Manuel González General Manager SIENZ: agro-industrial innovation, operational leadership and post-harvest technology (Agribusiness – Uruguay) – Episode 16 – Keru Podcast
Leading with innovation in global agribusiness: Manuel González's vision
Manuel González is General Manager of SIENZ, a global post-harvest solutions company specialized in technology for fresh fruit packing. From Uruguay, he led the company's expansion in Latin America and Europe, integrating Compac Tomra technology and managing more than 130 million dollars in projects in 9 countries.
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In this episode, we talk about regional leadership, industrial business development, and how to bring advanced technological solutions to agricultural sectors seeking efficiency, traceability and added value.
- 📦 How to lead expansion processes in agro-industrial markets
- 🤖 Post-harvest automation as a competitive advantage for exporters
- 🌎 Selling agricultural technology in rural and multicultural environments
- 🔁 From ALUR to SIENZ: from biofuel to premium fruit
- 💡 Innovating isn't digitizing: it's solving with concrete impact
A conversation for those who believe in agribusiness as a platform for innovation, efficiency and commercial sophistication.
Manuel Gonzalez, Sienz Latam · Uruguay
Manuel González was General Manager for Latin America at Sienz, leading the company's regional expansion after its spin-off from Compac, a firm of New Zealand origin. With more than 10 years of experience running companies in the agro-industrial and technology sectors in Latin America, he built a career focused on productivity, automation and comprehensive solutions for fresh fruit packing.
To grow in agribusiness, you have to understand the field and talk to the CEO.
He is a Chemical Engineer from Universidad de la República and holds an MBA from Universidad Católica del Uruguay, as well as executive training in Finance and Accounting from Stanford University. He has worked in technically demanding environments, leading multinational teams and projects worth more than 130 million dollars in 9 countries.
Selling technology starts in the packing house and ends with the consumer.
During his tenure at Sienz, he directed operations in six countries, with full responsibility for strategy, budget, operations, regional offices, a manufacturing plant and a team of more than 100 people. He introduced new machine vision, automation and software integration technologies into turnkey solutions for the fruit and vegetable industry, significantly increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Previously, he was General Manager at ALUR (Alcoholes del Uruguay), a company dedicated to biofuels, electric power, sugar production, animal feed and glycerol. Under his leadership, ALUR ranked first in animal feed and sugar production in Uruguay, and established itself as the country's second-largest producer of renewable energy. He managed more than 40,000 hectares of agricultural production, 5 industrial plants and a team of 900 people, with revenue of over 250 million dollars.
It's not just about selling machines, it's about understanding living processes.
He also led construction projects for biodiesel plants, managed agricultural business units and worked as a consultant in logistics, operations and quality at SUMMA Consulta and Equipos Consultores. At Somil S.A. he was responsible for production and operations, manufacturing auto parts for brands such as Mercedes-Benz, Renault, PSA and General Motors.
Innovating is solving: if it doesn't solve anything, it isn't innovation.
Manuel has been recognized for his technical and strategic leadership, earning awards such as first place in the national “Aerogenerador Nacional” competition and finalist in the Sienz/Digital Sense Innovation Award 2024. He is also the author of publications on the integrated production of biofuels, food and cogeneration.
Post-harvest is the forgotten link… and the most profitable one.
He is fluent in Spanish, English, French and Portuguese, which has facilitated his work in international contexts. His profile combines P&L management skills, technical-operational leadership, technological innovation and a vision of sustainable impact in key industries for the Latin American economy.
General Manager · Sienz Latam
Episode 16 · Keru Podcast
