From a new Tauranga facility Bovonic will better meet farmer demand while driving international expansion, the company’s founder expects. Based on Kiriwehi Street, Omanawa, new premises will allow the agritech company to commercialise the production of its mastitis detection technology, QuadSense.
“This milestone is just the beginning,” company founder, Liam Kampshof, confirms. “Our vision is to make QuadSense as indispensable to dairy farmers as automatic cup removers! It’s about creating technology that’s simple, affordable, and truly valuable.”
As product assembly will remain in house, quality control will be maintained while achieving significant cost savings and offering affordable prices, he says.
“Keeping our final assembly in house has been a game changer. It allows us to maintain absolute control over product quality, which has always been our top priority.
These are also the first premises we’ve had with windows – natural light makes a big difference after spending years tinkering away in dark sheds!”
Launched at Fieldays, QuadSense is designed to deliver such benefits as reduced bulk somatic cell counts, improved herd health and time savings for dairy farmers.
“I started with a prototype made from a Bunnings pipe and a 3D-printed sensor. We tested the concept at Fieldays and had 150 farmers sign up. That early validation gave us the confidence to move forward. Here we are, just a few years later, with more than 1,000 units installed.”
Farmer feedback has been integral to Bovonic’s success, shaping the development of the QuadSense system and its app.
“Initially, we didn’t plan on creating an app, but farmers told us they needed easier ways to track alerts and adjust thresholds, so we created a tool that makes record-keeping seamless and improves usability.”
A $940,000 investment earlier this year supported QuadSense’s launch, development, IP protection and exploration of overseas markets. The technology has transformed mastitis management, offering farmers peace of mind and tangible results, Kampshof asserts.
“One farmer told us he found fifteen staphylococcus cases in just one month using QuadSense. That level of early detection not only saved his herd, it reduced his stress and prevented the spread of harsh, contagious strains of mastitis.”
Bovonic is now preparing for a UK and Ireland market launch in 2025. The company has already established trial farms in Ireland and received positive feedback from international trade shows. Next steps also include setting up a New Zealand distribution network and validating QuadSense for rotary sheds.
To support this growth, new staff will be needed.
“The best decision I’ve made was hiring people who are smarter than me!” Kampshof adds. “It’s been a huge part of our growth, and I’m incredibly grateful to my team and investors for believing in our vision.”
