Press release
MAF RODA AGROBOTIC, a global leader in the development and manufacturing of fruit and vegetable sorting, handling, grading, and packing equipment, has announced a new strategic partnership with local South African engineering company MAINTECH.
The collaboration formalises a new joint venture entity, MAFTECH, establishing a state-of-the-art factory in Paarl, Western Cape, dedicated to the local production and assembly of peripherical equipment for packhouses for the Southern African fruit packing industry.
The investment aims to significantly increase MAF RODA’s local offering and presence in the high-value South African market. South Africa is an agricultural export powerhouse, driving a national fruit industry that produces over 4.7 million tonnes of fruit annually.
With South African’s fruit and vegetables market estimated at R 145 billion in 2025 and projected to grow to R190 billion in 2030, the establishment of MAFTECH addresses a critical need for locally manufactured packing equipment.
The partnership enlarges and leverages MAINTECH’s current established engineering expertise in the region. MAFTECH will operate with a controlling 60% share held by MAF RODA AGROBOTIC, and the remaining 40% equity held by the local owners.
“MAFTECH provides a tremendous growth opportunity for us, moving a small local business into a much larger, global family. By combining MAF RODA’s technology with our local manufacturing capabilities, we are not only completing projects faster and competing with other local cost-efficient producers, but we are also gaining the capacity to export high-quality, locally assembled machines to neighbouring countries, including Mozambique, Botswana, and Namibia,” says Riaan Coetzee, co-owner of MAFTECH.
MAINTECH have been in operation for close on 16 years and have been manufacturing quality equipment across the whole of South Africa.
Above: Left to right – Olivier Jaubert, Operations Manager MAF RODA RSA, Fabrice Blanc, Director of MAF RODA RSA, co-owner and Director of MAFTECH, Riaan Coetzee, co-owner and Director of MAFTECH, and Chris Norval, co-owner and Technical Manager of MAFTECH.
MAFTECH’s core mission is to enhance service delivery and efficiency solutions for fruit producers. By manufacturing and assembling a complete line locally in a newly acquired, larger facility in Paarl, the entity will offer significant advantages while its local presence makes it able to easily and quickly respond to local needs and market requirements.
With the production happening locally, it means the cost of the product is tied to local economic factors and costs and better aligned to local conditions, giving customers a competitive advantage.
It also means that:
- Production and assembly timelines are shortened because of the larger manufacturing area, eliminating high international transport costs and delays associated with imported bulky components.
- Spare parts can easily be designed and manufactured locally, which makes rapid after-sales service even faster and more convenient.
- Manufacturing personnel and technicians can also rapidly respond to any local needs.
MAFTECH and MAF RODA will operate as suppliers of a range of products as well as a full turnkey solution, simplifying contracting and providing customers with a unified point of accountability for after-sales support.
While MAF RODA’s European engineers will continue to supply the advanced robotics and high-tech core grading machines, MAFTECH will focus on localising the production of peripheral components and conducting final assembly of the entire treatment and packing line. This model ensures the transfer and development of specialised technical skills within the local workforce. The South African industry will benefit through local labour and expertise being exposed to global excellence and best practice.
The establishment of MAFTECH is strategically positioned to support the growth of MAF RODA RSA, a branch of MAF RODA AGROBOTIC in the South African market.
“Our decision to formalise this partnership into MAFTECH was driven by the demonstrated quality of work and our shared vision for the local market. We see this partnership as an example of the utmost respect we have to the South African market,” said Fabrice Blanc, Director of MAF RODA RSA, co-owner and Director of MAFTECH.
“The market has expressed a clear interest in more accessible automated packing processes, especially considering that the level of automation in South Africa is currently low compared to other major fruit-producing countries. This new investment, marked by the acquisition of a larger production workshop in Paarl, underscores our long-term commitment to South African agriculture. We are the first international company to have officially invested in manufacturing packhouse equipment in South Africa.”
For MAFTECH, the joint venture provides access to a solid, consistent stream of work and the exposure to larger international markets previously out of reach by potentially providing South African produce to the international market.
The newly formed entity anticipates a 12-month timeline for completion and operationalisation of all expanded facilities, promising immediate benefits to the Southern African fruit and vegetable sectors.
