Netafim
Israeli pioneer and global provider of drip and precision irrigation technologies.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Netafim is an Israeli irrigation-technology company that develops equipment and digital services for applying water, nutrients and crop-management inputs with greater precision. Its roots lie in Kibbutz Hatzerim in the Negev, where water engineer and inventor Simcha Blass worked with the kibbutz to commercialize a practical drip-irrigation device. Netafim was established in 1965 and introduced what it describes as the world’s first commercial drip emitter in 1966. The technology was designed to deliver small, controlled quantities of water close to plant roots, allowing agriculture to operate in dry environments while reducing losses from evaporation, runoff and overwatering. The company’s business has expanded well beyond individual emitters. Its portfolio includes drippers, dripperlines, sprinklers, micro-emitters, irrigation pipes, filtration and fertigation equipment, automated control systems, sensors, monitoring platforms and crop-management software. Netafim also provides managed-irrigation programs, agronomic advice, system operation and maintenance, and turnkey greenhouse and protected-cultivation projects. These offerings serve field crops, orchards, vineyards, greenhouse operators, landscaping projects and selected industrial or mining applications. Netafim’s principal technological distinction has been the development of irrigation products that maintain more consistent application under different pressures and field conditions. The company introduced a pressure-compensated dripper in 1978 and later developed low-flow and low-pressure systems intended for farms with limited water pressure or electrical infrastructure. Its precision-agriculture proposition combines physical irrigation infrastructure with measurement, automation and recommendations intended to improve crop productivity, water efficiency and input management. The enterprise developed from an Israeli kibbutz-based operation into an international manufacturing and sales network. It opened its first subsidiary outside Israel in the United States in 1981. The three kibbutz-related businesses associated with Hatzerim, Magal and Yiftach were consolidated into a single corporation in 1998. Ownership subsequently passed through private-equity investment and a 2011 Permira-led transaction before Mexichem, now known as Orbia, acquired an 80 percent stake in 2017. Kibbutz Hatzerim retained the remaining 20 percent. Netafim operates within Orbia’s Precision Agriculture business group. Its corporate profile describes operations in approximately 110 countries, 33 subsidiaries, 19 manufacturing plants and two recycling facilities, with a global workforce of roughly 4,500. The company has participated in large-scale irrigation and agricultural-development projects in countries including India, Ethiopia and Rwanda. Its sustainability positioning centers on water conservation, improved agricultural resilience and the potential environmental benefits of more precise irrigation. Netafim has been associated with the UN CEO Water Mandate and UN Global Compact and received the 2013 Stockholm Industry Water Award. In the mid-2020s, Netafim continued to broaden its precision-agriculture capabilities through greenhouse projects and data-oriented partnerships. In 2020 it acquired Dutch turnkey greenhouse-project provider Gakon, creating Gakon Netafim. In 2024 it announced a strategic partnership with Phytech to connect plant-based monitoring with irrigation recommendations. Netafim remains an active global irrigation brand, although reports in early 2026 described incomplete discussions about a possible change in control. Those reports did not establish that a transaction had closed.
