Local Company Western Mineral Fertilisers

has a clean sweep at business awards

On Friday 19th February, Western Mineral Fertilisers were outstandingly successful at the 2010 ACCI Business Awards. The highly innovative WA owned and operated company were awarded the coveted ACCI HHG Legal Group Business of the Year Award, along with the ACCI Lincolns Award for Businesses with 11-20 employees, and the ACCI Albany Port Authority 2010 Agribusiness Award.

This extraordinary success mirrors the success and triumph of a local business which demonstrates great leadership, product innovation and commitment to industry development and the environment. Western Minerals is a local company operating since 1997, orginally by selling an imported biological based fertiliser. In 2000 Western Minerals started developing a microbiological product to improve soil health and then in 2002 began manufacturing their own fertiliser products. In Tenterden Western Mineral Fertilisers have experienced substantial growth and in 2009 had the potential to produce 30,000 tonnes of biological fertiliser.

Their commitment to ongoing research and development sees them now responsible for 17 granular products, 5 beneficial soil microbe products and one specialized natural polymer oil. Leaders in their field, they are committed to becoming a carbon neutral company, and by constantly looking at ways to reduce their impact on the environment they have become completely self reliant for their water use.

WMF's Managing Director, Stephen Frost said "The company has successfully overcome a number of challenges, firstly to develop the formulations, to build the manufacturing process from scratch and to challenge existing on farm programs. Even though our product is backed by dozens of independant trial data sets, it has been difficult to change the dogma of high chemical farming practice. It is time for many Agronomists and Farm advisors to broaden their knowledge base and objectively assess the new science in soil fertility and biological management. Biological farming is proving its economic worth with the obvious benefits of increased sustainability, much better resource management and a better food outcome. Overall the company's success is all about the people involved, their passion, commitment and leadership."