Michael Eamon Herbst
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Michael Eamon Herbst | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1941, January 31 (age 83) Berlin, Germany |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Diversified involvement in agriculture, animal export, grain trading, and technology sectors in Ireland |
| Notable work | Innovation in peat and energy technology |
Michael Eamon Herbst (born on January 31, 1941, in Berlin, Germany) is an Irish businessman known for his involvement in the agriculture, animal export, grain trading, and technology sectors in Ireland.[citation needed] Involved in the sale of turf cutting machines in the 1980s,[1] as of 2024, he was chairman of the Herbst Group, which included the Herbst Software company.[2][3]
Early life and education[edit]
Born to Julia Kearney from Mullingar, County Meath, Ireland and Walter Herbst, a German, Michael Herbst's early life was influenced by the agricultural practices of his family's farm in Wicklow, Ireland.[citation needed]
Career[edit]
Farming and animal export[edit]
Herbst started his career with sheep farming but soon shifted to raising Aberdeen Angus cattle and grain cultivation. He introduced new feeding practices for cattle and built modern sheds for them for better livestock management. His business expanded into exporting livestock to Europe,[4][failed verification] especially after Germany's reunification, exporting thousands of cattle to East Germany.
In 1963, the Herbst family bought a 70 acre tillage & beef farm in Kilpoole.[5] This became his family home in 1967 where he has lived ever since. The farm was expanded to a 360 acre-farm in Kilpoole Ballyguile & Blainroe, which he developed into an agricultural and industrial site. This includes the 27 acre folio 6223 which from the early 1970s has been developed and used as both an agricultural and industrial hub.[6][failed verification] By 1978, Herbst's farm at Kilcoole reportedly spanned approximately 550 acres.[7]
The yard was upgraded to allow assembly and testing of animals before shipping from Wicklow port to Europe. Herbst also operated a testing facility in Wicklow Port for final checks by the Department of Agriculture. In those days, each shipment of animals was herded on foot from Kilpoole to Wicklow Port.[8][failed verification]
Grain trading[edit]
Herbst established the first major grain storage facility in Wicklow.[citation needed] He expanded his grain business by acquiring additional facilities and introducing innovative storage solutions, significantly improving the efficiency of grain handling and storage.[citation needed]
Herbst Group[edit]
The Herbst Group,[9] established from 1963 to 2021, included:[citation needed]
- Agricultural and Industrial Operations: Starting with a 70-acre farm, the family expanded to 360 acres, developing it into a significant[tone] agricultural and industrial site.[citation needed]
- Polo Wicklow: This is Ireland's only all-year polo club founded in 1995. The club offers various equestrian services and events.[tone]
- Expansion into Agri-Business: From the 1970s as his grain merchant business grew, providing comprehensive[tone] services for grain storage and distribution.[citation needed]
PrecisionVet.com[edit]
In partnership with a veterinary and sport equipment supplier in Sialkot, Pakistan, Herbst established a distribution centre in Kilpoole for equestrian medical and dentistry products, marketed under "PrecisionVet.com". [10][failed verification] The range later expanded to include leather goods such as sport balls and motorcycling clothes.[citation needed]
Herbst Computer Systems[edit]
An early adopter of personal computers in Ireland,[citation needed] Herbst formed a partnership with a Hong Kong-based PC assembly company to import PCs into Ireland for resale.[citation needed] This venture laid the groundwork for Herbst Software,[11] a company specializing in business management software, now led by Michael Herbst's son, Orson Herbst, with offices in Dublin, Cork, and the head office at Kilpoole Hill.[citation needed]
Herbst Peat and Energy Ltd[edit]
In the 1980s, the increase in oil prices led to an interest in Ireland's boglands for energy independence. Herbst Peat & Energy,[12] together with Ballintubber Enterprises,[13][failed verification] led this initiative by developing and marketing the Herbst Difco Turfcutter,[14] a machine designed for operation by small plot holders with a single tractor. These machines were distributed from Kilpoole Hill and reached markets in the USA, Canada, Indonesia, and Africa, where they continue to be used.[citation needed]
