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Bert and Mary-Jane Manning show
some of their Digadoo Garden Tools to
Minister for Regional Development and
Small Business David Campbell at the
Digadoo workshop on Wednesday.
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Minister for Small Business visits Digadoo
Local Company hopes to dig into new markets
A Mittagong gardening tool manufacturer hopes to dig into new markets as a result of attending the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show in April.
Digadoo Garden Tool owners Bert and Mary-Jane Manning hope that the garden show will lead to new orders for their hight tensile stainless steel garden tools.
Assistance from the Department of Small Business has allowed Digadoo to attend the trade show, which will draw around 130,000 members of the public and garden trade.
Mr and Mrs Manning launched Digadoo tools around eight years ago, after spotting a gap in the market for hight quality garden tools.
The stainless steel Digadoo tools, ranging from full-sized shovels and garden forks to hand implements, are stronger and lighter than conventional tools.
Digadoo also produces a range of “scaled down’ tools, recognising that many conventional garden tools are too heavy for extended use.
“High tensile stainless steel has twice the strength of standard steel.” Said Mrs Manning.
“Our tools don’t bend like some inferior tools. We’ve had no returns in eight years.”
Digadoo tools currently sell through selected outlets, mail order and email and are exported to Japan. The company also makes components such as augers and funnels for the food and pharmaceutical packaging industry and stainless steel components for the motorbike industry.
Apart from the Manning’s, the business employs a sheet metalwork apprentice at the Wombeyan Caves Road workshop.
The Manning’s hope that the attending the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show will open new export markets and allow them to expand the business.
Visiting the workshop on Wednesday, Minister for Small Business David Campbell said the State Government was committed to helping regional small businesses like Digadoo to expand to create new local jobs.
“Our strong and detailed programs for the important small business sector include providing financial assistance to help our small firms gain major exposure at important trade events,” he said.
“The Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show attracts many New Zealanders so it’s an ideal launch pad for Digadoo to expand into that market.
“The visit to Melbourne is a good opportunity for Digadoo to demonstrate the products’ potential.
“As well as breaking into the New Zealand market, they hope to attract distributors for their products in Victoria.”
Mrs Manning said taking part in the State Government’s Women in Business mentoring program for regional businesswomen had motivated her to participate in the trade show.
The Women in Business program provided valuable information on how to improve the business and encouraged her to seek out government assistance to expand the business, she said.
Assistance to Digadoo Garden Tools has come through the New Market Expansion Program and the Women in Business Program.
Digadoo tools are available locally at” Welby Garden Centre; Wariapendi Nursery, Colo Vale, Jardinique Garden Boutique, Bowral, and Flying Pig gallery, Berry.
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Seen In: Southern Highlands News
The local press heard our apprentice, Dean Robinson, has been achieving great things.
This article appeared in the Southern Highlands News.
Here’s To You Mr Robinson
Dean Robinson a local sheet metal fabricator has achieved at a high level in his craft, both state-wise and nationally, competing in the TAFE Worldskills competition moving up to the final.
Mr Robinson was also awarded the Rotary Pride of Workmanship Award out of all students at Miller TAFE campus, near Liverpool plus various awards through Miller TAFE.
Mr Robinson makes the high quality stainless steel Digadoo Garden Tools as well as intricate augers and funnels of varying sizes for the food and pharmaceutical packaging industry |
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Seen In: Gardening Australia
Editor: Brooke Myers-Cooke
Digadoo Garden Tools are proud sponsors of the ABC Gardener of the Year Competition, supplying golden trowels to the 5 runners up and golden spade to the worthy winner for 2003, Mike Hagen.
Mike developed his garden at Cootharaba near Noosa in Queensland. Mike’s inspiration has come from the joy and delight of learning about plants and experimenting with them, and the peace this brings to his soul.
Mike sent the golden trowel he received as an ABC Gardener of the Year finalist to his Mum, so he was “chuffed” to received his golden spade as the overall winner. His humble comment, “This must be an encouragement award, as I am such a novice at gardening.”
Congratulations to Mike Hagen and all the ABC Gardener of the Year finalists.
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Seen In: Brisbane News
Editor: Annette Mcfarlane
Most people call a spade a spade, but to Digadoo Garden Tools, a spade is a finely crafted precision tool. Digadoo is an Australian company based in Mittagong, New South Wales, that designs and manufactures a range of stylish, but functional, garden tools. Designs focus on ergonomics, comfort, weight and balance, with an emphasis on quality and durability. Tools are made from high-tensile stainless steel, with wooden handles fashioned from seasoned Australian spotted gum.
Spades in the range have deliberately small blades. This is based on the belief that when filled with soil, conventionally sized tools are simply too heavy to lift comfortable for long periods of work in the garden.
The smaller, lighter blades may move less soil with each action, but the lighter weight allows the gardener to work more comfortable for a longer time. Less weight reduces back strain. The full-length stainless-steel shovel with a round blade is almost a metre long and comes in at a very lightweight 1.25kg. The company also manufacturers trowels, garden scoops, hand forks and short-handled spades, forks and shovels.
Digadoo tools are available from garden shows and special exhibitions, selected outlets or over the internet at www.digadoo.com.au and mail order. The company also provides and engraving service, allowing you to engrave a name or special message on any purchase. Tools can be delivered throughout Australia.
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