Lucerne Products Limited began their business in 1969 when Lola and Tony McCormack took over a chaff cutter that belonged to New Zealand horse trainer, Dave O’Sullivan.  “It was dammed hard work back then with the operation only yielding 3000 sacks per annum,” said Lola.

With the advent of improved harvesting machinery and production methods, such as the drying process to ensure the Lucerne would store satisfactorily after being chaffed and bagged, the company gradually increased its output to where today over 120,000, 20 kilogram bags of quality ‘dust free’ chaff are sold yearly.

To produce the required annual 2400 tonnes of bagged Lucerne, the operation collects the baled hay as far a field as Hastings and Gisborne in the North Island and in the South Island at Canterbury and Central Otago.

Once transported to the Putaruru processing plant the bales are chopped, steamed, dried and bagged with molasses added to improve the feed value.

The operation also produces ‘Meadow Hay Chaff’ and 'Pea Vine Chaff' which is sold in 15 kilo bag lots.

To give the best possible customer service Lola and Tony began running their own transport and delivery business which has since become a vital part of their operation. Using their own truck and trailer ensures a steady supply of the raw product to the factory and a reliable flow of Lucerne to their many merchant clients and stock feed manufacturers throughout the North Island.

“Once the hay is bagged, 75% is stacked onto pallets, shrink wrapped and freighted by ourselves, the rest is moved using outside carriers.

“With our factory being mid-way between the majority of our suppliers and our biggest sales area, Waikato and Auckland, organising our transport needs within log book regulations is quite viable,” said Tony.

2008 saw the introduction of a new Opinion Holdings B train to their freight operation, a combination which is proving to be a big time and money saver for the McCormacks.

Tony continued by saying, “Due to the extremely low centre of gravity of the unit, because of  the 17.5” wheels and step-deck trailer height of just 840mm, we can now cart 30 pallets or 120 cubic metres of cargo each trip.

“That means in a given year, running only once a week to Auckland, instead of twice, we can save $50,000 in freight costs. Therefore in just three years both trailers will have paid for themselves and if you’re looking to get a 20 year service life like we are, the extra cost savings over that time are very significant.”

The B-train features the BPW air suspensions with ECO Plus axles and the Knorr-Bremse G2 EBS making the combination extremely stable when travelling over some of New Zealand’s notoriously bad country roads.

Other features include the electronically operated Jost landing leg system and pneumatically operated Jost fifth wheel.

This purpose built rig, including the 100 mm high tensile low profile trailer goose neck design, offers fast and easy loading and unloading thanks to the approved load restrained side curtains.

Factory foreman and maintenance manager for over 20 years, Gavin Taylor, says the business will continue to expand still keeping in mind that quality comes first.

“We supply most stock feed outlets on the North Island and are the preferred supplier to large organisations such as PGG Wrightsons and RDI.

“Expanding and nurturing our client base has been a special focus for us over the past two years and with the extended capacity of the new B-train we see no reason for this to change in the foreseeable future,” says Tony.
 

Lucerne Products

505 Harris Road
Putaaruru
South Waikato 3483

Ph: 07 883 7537
E:info@lucerneproducts.co.nz