SF Engineering: from local roots to global reach
Thanks to its long-established expertise in food production line and equipment solutions, SF Engineering delivers world-class full turnkey solutions to customers across the globe. Highly regarded for its skilled craftsmanship, attention to detail and innovative products, the company has grown from a local manufacturer to an international innovator.
Offering a range of robust automated solutions, the business develops bespoke food line systems for a wide array of customers. Its solutions serve the meat,
poultry, fish, dairy, ready meal, salad, bakery, pet food, confectionery, and snack sectors. Its offerings include bespoke processing and packaging solutions, fully automated conveyor systems, crate handling, portion cutter solutions and fat analysis solutions, all designed to improve operational efficiency, product yield, and hygiene standards.
What sets SF Engineering’s solutions apart is their ability to deliver optimal throughput – customers come to the business seeking higher product yield, more efficient handling, improved hygiene, and increased accuracy. Additionally, with fully automated solutions, customers reduce their dependence on manual labor. The SF team works closely with clients to understand their business needs. This ensures SF solutions maintains product quality and delivers the best return on investment.
Background
Founded in 1981 in Grange, County Sligo, Ireland, SF Engineering began as a local enterprise focused on providing engineering solutions to local companies. Its early success was built on a commitment to precision engineering, customer-centric design, and functional innovation. These values continue to be the bedrock of SF today.
The company soon diversified, moving into fishing supplies and steel handling tools. These tools were cutting-edge for their time. Reducing processing labor costs, they became the precursor to SF Engineering’s technological focus. Eventually SF branched out into the meat and poultry industry, gaining key partnerships and expanding its manufacturing footprint with specialist machinery. The business has continuously cemented its position as an industry forerunner.
By the early 2010s, SF had doubled its manufacturing capacity in Ireland and begun to formalize its global ambitions, particularly in the poultry sector. Strategic partnerships with companies like Ishida and Ceia helped SF expand its product portfolio.
Between 2012 and 2014, SF Engineering acquired a UK based company, Opal Food Processing Systems and moved into a new facility in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, UK, tripling its manufacturing capacity. This period saw the company secure major contracts, including one with the largest poultry factory in the Middle East, and sign distribution agreements with Eagle and Marelec, enhancing its capabilities in fat analysis and portioning solutions.
By 2020, SF had expanded into a second fabrication hall in Sligo and grown its workforce to over 120 employees across two sites. The company’s solutions now span red meat, poultry, fish, dairy, ready meals, bakery, snacks, and more, with installations in over 63 countries.
Today, SF Engineering operates from two sites in the UK and Ireland with a strategically located office in Eastern Europe. It is a private equity-backed company with investment received in 2021 from UK based Alcuin Capital Partners.
Current operations and strategic focus
Ian Cullinane was appointed as Managing Director in 2024 and under his leadership, SF Engineering will build on its strong legacy within the food sector with ambitious plans to expand manufacturing capacity, continue to develop innovative and cutting-edge solutions and ensuring its customers receive a partnership that extends beyond installation.
From its modest beginnings in rural Ireland to its status as a global provider of food processing solutions, SF Engineering exemplifies the power of strategic partnerships, technical innovation, and customer-focused growth. With a strong foundation and a clear vision, SF is well-positioned to continue its expansion across Europe and beyond.