In the late 1990s, when the fertiliser industry in NZ was undergoing a significant amount of consolidation, Waikato dairy farmers Ross Karl, Rob Phillips, and Ken Titchener bucked this trend by forming Fertco.
They employed chemical engineer Frank King and opened a factory at Mt Maunganui to manufacture dicalcic phosphate, a fertiliser they believed would improve soil, plant, and animal health.
They didn’t expect the company would last very long. But last it has. And 26 years on, Fertco operates two sites: the Mt Maunganui factory, and a site in Te Awamutu which houses a second fertiliser factory along with a plant that makes Mineral Boost, a feed supplement to overcome livestock deficiencies.
When asked how Fertco has survived when many start-ups fail, the founders will tell you that they weren’t afraid to try new things and to innovate when things weren’t going right.
Their success with dicalcic phosphate encouraged further innovation. They tried granulating lime and coating urea which no one in NZ was doing at the time. When the ‘big’ companies began to copy them, they knew that they were on to something.
Today, the product offering includes a full range of conventional fertilisers, and the largest range of organic fertilisers in NZ. There is an emphasis on products that look after soil health and the environment, and new products that are scientifically proven to do so are continually being added to the range. The latest is a dicalcic phosphate (DCP-Max) that has twice the phosphate content (17%) as standard dicalcic phosphate (8%), reducing cartage and spreading costs for farmers.
Because of its origins, the company understands that all farmers and growers have unique requirements. So Fertco customers are looked after by a team of sales representatives who visit, and every order is customised to suit the client.
For personalised Fertco service, contact Tony Montier 027 665 5482
