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Our Story
About Us
Who we are
For over five decades, Osflo has helped hardworking farmers look after their land in a sustainable way. We’re proud of where we’ve come from, and look forward to working with farmers to create the next decade of growth and prosperity.
In 1963, John Geraghty landed his first fertiliser job with Lou Stonnell. On that first day he was paired up with Malcolm Campbell to go and spread on a farm out on Mountain Road.
The two of them journeyed out to the farm: Malcolm driving, and John on the shovel to load. The two became good mates. So it followed that in 1966 Malcolm Campbell, John Geraghty, and Arthur Dixon were at the pub having a beer, and they decided that they should try and run their own business. That year, they took over Farmers Bulk Topdressers on Colson Road in Taranaki.
After 18 months, the mutual decision to split was made, and Malcolm and John continued on as a pair. Arthur went back to Lou Stonnell’s and eventually ended up purchasing Stonnell’s company.
The 1970’s were a busy decade of acquisitions for the pair. They purchased Taranaki Bulk Topdressers, Osflo Fertiliser Ltd, and Inglewood Bulk Topdressers. They also starting a maize grain business working with Taranaki Farmers Co-op, growing from 400 to 1,000 acres within 5 years.
The 1980’s were just as hectic, as they started the decade off by purchasing Hoskings Ltd, a rural carrier company in Midhurst. They took the spreaders, bulk trucks and yard on board, and sold the stock trucks to an employee who began his own independent venture.
1982 saw their first purpose-built workshop constructed. This has been in use ever since, with mechanics and engineers available for internal and external maintenance and repairs.
Around 1985, the company had a big change – the name. ‘Farmers Bulk Topdressers’ changed to ‘Freight and Bulk Transport’ at the suggestion of their accountant and future board member, Brian Busing.
Later part of the 1980's
The later part of the 1980’s saw the ever-growing company purchasing Fleming Contractors and running wharf contracts. They trucked fertiliser, lime, and coal across the North Island. There was a brief association with Hawkes Bay Farmers in 1987 to form Trident – a North Island-based freight company.
In 1988, however, farming, transport and fertiliser subsidies disappeared. This made Trident difficult to sustain, so the company was divided up across the Island. It was around this time that the company purchased their first quarry at Okato to provide existing staff work in the off-season.
The 1990's
The 1990’s started off with the acquisition of Worsley Bulk Transport (renamed Waverley Bulk Transport) and the Windy Point Quarry. In the same year, compulsory unionism came to an end and the company offered all employees individual contracts.
By 1998, the company established Nutrilink blending at the old Ravensdown site. This operation reverted superphosphate and lime, and added products to create blends for farmers.
Fertmark Registered
As the 2000’s arrived, and in 2002, Osflo Fertiliser Ltd became the first organic fertiliser to be Fertmark registered. In 2004, Ravensdown and FBT spreading branch (now Spreading FBT) established a Joint Venture partnership.
In 2006, Osflo Fertiliser became organic certified. The company ventured into stock food through storing, screening, processing and transportation. In 2007, the Katere Road bulk store was built.
In 2009 the pair saw an opportunity and started up ‘Dairyfresh’, a milk transport company. They carted milk for Open Country Dairy factory in Wanganui, collecting from Paraparaumu to Taranaki. In 2011, they further expanded this part of the business when Dairyfresh started collecting milk for the Miraka factory in Taupo.
After building up a business of 35 tankers and 150 staff, Dairyfresh was sold to Hiltons in 2017. Hiltons already had the South Island contract for Synlait and were establishing another factory in the North Island. Unfortunately, a fire in 2011 burnt the original workshop to the ground, so a modern workshop facility was constructed 2013.
Fast forward to 2015
In 2015 Regal made an offer to purchase the bulk transport, storage and handling from FBT. This sale allowed the company to resize. It also created the opportunity for Malcolm and John to sell the business to their sons, Rod and Dave in 2018, as GC Group Management Ltd.
2019 From Hursthouse Road to Mountain Road
In 2019, Osflo Fertiliser Ltd shifted from Hursthouse Road to a purpose-built facility onMountain Road. The FBT admin and spreading divisions also relocated there in 2021.
In 2022, Rob Facer bought into the company as the third shareholder. After 2 years as CEO of GC Group Management, Spreading FBT bought Ravensdown out of their JV partnership. As the end of 2022 draws near, the Group looks forward to what is still to come.
Our team
Our Osflo Fertiliser team is passionate about providing a completely natural fertiliser as a sustainable alternative.
our sustainability
natural and sustainable fertiliser products
Reduce
Creating natural and sustainable fertiliser products.
Reuse
Helping farmers in their endeavours to care for their land.
Regenerate
Osflo Fertilisers are some of the most cost effective fertilisers on the market.
Fertiliser requirements should be based on soil testing.
Call us today for a soil test and we can help determine which Osflo solution will provide the best results.