Implementations in New Zealand

In New Zealand, following successful implementations of the Emydex factory floor MES system in its primary beef processing plants in Belfast, Dargaville, and Hawera, Silver Fern Farms went live with Emydex in their fourth beef primal processing plant in Te Aroha, North Island. Two more plants, Finegand and Pacific, are scheduled to go live before Summer 2025, bringing the total to six primary beef plants operating Emydex. The project’s next phase will see Emydex expand into Silver Ferns’ venison plants in New Zealand.

Irish Projects and Partnerships

Closer to home in Ireland, where Emydex’s headquarters is based, Ireland’s largest primary Lamb processor, Irish Country Meats, went live in December 2024, with Emydex in their main plant in Camolin, Co. Wexford.

Company Achievements

Emydex celebrated twenty years in business in April 2024, achieving the accolade of being one of Ireland’s Best Places to Work in 2025 for the first time. This recognition has led to several former Emydex employees rejoining the company after leaving for a change of scene post-COVID.

The Emydex team of meat industry experts have also grown over the past year, with additional Meat Industry Business Analysts appointed in Ireland, Slovakia, and New Zealand.

The Emydex Quality Management System (EQMS) continued its rollout at Dawn Meats, now operating in fourteen of its plants across Ireland and the UK. Emydex customers also adopted the Emydex Quality Management System in Australia, Canada, and the USA.

Looking Ahead to 2025

Looking ahead, 2025 promises to be a busy year for Emydex. Eight new factory installations are scheduled to go live in Ireland, the USA, Australia, and New Zealand in the first half of the year.

If you want to learn more – contact Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, or North America offices

Meet our Meat Industry Experts

26th February 2025

Meet Our Team of Meat Industry Experts

Key to our success in Emydex is having a strong team of meat industry experts and business analysts who truly understand the workings of the meat industry at a deep level.

To achieve this level of Industry domain knowledge and expertise, Emydex business analysts must have spent many years working first in the meat industry, on the other side of the table, whether directly on the factory floor or in back-office functions serving factory floor production teams.

Emydex are proud to have announced over the past year, a number of key appointments that strengthen and bolster our international team of meat industry experts, a team led by Shane Hayes.

Shane Hayes – Product Manager
(Ireland & Australia)

Shane Hayes has led Emydex’s team of business analysts since first joining Emydex seven years ago. Originally from South Australia, Shane’s career has spanned both IT and meat processing operations, giving him the hybrid skills required to bridge the gap between IT technical solutions and factory floor business processes. During his seven years working in the JBS lamb plant in Bordertown, South Australia, Shane started out in the role as site IT Manager.

He later moved into another back-office role that was Factory Production planning and scheduling, before making the move to the factory floor as a Boning Hall foreman.

Before joining Emydex in 2018, Shane spent six months working as a production hall supervisor with Irish Country Meats, Ireland’s leading lamb processor, in their main plant in Camolin in Ireland, a plant that (independent of Shane) went live with its first Emydex MES systems for appointments, lairage and kill line last year (2024).

Ladislav Ondrejicka
(Ireland & Slovakia)

Latso’s journey in the meat industry started on the factory processing floors in the Dunbia Group in the UK, where he spent almost a decade working his way up from being a boning hall meat trimmer to an IT Project Manager. His experience managing large-scale processing projects has given him a deep understanding of factory operations and the challenges processors face daily.

His knowledge of the workings of the meat industry, ran in parallel to his knowledge of Emydex, as for his tenure with Dunbia, Latso was instrumental in supporting the roll-out of Emydex to Dunbia’s ten plants in the UK.

With hands-on experience in production and management, Ladislav is expertly equipped to support our customers in streamlining operations. At Emydex, he plays a key role in ensuring our technology delivers real-world benefits to the industry.

Jayne McMillan (New Zealand)

With almost 30 years working at Alliance Group Ltd, in various roles including Laboratory manager, MES Project manager, as well as an ERP consultant, Jayne has built an impressive career in the meat industry, gaining expertise across operations, quality control and business management.

In addition to her corporate experience, she also owns and operates her own butchery business in South Island, New Zealand, giving her firsthand insight into both large-scale processing and retail butchery. Jayne is a qualified trade butcher and her hobbies include Trapshooting, Hunting and Farming.

Robert Tobin (Ireland)

Robert has a long-standing relationship with Emydex, having worked with Emydex systems in Slaney Meats for eight years. He brings with him over 24 years of experience as the IT Manager at ABP Slaney, where he also managed his own IT consulting company for over 15 years. During this time, he developed software and traceability systems for the food and transport industries.

At Slaney Meats, Robert successfully project managed the installation of an Emydex kill line for the factory and served as our primary point of contact for many years, making him well-versed in Emydex systems. Today, Robert continues to bring his wealth of experience to Emydex customers, helping them implement best-in-class solutions.

With over 80 years of combined experience working in Meat plants, Emydex are proud to have this strength and depth in our Business Analysis team, sharing their vast domain knowledge and industry expertise to ensure we continue delivering solutions that meet the needs of the meat industry.