Cultivating creativity: quick thinking for better farming
At National Industries, our team is proud to work with clients that represent a range of critical sectors from across Australia and the world. For some of them – our defence clients, our unicorns and corporate giants, our clients with patents and proprietary parts – privacy is everything.
This case study covers a project we undertook for a large national rural supplies company that has requested anonymity due to commercial sensitivities.
The background
While every project at National Industries requires a level of innovation and some creative or cutting-edge thinking, this one was perhaps one of the few where the true beauty of the solution was in its cleverness and simplicity.
A proud Australian provider of rural solutions, this client was referred to National Industries, as it sought to expand its products for the paddock, with handy devices that would make everyday tasks much easier and more effective.
Coming with a specific brief and design in mind, the client was open to input, and our team came to the table with a design that has now been produced millions of times.
$M
Project size
M
Units delivered
K
Man hours
Boxes packed
The approach
Every project we undertake is unique, and that starts right at the beginning of the engagement with the design. Some clients come to us with a finished design that has been tried, tested and produced in great volumes in the past, others with a rough sketch that requires refining, and others still simply with an idea that they need turned into reality.
This client started off in category one, but in allowing us to return to the drawing board, saw a more innovative and cost-effective solution produced, that would enable them to improve their bottom line.
From meeting one, we were really able to show the client that our services are end-to-end – that we can offer design insights as readily as quality finished products. They came to us looking for the massive production of a very small clip, used commonly in farming, design already complete.
Upon reviewing the design, in just twenty minutes we were able to suggest some optimisations and material changes, and produce a quick sample to show them how effectively it would do exactly what they needed it to do.
While their original design required more expensive material and processes to produce, the solution we suggested was just as strong, just as flexible, but much less costly.
With our design approved and raw material supplied from their own manufacturing facilities, we produced millions of units, quickly, helping to make them available more rapidly to rural supplies stores country-wide.
Our team was involved end-to-end, with finished products quality tested, picked and packed into the client’s boxes and supplied on pallets, ready for distribution.
Upon experiencing our level of service and seeing our results, the client has subsequently contracted us to deliver a number of other components and products, with one of our machines permanently dedicated to them 7-days a week, to meet their production requirements.
The result
After seeing what we can do, this client really trusts us with their everyday requirements, and their unique challenges.
Since working with them across a number of projects, they have awarded us another contract to deliver a new product that five global machine manufacturing companies have been previously unable to deliver.
“We are so much more than a manufacturer to our clients, we are a trusted partner – and we work diligently every single day not only to ensure that’s the case, but to live up to and exceed their expectations. A lot of our work comes in by referral and many of our clients are repeat customers, because we invest in them, in authentic relationships and in excellent outcomes.”
Anthony, GM
The National Industries difference
Why did we get this project? Smart thinking and clever design was at the heart of winning this project, and building an ongoing relationship with this client.
When we see a chance to do something better, to make it more effective and less costly, we jump on it, and we pride ourselves on the benefits that brings to our clients.