DLF International Seeds (www.dlfis.com) was formed by the merging of DLF-Jenks and Cebeco International Seeds following the 2002 purchase of the Cebeco Seeds Group by DLF Trifolium A/S of Denmark. This merger created one of the five largest forage and turf seed companies in the United States.
DLF International Seeds is a market leader in developing varieties adapted to diverse climate and soil conditions. The breeding of improved varieties is given the highest priority with over 80 acres of research plots located in Oregon, and cooperative work with university and commercial breeders throughout the world. This intensive breeding program is constantly developing new varieties of grass and clover species that outperform older generation genetics in yield, palatability and forage quality. DLF is also the only company in the world that has a wide variety of organic seeds.
Proper turf selection for home lawns to golf courses makes a significant difference in performance and maintenance. Selecting the right variety contributes positively to habitat enhancement, wildlife and water conservation, waste management and energy efficiency. Proper selection results in less care while providing attractive, durable and disease resistant turf.
The DLF Trifolium Group, of which DLF International Seeds is a member, is the world's largest producer and marketer of grass and clover seed. Annually the Group markets over 260 million pounds of seed, 350 varieties, worldwide. The USA breeding, production, marketing and shipping services are located in the Pacific Northwest; the site of over half the world's cool season grass production. From the center of seed production in Halsey, Oregon, DLF International Seeds serves hundreds of small regional and large distributors.
MASI sold Navision (now called Microsoft Dynamics NAV) to DLF-Jenks several years before the merger. Navision contained lot tracking which was greatly needed by this company using only QuickBooks. Cebeco International Seeds was using an old DOS system and in the process of upgrading to Great Plains when the merger occurred. The parent company in Denmark was using a modified version of Navision and advised the U.S. companies that they should be using Navision too. In a short three months, DLF-Jenks and Cebeco International Seeds had implemented changes and were using Navision to run the new company.
With the blending module, DLF knows the kind of seed it’s selling and the margin on that seed. Prior, the certified (grade A) seed was cost averaged with the lesser quality seed so a true cost was not known. Species, varieties, and qualities (grades) of seed are tracked by lot numbers in the seed business.
Other helpful software changes made by MASI include a checklist for the shipping department to ensure all international shipping requirements have been met, a “dump sheet” telling the warehouse how much of each variety it takes to make a blend, data reporting in financial analysis and inventory analysis, production showing farmers with contracts, and tables that hold production data tied into purchase orders so they can see who’s growing the seed and how much.
“All of our information is in Navision now—comparisons and position statements by growers, warehouses, and species. There’s lots of good information there. Now we can focus more on how we pull out data for good analytical abilities. I’m satisfied with what we’ve done and where we’re going.
“The key was setting up Navision well in the first place. I like Navision, it’s a flexible system and we’ve had really good support from MASI. We do payroll with Navision and they were very helpful implementing it and making changes. I have lots of confidence in MASI,” concluded the client.