Bovonic sales jump 50% as QuadSense expands overseas

Bovonic has reported record sales growth for its QuadSense mastitis screening technology in New Zealand, with sales rising by more than 50 per cent over the past year.

More than 300 dairy farms in New Zealand now use QuadSense, with almost 7,500 units installed nationwide. Demand continued to rise this year, including a record quarter for the agritech business.

QuadSense is a self-installable in-line mastitis screening system for conventional milking operations. Farmers have used it to identify mastitis cases earlier, reduce antibiotic use, improve milk production, lower somatic cell counts and cut labour requirements.

The sales momentum comes as Bovonic reshapes its leadership and export plans. Founder and Chief Executive Officer Liam Kampshof is now based in the UK to oversee the rollout of QuadSense in the UK and Ireland, while newly appointed Managing Director Chris Morgan has taken charge of the next phase of growth.

Morgan joined earlier this year after holding senior leadership roles at Tetra Pak across Asia Pacific. His appointment allows Kampshof to spend more time on overseas market development and work on the next version of the product.

An Irish distributor has already placed what Bovonic described as a large order for units. The business has also received enquiries from other markets, along with interest from investors and potential partners.

Speaking about demand for the system, Kampshof said farmers were looking for practical automation that delivered a clear financial return.

"A lot of farmers are interested in automation, but it's got to make financial sense, it's got to be robust and it's just got to do the job," Kampshof said.

"That's where QuadSense fits. It solves a very real problem without farmers having to completely change the way they milk."

Growth plans

Morgan said the company saw scope beyond its home market because mastitis remained a costly issue for dairy producers in multiple regions.

"The opportunity for QuadSense extends well beyond New Zealand. Mastitis is a global problem, and it costs dairy farmers a lot of money. Whether it's New Zealand, Ireland or the UK, the problem is the same, and that creates a significant opportunity for a practical solution like QuadSense. We've got a product farmers want and some really exciting opportunities ahead of us," Morgan said.

He said the business was trying to balance expansion with support for existing customers.

"Our focus now is making sure we grow in a way that allows us to keep looking after our existing customers while building the capability we need for the future. We don't want to grow for growth's sake. We want to do it well," Morgan said.

Bovonic has expanded its domestic sales operation as part of that effort. In July, it doubled its sales team to widen coverage across the North and South Islands.

QuadSense has also been selected as one of Fonterra's On-Farm Solutions, giving eligible Fonterra farmers access to a subsidy intended to support farm efficiency and lower emissions intensity. The product is now available through Farm Source Services for nationwide purchase.

Product development

Bovonic is continuing work on a new version of QuadSense and said a rotary solution is nearing release. At the same time, it is collaborating with MSD Animal Health to explore links between QuadSense and SenseHub Dairy's animal behaviour and milk monitoring technology.

Kampshof said the company believed it had moved beyond its early proving stage in New Zealand.

"When I started Bovonic, the goal was pretty simple. I wanted to build a practical tool that would make a real difference for farmers and their animals," Kampshof said.

"We spent two years developing QuadSense and another three proving it on New Zealand farms. Now we've got thousands of units operating, an incredible team behind us and interest coming from farmers and partners overseas. It feels like we've done the hard yards proving that it works. Now we want to take what we've built to even more farmers."

Morgan said preserving customer support would remain a priority as the business scales.

"We've got plenty of opportunities in front of us, but the farmers already using QuadSense come first. We've built a reputation for being accessible, responsive and easy to deal with. As we get bigger, we want to make sure that doesn't change," Morgan said.