Brazilian agribusiness expects to close 2019 with a Gross Production Value (VBP) of R$601,9 billion, reported the Ministry of Agriculture. This will be the second highest mark ever recorded by the country, being 1,5% higher than the 2018 VBP. The sector that is currently responsible for 21% of Brazilian GDP goes against the grain of many segments that this year point to retraction. One of the foundations of this advancement in the field has been technological innovations and management software. Companies like GAtec, one of the largest in the AgTech sector specializing in the development of tools for agro-industrial management, are not messing around in this market. Headquartered in Piracicaba, in the interior of São Paulo, a city that is considered the “Silicon Valley” of technology for agribusiness, the company has dedicated itself and mainly invested in technological innovations in recent years.
According to the commercial director, Leandro Sarto, the company over the last five years has prepared itself for changes and new trends in the market. To this end, it invested in a new headquarters, with larger, more modern facilities that made it possible to increase the team and improve the development of new technologies.
With the new structure ready and inaugurated in mid-July this year, the company plans to see an average growth of 2020% per year from 20 onwards. Even with all the investment and dedication in the new SimpleFarm platform, growth remained at 10% per year “In 2019 we project a jump to 15% and we believe that with the new strategies and solutions under development, from 2020 onwards, we will double sales compared to previous years, driven mainly by the complete release of the SimpleFarm platform”, adds Sarto.
By 2023, the company's projections indicate that total revenue in the period should reach R$120 million. “Our strategy adopted so far will be our great turning point. While the market was only focused on selling solutions, GAtec was structuring, innovating and preparing for a big leap forward”, says the director.
Its operations include several agribusiness crops, such as: sugar cane, multi-crops that include grains, cotton, coffee, citrus and livestock, in addition to trading and other businesses.
Multi-crops represent 45% of the company's revenue, followed by 10% from trading and other businesses. The sugarcane sector is responsible for the other 45% of gains.
Currently, GAtec's management software is present in the largest groups of plants and multicultures in the country. The client portfolio includes large companies in the sugar-energy sector such as Grupo BP, Grupo AdecoAgro, Grupo Ipiranga, Usina São Manoel, Grupo Zilor and Jalles Machado , between others. “Today, more than 50% of all plants in the country use our technology”, highlights Sarto.
In multicultures, GAtec technology is also present in large companies, notably SLC Agrícola, Grupo Scheffer and Terra Santa. Recently, the Agrinvest-Sierentz Group, Agroterenas, Grupo Branco Peres, COFCO and Timbro Trading also joined the company's client portfolio.
GAtec's consolidation strategy in the agribusiness software market is not limited to growth in Brazil. The company also has structured international expansion on its radar. It currently has clients on three continents (European, American and African).
According to the commercial director, to this day, external sales have occurred organically. In other words, many consultants from abroad who came to Brazil, knew the technology and took it to their countries of origin. But, that will start to change. With the new tools that the company is incorporating, a new marketing strategy will be adopted.
The idea is to place channels outside the country to represent GAtec's solutions. “We believe in significant growth in the coming years in our foreign sales. With the incorporation of new technologies we will increase our supply capacity. Soon, we will expand to other countries in Latin America”, says Sarto.
According to the technology director, Gilberto Miniquiél, despite the growth strategy, GAtec has not strayed from its roots and maintains investments in R&D (research and development), which has been present in its DNA since its foundation. The company also intends to improve the main business intelligence solutions currently offered, through the new SimpleFarm platform, 100% Web management software that can be used locally (on premise) or in the cloud (cloud), helping the customer to control all their agro-industrial operations in a simple and intuitive way. With this new platform, it is possible to monitor crops in a simplified way by integrating maps, indicators, dashboard and all agro-industrial processes.
New products were created as a result of innovation processes, such as the Management Data Analysis Tool (SimpleViewer), Integration Technology with other systems and applications via Web Service, Agroindustrial Warehouse Management (Mayan), Integrated Management Through Maps (Mapfy), among others. Innovation was used as one of the main strategies for growth, making investments in Artificial Intelligence (Machine Learning) for new solutions that will be available to its customers in 2020, such as the Intelligent Platform for Sustainable Pest Monitoring (Shield), Routing for Logistics Inbound. “We will also continue to offer complete solutions integrated with maps, for visual, interactive management and dynamic notes, with the main focus on optimizing production processes, helping agribusiness owners to increase the profitability of their business, through our solutions. In addition to all this, our focus is to continue this constant evolution of our development platform, keeping it robust and innovative”, says Miniquiél.
In addition to the development and integration of management systems for agribusiness and a multidisciplinary team with more than 35 years of experience in technology and agro-industrial consultancy, GAtec also offers consultancy and training to the market. The company has on its radar the search for new partnerships with large players market technology and the greater use of solutions in Cloud Computing for offers in the format SaaS. “Our focus will always be on offering the most modern solutions and technologies to customers, our tools are prepared for use in agriculture and industry 4.0”, concludes Miniquiél.
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