Last month Bay of Plenty company Fertco purchased Te Awamutu-based fertiliser company TerraCare from the Macky family.
Fertco, based near the Port of Tauranga, currently services the BOP, Waikato, and King Country regions, while TerraCare, with a factory in Te Awamutu, has a customer base in the Waikato, King Country, Manawatu, and lower North Island.
Fertco and TerraCare have shared similar philosophies with regard to looking after clients and the environment, and Fertco aims to add TerraCare’s branded products to its range, and the acquisition seemed a logical solution for both companies.
Company officials described the purchase as akin to an amalgamation of the two companies, rather than one being taken over by the other.
“We’re very excited to be welcoming a new era for Fertco and TerraCare,” said Fertco’s chief executive Warwick Voyce.
“We’re aiming to learn from TerraCare’s IP so we can improve the offerings for both sets of customers.”
Obvious solution
When Fertco was looking to extend its customer base into new areas, and TerraCare was seeking a buyer, the purchase seemed like the obvious solution for both companies.
TerraCare’s clients will still be able to get customised fertiliser recommendations based on soil and herbage tests as this has always been the Fertco way too.
They will still be able to purchase the same types of products that minimise environmental impacts, since these have also been a focus for Fertco, which the company says stock the largest range of organic products in New Zealand.
In many cases, TerraCare’s customers will still be dealing with the same Field Representatives who are with the Fertco sales team.
What will be different and part of the new era is the nutrient budgeting and compliance services that Fertco intends to offer all of its customers.
Warwick said: “Our team are very pleased to offer Fertco’s products and services to a greater audience of farmers and growers.
“We have long been asked to have a distribution option in the Waikato and we know this move will improve our service to current customers and encourages others to enquire as to how Fertco can help farmers have a better fertiliser experience.
