Thanks to expert advice from Business Gateway, a Perthshire agricultural software firm is targeting its highest turnover to date after securing new contracts across the UK, Republic of Ireland, South Africa and Australia.
Founded in 2012, Perthshire-based Duradiamond Software specialises in developing digital solutions within the farming sector. Included in its offering is iLivestock, an app which utilises the latest technology to make it easier for farmers to manage their flock and herd on the go, and eWeigh (patent pending), designed to revolutionise livestock weighing at a highly cost-effective price.
Following Business Gateway’s assistance, Duradiamond Software secured a major two-year distribution agreement worth over £350,000 across the UK and Republic of Ireland with leading animal identification technology firm, Allflex UK. Following this, the company signed a one-year exclusive distribution deal worth £73,000 with a partner in South Africa and has just signed contracts worth £65,250 over an initial 6-month period with two distribution partners in Australia.
As a result, the firm’s turnover in the first four months of the 2019 financial year outstripped sales for the whole of 2018, with year to date sales reaching £203,000. This ongoing success resulted in the need to increase headcount to five full-time employees and plans are in place to further expand the workforce in early 2020 with two additional members of staff joining in January.
Business Gateway provided Duradiamond Software with a variety of specialist support including financial and technical advice, help in securing grant funding and intellectual property guidance – an essential requirement for the small technology firm.
Jamie Pugh, co-founder and director of Duradiamond Software, said: “As a small business with limited resources, we realised that, without significant support, we were going to struggle to complete the development of our essential new products. However, the support from Business Gateway, both financial and advisory, has been instrumental in achieving our recent product launches.”
“The access to grant funding and the technical advice on offer was essential to the development of both iLivestock and eWeigh. Additionally, tools such as the strategic workshop helped us transform our innovative products into a commercial success. Being able to access specialist advice from Business Gateway has allowed us to meet all challenges and set our business on a firm footing for success.”
Andrew Webster, business adviser at Business Gateway Tayside, said: “Duradiamond Software is the perfect example of how Business Gateway can help a small business achieve significant growth by providing a variety of expertise, including sales strategies, specialist technical advice and access to funding.
“It’s been fantastic to see the development and evolution of Duradiamond Software and the success of both iLivestock and the eWeigh device across the marketplace. The new business wins, increased workforce and growing revenue is testament to the strong vision and ambition of the team at Duradiamond Software.”
To find out how Business Gateway can help your business, visit www.bgateway.com.