SITE TO DRIVE DIGITAL GRAZING
Remote delivery of supplements
AN INDUSTRIAL warehouse in the Bohle is the site for an innovative technology company leading the charge to take the grazing industry into the digital age.
DIT Technologies has opened the site as its Australian technology centre, employing 11 people. The company’s technology allows farmers to remotely monitor livestock watering points from a mobile phone or computer, while its supplements can be applied in water, also remotely.
DIT Technologies CEO Mark Peart says the company wanted to capitalise on the huge opportunities for expansion in Australia before exporting to the world.
The company is employing software and telemetry engineers.
TOWNSVILLE has been selected as the site for a manufacturing base for an innovative technology company leading the charge for moving the grazing industry into the digital age.
DIT Technologies has had a small office in Garbutt but has now relocated to a warehouse at the Webb industrial estate in the Bohle where its technology centre has been established.
The company’s technology allows farmers to remotely monitor livestock watering points from a mobile phone or computer, while its supplements can be applied in water, also remotely.
It has the potential to generate big savings for graziers who have traditionally given supplements directly to cattle or through a lick block.
DIT Technologies chief executive Mark Peart said the company wanted to capitalise on huge opportunities in Australia before exporting to the world.
At present, they supplied some 170 clients, mostly in northern Australia, but there was potential to deliver to the beef and dairy industry as well as to sheep farmers.
“There’s 16,000 farmers in Australia, 26 million head of cattle and 65 million head of sheep,” Mr Peart said.
“We would supply maybe 150,000 head so there’s a massive opportunity for our business. The plan is to nail it in Australia and scale up for (delivering to) the globe.”
The Townsville technology centre employs 11 people in roles from software, electronics and telemetry engineers to sheet metal workers.
Queensland Senator Susan Mcdonald, chair of the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, joined the company this week for the official opening of the manufacturing centre. It follows a $1.2m grant awarded to the company last year.
Mr Peart said they chose Townsville as a site for the factory because of its strategic location for transport distribution to locations throughout northern Australia and because of its “great port”.
“We didn’t want to be a technology business based in Sydney or Melbourne. We wanted to build manufacturing in a regional location. We also felt it would be a good thing to do for northern Australia,” Mr Peart said.
The company is based in Toowoomba and has supplements hubs there, in Darwin, Horsham and Townsville.