Shawn Padman's reply

Dear Editor

We appreciate the opportunity to respond to the recent editorial and letter regarding Padman Stops and its associated businesses. At Padman Stops, we highly value the feedback from our customers and the broader community, and we’d like to take this chance to clarify some points to avoid any misunderstandings. 
 
We understand there may also be some confusion regarding the relationship between Padman Stops and Padman Automation. While John Padman and I are shareholders in Padman Automation, it’s important to note that Padman Stops and Padman Automation are two separate entities. Padman Stops does not handle the day-to-day operations of Padman Automation, with the majority share owned and operated by the Envirada Group. 
 
Two years ago we sought a strategic partner who would have the technical knowledge and experience to be able to support our products into the future and continue to look after our customers from the automation division within the Padman Group, this was to allow us to focus on what we do best, and where our expertise lies – being Australian manufacturing of innovative precast concrete structures for the surface irrigation industry. 
 
We are deeply sorry to hear that some of our valued customers feel they are not receiving the service or communication they have come to know and trust from either companies. We understand that communication is key, and we want to reassure our customers that we are committed to maintaining the highest levels of service. 

We are actively working with the management team at Padman Automation to resolve any issues and ensure that all customer concerns are addressed swiftly. In the meantime, if you are experiencing difficulty with any Padman Automation products, services or accounts please don’t hesitate to reach out to Padman Stops at 1800 254 594. Our team is ready to act as a conduit between you and Padman Automation to help resolve any problems as quickly as possible.  
 
Regarding the concern about automation timers, we’d like to clarify that the EDT basic timer was discontinued after 25 years or service and superseded with the AutoWinch Basic, which operates purely on a timer-based functionality, The AW Basic was actually build from many years of famers feedback on what they didn't like with the long standing EDT (Orange one), like using real time, stronger for bigger outlets, smaller intervals than 10 mins, more portable etc. It does not have an ongoing subscription or need our app. It’s specifically designed for irrigators who prefer a simple, portable, and standalone solution without the complexities or costs of the connectivity reliant automation options and ongoing service fees. This product remains a reliable option for those looking to avoid internet-reliant systems while maintaining the ease of use, the portability has improved immensely so farmers can automate their irrigation without jumping into a huge capital long term investment by using the trusty old leapfrog method from outlet to outlet.  
 
Padman Automation provide an extensive range of fully and semi-automated products, some of which do incur an ongoing subscription fee of between $130 - $270 per device per year (not the $600 mentioned in this article). This subscription fee covers access to the Padman mobile and web app, remote monitoring, and scheduling, of sensors and control devices, managed connectivity, free phone support during business hours, on- farm setup and training, historical irrigation events information and secure data storage of your valuable data. This is of great benefit to those farmers that desire that level of control and monitoring. 

Understanding that not everyone needs that service, Padman Automation have the previously mentioned product, the AutoWinch Basic, that is solely one upfront device cost, and no ongoing costs, apart from servicing and repair if/when needed.  
 
I'd like to add that we are conformable in our actions and that we have tirelessly dedicated over 35 years of research, development, industry leadership, countless trial and error models to provide an affordable product that fits into Australian farmers price expectations. 
 
We highly appreciate your continued trust in our products and services, and we look forward to continuing to provide innovative solutions to meet the diverse needs of our customers. 
 
Sincerely,   
Shawn Padman 
Padman Water Solutions Pty Ltd.