In the early 1980s McHale Engineering was founded by brothers Padraic and Martin McHale. The reason for forming this firm was that the brothers saw a need for machinery to cut silage in the West of Ireland. At the time machines, which were being imported, found it hard to deal with the grass type in the area. As a result, the brothers decided to design a machine, which would do a better job. The firm's range of machinery would be better equipped and sturdier for the rugged Irish conditions. The first product was a Silomac Blockcutter. A range of slurry pumping equipment followed this.