The plant, owned by agritech company TNUE Limited (Total Nutrient Use Efficiency), will officially open on May 1 at Taupo’s He Ahi Eco Business Park. Commercial operations are already underway, producing controlled-release fertiliser designed to help farmers use nutrients more efficiently while reducing environmental impacts.

“Controlled-release fertiliser can help farmers improve on-farm efficiency, reduce their environmental footprint and support profitability,” says TNUE founder Bruce Smith. “By making controlled-release technology accessible for broad, extensive farming systems, we can help mitigate some of the negative environmental effects of applying nitrogen fertiliser and improve overall farming efficiency and performance.”

The Bioeconomy Science Institute was contracted during the plant’s development, supported by Callaghan Innovation funding that enabled TNUE to undertake high-quality R&D. The institute assisted the team to evaluate options and select fit-for-purpose equipment, and provided technical assessments of the controlled-release fertiliser product.

Bioeconomy Science Institute distributed and circular manufacturing portfolio lead Marc Gaugler travelled to Wisconsin with theTNUE team to run trials on potential equipment, and to Florida to assess a possible resin supplier. “This work demonstrates the Bioeconomy Science Institute’s ability to apply our science to help clients develop technology for a range of markets,” Marc says.

Meeting a need

Before commercial construction began in 2022, there was a strong business case for establishing a controlled-release fertiliser plant. “We had the partners to back the science and raw materials, we understood the markets and we had the manufacturing know-how,” Bruce says. “All we needed was a factory.”

The plant was delivered through a collaboration between TNUE, Te Pae o Waimihia Trust (representing six Ngāti Tūwharetoa hapū) and Contact Energy. Taupō was selected for its central location – supporting efficient freight logistics – and its access to geothermal energy.

“We need significant heat to form the controlled-release membrane applied to the fertiliser,” Bruce says. “This heat needs to come from a sustainable energy source, so geothermal energy is integral to our operation.”