History
Netafim emerged from agricultural experimentation at Kibbutz Hatzerim in Israel’s Negev region. Water engineer Simcha Blass investigated ways to distribute water more evenly to plants and, during the early 1960s, tested an emitter concept that used controlled flow rather than conventional flooding or unrestricted outlets. In 1965, Hatzerim entered into an agreement with Blass to establish Netafim, and the company began commercializing drip irrigation in 1966. The early business addressed a central problem of arid agriculture: how to deliver limited water directly and repeatedly to the root zone while minimizing waste. Netafim’s products helped turn drip irrigation from a local agricultural technique into a scalable equipment category. The company added technical advances over time, including a pressure-compensated dripper introduced in 1978 and a low-flow dripper introduced in 2007. These developments supported more uniform application across long irrigation lines, varied terrain and changing water pressures. Netafim’s ownership and corporate structure evolved alongside its international growth. Kibbutz Magal became a partner in 1973 and Kibbutz Yiftach joined in 1978. The associated Netafim businesses of Hatzerim, Magal and Yiftach were combined into Netafim (ACS) Ltd in 1998. The company opened its first non-Israeli subsidiary in the United States in 1981 and subsequently built a network of subsidiaries, factories and regional operations. In 2006, Markstone Capital Partners Group and Tene Investment Funds acquired an interest in the company. Permira later acquired a controlling position in 2011, with the reported ownership structure giving Permira 61 percent, Hatzerim 33 percent and Magal 6 percent. In 2013, Netafim received the Stockholm Industry Water Award, recognition associated with its contribution to water-efficient agriculture and sustainable water management. The company expanded through international projects and a broader product portfolio. It supplied irrigation and automation solutions for agricultural-development projects in India, Ethiopia and Rwanda, while continuing to serve farms, orchards, vineyards, greenhouses and other commercial users. By the 2010s, its activities included not only physical irrigation components but also filtration, dosing, control, monitoring, agronomic advice and system services. In 2017, Mexichem acquired 80 percent of Netafim. Mexichem later adopted the name Orbia, and Netafim became part of Orbia’s Precision Agriculture business group. Kibbutz Hatzerim retained a 20 percent interest. In 2020, Netafim acquired Dutch greenhouse-project provider Gakon and established Gakon Netafim, extending its role in turnkey protected agriculture. During the 2020s, Netafim increasingly presented irrigation as part of a connected precision-agriculture system. Its capabilities combined emitters and pipes with sensors, controllers, crop-management software, fertigation and agronomic recommendations. A 2024 partnership with Phytech was intended to integrate plant-based monitoring and data-driven irrigation guidance. The company’s stated global footprint includes operations in approximately 110 countries, 33 subsidiaries, 19 manufacturing plants and two recycling facilities, with about 4,500 employees. Early-2026 media reports described possible negotiations for a change in control involving Orbia and a consortium connected with Dayu Conserving Water Group and Hopu. The reported discussions were unfinished in the available material, so they do not change Netafim’s documented status as an Orbia-controlled company.
- 2024
Phytech precision-agriculture partnership
[1]Netafim announced a partnership with Phytech to integrate plant monitoring and data-supported irrigation recommendations.
- 2020
Gakon acquisition
[1]Netafim acquired Dutch greenhouse-project provider Gakon and formed Gakon Netafim.
- 2017
Orbia predecessor acquires majority stake
[1]Mexichem acquired 80 percent of Netafim, with Kibbutz Hatzerim retaining 20 percent.
- 2013
Stockholm Industry Water Award
[1]Netafim was named a laureate of the Stockholm Industry Water Award.
- 2011
Permira acquires control
[1]Permira acquired a controlling interest in Netafim, with the kibbutz shareholders retaining minority positions.
- 2007
Low-flow dripper introduced
[1]Netafim introduced a low-flow dripper designed for precise water delivery at reduced flow rates.
- 1998
Operating companies consolidated
[1]The Netafim entities associated with Kibbutz Hatzerim, Kibbutz Magal and Kibbutz Yiftach merged into a single corporation.
- 1981
First international subsidiary
[1]Netafim opened its first subsidiary outside Israel in the United States.
- 1978
Pressure-compensated dripper introduced
[1]The company introduced a pressure-compensated dripper intended to improve uniformity across irrigation systems.
- 1966
Commercial drip emitter introduced
[1]Netafim introduced what is described as the world’s first commercial dripper.
Products and positioning
A global precision-irrigation and crop-management provider focused on improving water productivity, agricultural yields and operational control.
Irrigation components · 1966
Drippers and pressure-compensated emitters
Netafim’s core emitters release water in controlled quantities near plant roots. Pressure-compensated designs are intended to maintain more consistent discharge across changes in system pressure, elevation and line length. The company’s emitter development began with its early commercial drippers and later expanded to low-flow formats for precise application.