Advancements in peat and energy technologies[edit]
Herbst Peat & Energy acquired boglands[15][failed verification] in Mayo and Scotland to improve their inventions and extend their product range to include gasification technology. This led to the creation of a turf-powered truck, which completed a round Ireland journey starting from Kilpoole Hill. The gasifiers were produced in Kilpoole Hill.[citation needed]
Transition[edit]
As the demand for peat as an energy source declined, the business scaled down, leading to the shutdown or sale of parts of the company. The boglands in Scotland and Mayo have been converted into nature reserves. The company now focuses on providing spare parts to customers.[citation needed]
Continued impact and global reach[edit]
Since 1980, Herbst Peat & Energy has developed and sold peat production machinery and systems globally. The technology has been implemented in the U.S.A., Canada, Burundi, the Falkland Islands, and European peat producing countries.[16][failed verification]
Michael Herbst has lectured on peat harvesting[17][failed verification] and energy production internationally.[18][failed verification] He invented cost efficient "Milk Man System" and the "One Man Peat Production" system.[citation needed]
Consultancy and product innovation[edit]
The Herbst Group offers consultancy to the peat industry worldwide.[citation needed] Their products include:
- Herbst Turbo Peat Cutter: Known[tone] for its practicality in producing peat from boglands worldwide.[citation needed]
- Herbst PST Conveyor: Introduces a new concept[tone] for drive stations by gripping and pulling the slack belt, reducing strain on bearings and rollers.[citation needed]
- Herbst Gasmiser: Employs technology for converting solid fuel to energy, based on a combustion process that releases energy from solid fuels.[citation needed]
Personal life[edit]
Herbst is married to Wendy, and they have five children. He has been involved in several community and professional groups, including the Royal Dublin Society and Wicklow Chamber of Commerce.[citation needed] He is also a founding member and the first president of the Wicklow Chapter of Rotary International.[citation needed]
References[edit]
- ^ "RTÉ Archives - Cutting Turf Sausages 1981". rte.ie. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
- ^ "National Broadband Plan says passes 75,000 connections nationwide". rte.ie. 22 April 2024.
- ^ "National Broadband Plan passes 75,000 connections nationwide". techcentral.ie. 22 April 2024.
- ^ Export cattle to Germany 1998, 10 April 2019, retrieved 2024-03-08 – via youtube.com
- ^ "Variety is spice of life for gentleman farmer". Independent.ie. Wicklow People. 2009-04-08. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
- ^ Herbst Group Kilpoole Hill Farm and wicklow town 1980, 28 February 2016, retrieved 2024-03-08 – via youtube.com
- ^ "Herst v Melvin - Case Law - VLEX 793544833". ie.vlex.com. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
- ^ "Wicklow Port | Wicklow.ie". www.wicklow.ie. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
- ^ "Herbst Group". 2017-04-13. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
- ^ "Precision Technologies".
- ^ https://www.herbstsoftware.com/
- ^ "Peat & Energy | Herbst Group". 3 July 2017.
- ^ "Ballintubber Enterprises Limited - Irish Company Info - SoloCheck".
- ^ "Herbst Turbo Peat Cutter | Herbst Group". 2017-07-03. Retrieved 2024-04-07.
- ^ Revolution on the Boglands - Michael Herbst - Turf Cutter - Herbst Difco, 23 April 2011, retrieved 2024-03-08 – via YouTube.com
- ^ "Peatland in Europe".
- ^ "1984 Peat Conference - Some Reflections on the International Peat Congress in Dublin - Roy H W Johnston". Archived from the original on 8 April 2024.
The principal equipment supplier is Herbst of Wicklow, an Irish firm with German links [..] Herbst is tending towards medium to large scale mechanisation; he had a prototype on display at the exhibition, as yet untested [..] The trend with the new generation of small and medium equipment, as developed by Herbst, is towards being light-weight enough to move in after one or two years
- ^ https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/366761468740425257/pdf/Fuel-peat-in-developing-countries.pdf