Primary Production Industry Case Studies

Associated Grain

Dalby,  Queensland Australia

 

Company Background
The Gosden family began trading in the grain industry in the early 1950s as mobile seed graders. In 1974, the Jorgensen family joined the business, and it was renamed Gosden Jorgensen Seeds. With growing demand, a second site—Associated Grain—was established in 1994 near Dalby to provide additional processing, packing, grading, and storage facilities. In 2000, the two entities consolidated under the name Associated Grain, becoming one of the leading grain and seed handling businesses in the region.

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Challenge
Associated Grain had outgrown their previous industry-specific software. Manual processes in Excel for inventory control and customer management were inefficient, limiting growth and requiring significant staff time. The business needed a system that could:

• Support 20+ concurrent users.

• Provide seed traceability and full inventory management.

• Streamline invoicing, cash flow, and customer processes.

 

Solution
ABC Business Solutions implemented Ostendo, fully integrated with Moneyworks, to manage the company’s inventory, contract-to-sale processes, and accounting. Custom screens were developed in .NET to integrate with Ostendo’s SQL Firebird database, including:

• Weighbridge functionality.

• Seed Shop web integration.

• Smarter Seeds web integration, enabling grain-to-seed exchanges.

 

ABC Business Solutions also provided full training, setup, and ongoing support, ensuring staff adoption and system efficiency.

 

Results

• Turnover in grain nearly doubled without hiring additional staff.

• Staff productivity increased, overtime reduced, and employee satisfaction improved.

• Real-time integration with web platforms and weighbridge improved invoicing, cash flow, and grower payments.

• BAS preparation and audits simplified through Moneyworks integration.

• The system now functions independently of any single person, enabling sustainable business growth.

 

Testimonials

 

“ABC Business Solutions understood our industry and provided the customising and training required. Ostendo with Moneyworks has allowed us to handle increased turnover efficiently, reduce staff overtime, and improve the experience for our customers and growers.” – Geoff Birch, Seed Manager

 

“We now have much more visibility, and BAS and audit work is much easier. Without Ostendo and Moneyworks, we would need double the staff.” – Benita Raguse, Management Accountant

 

Future Directions
Associated Grain plans to further replace standalone systems with integrated Ostendo solutions and explore warehouse mobility solutions to replace manual processes. ABC Business Solutions will continue to partner with the management team to ensure the system evolves with the business.