Irrigation distribution
Dripperlines and irrigation pipes
Dripperlines combine tubing with integrated emitters to distribute water along crop rows, orchards, vineyards and greenhouse beds. Netafim supplies configurations for surface and subsurface use and for different crop layouts, operating pressures and water-quality conditions.
Irrigation equipment
Sprinklers and micro-emitters
The company’s sprinkler and micro-emitter range provides localized or overhead application for agricultural and protected-cultivation settings. These products complement drip systems where crop geometry, cooling requirements or establishment practices call for a different distribution pattern.
Automation and crop inputs
Irrigation control and fertigation systems
Netafim supplies control, dosing and fertigation technologies that regulate irrigation schedules and deliver dissolved nutrients through irrigation networks. The systems are designed to coordinate water application, input management and field operating conditions.
Agricultural software and services
Precision-agriculture monitoring and software
Netafim’s digital and monitoring activities extend irrigation beyond hardware. They include crop and system monitoring, control platforms, crop-management software and, through partnerships such as the one with Phytech, data-supported recommendations intended to improve irrigation decisions.
Protected agriculture · 2020
Greenhouse and turnkey cultivation projects
Through Gakon Netafim, the company provides integrated greenhouse and protected-cultivation project capabilities. These activities combine irrigation with project design, equipment integration and operational services for commercial greenhouse developments.
Marketing campaigns
- 2013Sustainable water-management positioning
Global
Netafim used its recognition through the Stockholm Industry Water Award to reinforce its positioning around water-efficient agriculture and sustainable water management.
Outcome. The company was named a Stockholm Industry Water Award laureate.
Brand decisions
2026
Reported discussions over a possible control changeM&ABackground
Media reports described negotiations involving Orbia and a consortium associated with Dayu Conserving Water Group and Hopu.
Action taken
The parties reportedly discussed a possible sale of control, but the available material did not establish that the transaction had closed.
Aftermath
Netafim remained described as an Orbia-controlled subsidiary in the reference material, subject to possible regulatory review if a transaction proceeded.
Reported possible transaction valuation. (Early 2026 media reports; transaction not completed in the available reference material)
2024
Integrate plant monitoring with irrigation recommendationsStrategyBackground
Precision agriculture increasingly connects irrigation hardware with crop data and plant-level measurements.
Action taken
Netafim announced a strategic partnership with Phytech.
Aftermath
The partnership was intended to add plant-based monitoring and data-driven recommendations to Netafim’s precision-agriculture offering.
2020
Acquire GakonM&ABackground
Netafim sought to expand from irrigation equipment into integrated protected-agriculture projects.
Action taken
The company acquired Dutch turnkey greenhouse-project provider Gakon.
Aftermath
The combined business operated as Gakon Netafim and broadened Netafim’s greenhouse capabilities.
2017
Sell an 80 percent stake to MexichemM&ABackground
Netafim’s private-equity and kibbutz shareholders pursued a change in ownership after years of international expansion.
Action taken
Mexichem acquired 80 percent of Netafim, while Kibbutz Hatzerim retained 20 percent.
Aftermath
Netafim became part of the corporate group that was later renamed Orbia and was placed in its Precision Agriculture business.
1965
Commercialize drip irrigation through a dedicated companyStrategyBackground
Hatzerim and Simcha Blass sought to turn experimental controlled irrigation into a commercial agricultural technology.
Action taken
They established Netafim, which introduced a commercial dripper the following year.
Aftermath
The decision created the foundation for a global drip-irrigation business.
Recent events
Orbia Netafim launches GrowSphere FLEX smart irrigation controller[2]
Reported:
Orbia's Precision Agriculture business Netafim announced the launch of GrowSphere FLEX, a smart irrigation and fertigation controller designed to bring connected digital farming automation to smallholders and mid-sized farmers, introduced through a phased global rollout.
Sources2 sources
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