Waikato-based agritech company Simcro 's in danger of needinganother trophy cabinet in the near future.
But, for a company that pours 10-12% of its turnover into R&D, it’s a pretty good problemto have.
The marketer of innovative injectors and drench guns, so far mostly aimed at the animal healthmarket, has been winning design awards left, right and centre for its products that are exported toover 65 countries.
This time its self-tenting animal vaccine safety injector, 'Sekurus' is a finalist in theAustralian International Design Awards. Anyone who has attempted to inject cattle will appreciatethe beauty of not having your free hand anywhere near the needle - the patented development andnovel feature of the Sekurus (in Latin, securus means safety).
The injector has made the finals from a record 233 entries, and the winners will be announced onJuly 22.
Simcro's has a mostly business to business model, selling its products to companies such asNovartis, Pfizer and Ancare, who in turn distribute the delivery solutions with their ownproducts.
Managing director Will Rouse and three other private investors bought Simcro three and a halfyears ago following a successful tender, with the recognition that only with innovation would itavoid its margins being increasingly squeezed.
The company's constantly on the lookout for specialist product developers, preferably with amechanical engineering background, though it does have three science-based people in its 13 personteam. Rouse wants that number doubled in a couple of years.
There's also the possibility oflisting on the sharemarket as it continues an aggressive growth plan.
Simcro is testing the waters of the more lucrative companion animal sector, and also has an openinvitation to develop products for human health from a major pharmaceutical player.
It is a classic case of sales growth based on innovation - exactly the type of niche/nichespecialty effort commended recently by Professor Sir Paul Callaghan. (see
Any cabinet-makers looking for likely candidate would probably do well to give the company acall!