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Bulla Dairy utilises Smart Badge technology

Following a successful trial period, Bulla Dairy Foods (Bulla), is the first food manufacturer and installer to roll out wearable contact tracing technology, Smart Badge, across its sites allowing the business to increase contact tracing efforts.


With the health and safety of the Bulla team as a priority, Smart Badge technology was introduced as part of Bulla’s COVID-safe protocols, including daily fitness-for-work declarations, temperature checking upon arrival, on site COVID marshals, mask wearing and increasing the availability of common areas such as changerooms and meal areas to minimise cross contamination.
Rolled out within a matter of weeks following a successful trial period at Bulla’s Connor St, Colac site the Smart Badge technology is a small, wearable wristband worn by any team member, visitor or contractor enabling Bulla to support efficient management of contact tracing in the event of a positive case, social distancing between workers, as well as assist with maintaining capacity limits across the business. This is achieved by working in tandem with ‘nodes’ placed at the entrances to sites and key communal areas, capturing data in real time and providing enhanced contact tracing logs for the Bulla team.As one of Colac’s major employers providing approximately 700 jobs locally, CEO Allan Hood believes it was the dairy processor’s responsibility to its team and the broader local community to increase safety measures and introduce Smart Badge across the business.
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“The pandemic has been full of unknowns both for individuals and businesses but one thing that remains the same for our Bulla family is that the safety of our team is our first priority. We’re thrilled to have partnered with Smart Badge as it’s been a seamless fit with our COVID-safe protocols and ensures the strength and safety of our working environment during COVID times.
“In addition to being an incredible assurance for the health and safety of our team, the technology has enabled us to effectively manage existing shift segregation, allowing precious minutes to be re-focused back on to our production line, creating assurances for the future of our business as well,” said Hood.
With a rich 110-year history under its belt, Bulla has survived two world wars, a GFC and now two pandemics and, as a business steeped in innovation, is no stranger to pivoting and innovating to thrive in the wake of global events. Remaining as proactive as possible during this time has been the enduring theme for Bulla, and Smart Badge has been instrumental in allowing the teams to get back to business.
Bulla’s general manager of people and culture, Jacinta Munro, who has been instrumental in the roll out and success of Smart Badge at Bulla, highlights how important using COVID safe technology is for an employer brand.
“The roll out of Smart Badge has been met with fantastic employee and union support and it has really been about letting our team know that their wellbeing is our first priority. The technology was implemented during one of our biggest recruitment drives to date, in a year when we have welcomed nearly 200 new team members to our sites in Colac, and it’s our pride and privilege to showcase to the local community as well as the wider business community how we emulate a safe workplace of the future through our COVID safe protocols,” said Munro.
Smart Badge’s general manager, Simon Finlayson understands the needs for businesses to get back to work in a ‘COVID-normal’ way.
“We’re proud to offer a unique wearable solution that helps businesses, like Bulla, stay safe and restore confidence being back at work. We know safety is paramount for Bulla across their staff, families and the wider community – so being on the front foot and able to respond quickly in the event of a positive case via our instant contact tracing is a real game changer.
“In a manufacturing environment, meticulously managing the set capacity limits is also now essential with enforced regulations – Smart Badge’s technology will help Bulla manage this using real time data,” said Finlayson.

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