A major lamb exporter has acquired a European company that is a leader in wool exports.

MEAT processing company Estancias de Patagonia SA announced the acquisition of Industria Fuhrmann SAU, based in Trelew, Chubut Province, a leading exporter of pure wool. Founded in Germany, the company was previously controlled by the Italian Schneider Group. With this acquisition, Estancias de Patagonia SA, headquartered in Rio Gallegos, expands its influence in the national wool market by integrating one of the most historically significant and important companies in the commercialization and processing of wool. The transaction amount was not disclosed.

Estancias de Patagonia SA is a registered trademark synonymous with the quality and excellence of Patagonian lamb. The company processes 8,000 tons of meat annually, including lamb, beef , and guanaco , at its two meat processing plants, Estancias de Patagonia and Faimali SA, which together comprise 66 partner producers. This prosperity is the result of an alliance that was only a dream 26 years ago.

In recent years, the meat processing plant has established itself as a key and dominant player in the Argentine lamb industry, accounting for 60% of the country's lamb exports.

"The acquisition of Industria Fuhrmann SAU is consistent with Estancias de Patagonia's strategic vision to diversify and expand its product range. Integrating wool marketing and processing into its operations will not only strengthen the company's position in the sheep farming market but also open up new business and EXPORT opportunities," states a press release from Estancias de Patagonia SA.

The new CEO and president of Fuhrmann SAU is agricultural engineer Federico Rodríguez Zan. He was just 24 years old when Estancias de Patagonia was founded in 1999, and was one of the youngest participants in those heated meetings where producers from the southern part of Santa Cruz, in the midst of the crisis of the late 1990s, dared to transition from production to sales. The company has been reborn, becoming the country's largest sheep meat processor, and has now taken another step, adding the marketing and export of sheep wool to its business chain.

Industria Fuhrmann SAU, in turn, boasts a century-long history, founded in 1735 in Bremen, Germany . After more than two centuries of operation in the global textile industry, it relocated to Argentina with the Italian Schneider Group, becoming one of the three largest wool trading and processing companies in the country.

According to the latest report from the Argentine Wool Federation, Fuhrmann is the leading pure wool exporter for the 2025-2026 season, with a 22.89% market share. From July to November of this season, the company has already exported 1,946 tons of pure wool to countries in Europe, Central and South America, Africa, CHINA , and Japan.

According to annual figures, the plant processes 6,000 tons of raw material purchased from producers throughout Patagonia, which, after processing at the plant, is transformed into various export products such as combed wool, blouses, washed wool, as well as by-products such as lint, blouses, burrs, and wool fat used in the cosmetics industry.

Fuhrmann distinguished itself through its focus on quality and sustainability, which led to high praise for its products in both local and international markets. The strategic location of its Trelew plant played a crucial role, providing access to the best wool producers in southern Argentina and facilitating export routes.

The acquisition of Fuhrmann SAU by Estancias de Patagonia, whose board of directors has been chaired by Álvaro Sánchez Noya since 2009, is in line with its strategic vision of diversifying and expanding its product range.

"The merger of these two companies represents a unique synergy with the potential to transform the sheep farming landscape in Argentina. Estancias de Patagonia's expertise in lamb production and export, combined with Fuhrmann's heritage and reputation in wool marketing, will position the new company to occupy a key position in international trade," the press release stated.

They believed that, given the growing global interest in eco-friendly and responsible products, the ability of both companies to offer high-quality, ethically sourced products would be crucial. "This will not only benefit consumers but also incentivize local producers by strengthening the supply chain," Estancias de Patagonia concluded.