Founded in 2001 by Dale Foster, NDF is an innovative agricultural business known for the manufacturing of high quality zero till disc planters. The disc planters are designed unique to the consumer, promising the preservation of ground moisture, no disturbance to the top soil and improved germination.
The Narromine-based business started as a small-scale operation and years later now employs 25 workers and is a fierce competitor with other innovative farming machinery manufacturers from around the globe. This is a result of the unique service and attention to detail that they provide for their customers, with each disc planter designed and manufactured on-site and sold directly to the customer. This may make NDF a quiet achiever but its reputation for creating robust machinery that lasts has given them a strong client base in NSW, South Australia and Queensland. These characteristics enable NDF to compete with overseas competitors.
The success of the business has provided many opportunities for NDF to contribute to the Orana Region. Through the manufacturing of their disc planters, NDF is not only keeping manufacturing alive but is also keeping the industry present in a regional area, especially in a market dominated by overseas imports. NDF uses their knowledge of the local and Australian farming conditions to create high quality machines with longevity that is able to enhance the value of farmers’ produce.
From engineers to labourers, NDF supports the talent and services that the region has to offer when manufacturing and fabricating their disc planters. With a focus on keeping it local, their employment is sourced from around the area, along with parts for their products. Investing locally has played a role in increasing the quality of their machines and despite being a more expensive method, the outcome of the products is invaluable to the business, the region and their customers.
NDF wants to embrace technology to advance their production. NDF’s continuous innovation keeps the business competitive in an industry dominated by imports and will be the basis upon which NDF will continue to expand.