Behind every facet of the operation is a total focus on meeting international standards in the vital areas of food safety and quality

control.
 

George McHardy, business manager and one of three directors and shareholders in Grochem, says the Porirua-based company

blends a range of imported and NZ ingredients on-site, strictly adhering to every possible international testing regime and thus

providing security to both distribution and growers.
 

Grochem has its own quality control testing facilities on its premises. McHardy says the company has recently installed some of the latest, high-tech equipment available internationally which was previously only able to be accessed offshore.

Independent laboratories are also still utilised for testing and certification of products.
 

“For over 20 years, Grochem has worked closely with the local horticulture industry and independent researchers to develop an

extensive range of products that meet industry requirements in four specific areas – plant nutrition, insecticides, fungicides, and

plant growth regulators.

 

“Many of these are the company’s own ‘recipes’, developed for NZ soils and climate, and the prevailing pests, fungus and diseases.”
 

In addition, he says, Grochem partners with a number of multinational agrichemical companies to bring specialty products to growers.

It also manufactures a range of animal health products.
 

The company has a dedicated staff of sixteen, including a chemist, research manager and technical field agronomists with extensive experience.
 

Grochem imports raw materials from a number of overseas countries, including USA, Chile, China, Japan, Norway and Germany, and while these meet certificate of analysis before export, they are all rigourously tested on arrival to ensure the passage out, across the equator, has not altered the chemical signature.
 

Currently, the plant annually formulates 500 tonnes of granules and powders and around 2 million litres of liquids.
 

While some is exported, with main markets in Australia, Chile and South Africa, much is sold locally.
 

The company works with industry bodies to ensure market access requirements can be meet by growers with confidence for the

plethora of country and supermarket standards, McHardy says.
 

Grochem is one of the largest suppliers of Bio-Gro certified organic inputs to control pests and diseases.
 

George McHardy says product innovation via R&D, quality assurance and market access requirements are among the key drivers for Grochem.
 

“This focus has helped deliver rapid company growth over the past decade and will be a significant factor into the future.”