Located across Australia, each Tech Services team member has been selected for their excellent technical knowledge, ability to interpret scientific data, intrinsic commercial understanding, and outstanding communication and presentation skills. Many are regarded as industry leaders in their field of expertise.
The Tech Services team has a number of objectives.
Primarily, Syngenta wants to enable advisors and consultants to become more familiar with Syngenta’s crop protection products and to gain confidence in making recommendations.
The team also introduces and familiarises users with research compounds prior to release, demonstrating how Syngenta’s key products compare to industry standards in the field, evaluating novel use patterns, programs and application techniques and ensuring the delivery of scientifically sound technical material.
By appropriating global technical information for our team in Australia, we ensure growers and consultants have access to the best research in the world, along with the knowledge that it has been interpreted with local field experience in mind.
The extensive field experience of the team and close interaction with advisors and consultants helps Syngenta to identify new product development opportunities and continued innovation.
A further service of the team is to provide in field support for product performance enquiries so that resolutions are fast and efficient. Managing these technical enquiries doesn’t end as soon as the problem is solved. The Tech Services team then look for ways that Syngenta can share new knowledge to help producers get the most from their crop protection investment.
Some of the activities undertaken by the Tech Services team include:
Tailored product training
With such a wealth of knowledge, the Tech Services team develops and facilitates a broad range of tailored product training on specialty areas such as horticulture, broadacre, non-selective herbicides, application technology, sugar cane, seed treatment, plant pathology and resistance management.
Training sessions are targeted at agronomists, independent advisors and farmers who gain a better understanding of Syngenta’s products and how they fit into the farming system. Advisors are also able to gain a better understanding of industry wide issues like application technology and resistance management.
Syngenta Learning Centres
Growers, agronomists, consultants, distributors and staff can gain hands on experience of in field trials at the various Syngenta Learning Centres (SLCs) around the country. The SLCs demonstrate Syngenta’s key products compared to industry standards and also provide comparison between different application methods and crop varieties, all at one site.
A highlight of the NSW and Victorian SLCs in 2008 was the comparison between different canola varieties, including the new Roundup Ready* varieties. Screening trials for pipeline products are also conducted at the Centres, providing an opportunity to test new products under real conditions. The Tech Services team provides SLC tours, open days and regular email updates.
Commercial Demonstrations
The Tech Services team believes that the best way to share product knowledge, particularly when introducing new products, is to conduct large scale commercial demonstrations. Over the last five years, Syngenta has conducted more than 500 commercial demonstrations across Australia. Already more than 120 commercial demonstrations have been conducted on BOXER® GOLD!
Sites are selected based on the target pest and crop as well as how well they can potentially demonstrate the benefit of the product.