18 June 1999

Media Release
Business and Farm Media

Dawsons latest link in quality chain

A century-old company is signaling its commitment to quality by signing-up to the Fernmark Quality Programme.

H. Dawson and Sons, which has offices in New Zealand, the UK, Italy, China and Australia, has recently become the ninth exporter to be accredited to this voluntary wool industry programme.

Managing director Mark Johnston says joining and supporting FQP was the logical next step to take, given the company’s “commitment to excellence” philosophy. Dawsons also aims to add its buying arm, HD Farm Direct, to the programme soon.

“This will enable us to supply Fernmark Gold deliveries from farmers’ yards to mills’ cards – strengthening our future into the new millennium.”

He says one of the main benefits for the company in joining FQP will be in the carpet trade (one of its biggest markets), as people will associate the Dawsons name with high quality supply.

“Hopefully it will open up more doors for us by showing our customers we’re committed to quality.”

Mr Johnston says customers are demanding quality, and he knows of potential overseas clients who have refused to buy products from non-accredited suppliers.

Fernmark Quality Programme manager Kelvin Whall says an independent survey shows Dawsons, like other FQP exporters, enjoys a high level of customer satisfaction. Like all accredited exporters it has also met ISO 9000 standards for its operating procedures.

In the last three years, operators at every stage of the wool growing, harvesting and marketing chain have become quality-assured.

So far this season (1998/99) 13,200 tonnes of FQP-accredited wool has been sold at auction. Most is crossbred wool, with 6000 tonnes sold. Five thousand tonnes of accredited Merino and 2500 tonnes of mid-micron wool were also sold. These figures don’t include private sales.

While the total amount of wool sold at auction is down on last year, the proportion of accredited wool sold has increased in every category.

Mr Whall says the growing number of accredited operators in the FQP chain continues to create modest premiums for growers on the programme.

“Merino and mid-micron wool growers are getting some useful price benefits. To date there have been small premiums for crossbred wool growers.

“While growers are inevitably attracted to premiums as a motive for joining the programme, the programme is, and must be focused on maintaining New Zealand wool at the top end of the market in terms of meeting buyer expectations.

“It doesn’t state that all our wool is of intrinsically high quality. Rather, it sets out to assure buyers that wool is true to label and substantially free of contaminants. In other words, it’s fit for purpose.

“The costs are minimal and the long-term benefits are substantial. To have a viable wool industry in the future we simply must adopt these customer-focused principles.”

[ends]

For more information, please contact:

Kelvin Whall, Fernmark Quality Programme manager
Tel 03 224 6022, or 025 530 619