Tow and Fert Calculator

Challenge

Metalform's "Tow and Fert" spreader is an innovative product that allows farmers to mix and spread their own fertiliser, but calculating the right mix has always been a challenge. The company had tried several times to provide a solution for their customers, but existing tools were clunky and difficult to use. Farmers needed a reliable way to create, save, and manage their own product mixes from anywhere, even without an internet connection. The solution also needed to be easy for Metalform to manage, including handling user accounts and their associated data.

Our Solution

We worked closely with Metalform to design and build a custom Progressive Web App (PWA) that functions as an intelligent mix calculator. This solution provides a seamless user experience, allowing customers to easily create accounts and save their products and custom mixes.

The most critical feature we built in was full offline functionality, allowing users to access the mix calculator and their saved data even when they are out in a paddock with no mobile signal. The app is also easily accessible across multiple devices, from smartphones to tablets.

Crucially, we chose a serverless architecture using Firebase as the backend framework. This decision was a game-changer. By leveraging a comprehensive platform like Firebase, we were able to deliver a robust and scalable solution with a rapid development cycle. This eliminated the need for Metalform to manage their own servers, drastically reducing complexity and providing an elegant solution for user authentication, data storage, and app hosting.

The Outcome

The new Tow and Fert mix calculator has been a huge success. The user-friendly interface has led to high adoption rates, and customers are now able to save time and reduce waste by using precise calculations.

The Firebase-powered backend provided a number of key benefits. It enabled a rapid development timeline, allowing us to get the product to market quickly and efficiently. It also resulted in zero hosting costs for Metalform, as the serverless model means they only pay for what they use, which for an app with a low usage profile is virtually nothing. Most importantly, the solution was built to be easy for Metalform to manage, putting full control of the ongoing platform into their hands for future updates and user management, without needing to hire a full-time system administrator. The app now serves as a powerful digital tool that not only enhances their product but also provides them with a direct line to their customers.

We recently engaged Philo Software to build the latest version of our Tow and Fert Mix App, a companion tool designed to enhance the overall customer experience of owning and operating one of our sprayers. From the outset, Philo Software demonstrated a clear understanding of the problems we were trying to solve and, without prompting, often suggested reliable, time‑ and cost‑effective solutions. Working with a trusted local company was a real advantage, as we were dealing directly with the people writing the code, ensuring seamless communication throughout the project. The result is an application that is miles ahead of our previous version in both reliability and functionality. Philo Software has built it in a way that is cost‑effective, scalable with our business, and easy to modify as our needs evolve. For anyone looking to engage a developer who can deliver practical, real‑world solutions, I couldn’t recommend Philo Software highly enough.

Joel Crump, Marketing Manager - Metalform