A Taranaki teenager's science project has bagged her a lucrative international business deal.

Ayla Hutchinson, who invented the Kindling Cracker, recently entered into an agreement with America's lead supplier of professional-quality tools, Northern Tool and Equipment.

The chain store, which has more than 90 outlets spread across the United States, caught wind of the 15-year-old's invention after it shot to popularity at Field Days and online, selling for $135 a unit or $145 with a hammer.

Stuff.co.nz Taranaki's Ayla Hutchinson goes from strength to strength at the National Fieldays.

While the teen, from Tariki township, could not talk specifics she said the contract would see "40 foot containers" packed with "tens of thousands" of units being exported every month.

And last week the first order, with 20 tonnes of crackers, began its journey to the United States.

With its built-in blade and safety cage the cast iron wood splitter eliminates the use of an axe, providing a safer and easier way to cut kindling.

Fairfax NZ Taranaki teen inventor Ayla Hutchinsonâs kindling crackers have hit the American market.

The design has been licensed to the company but production of the handmade wood splitters would continue at Precision Foundries in Auckland.

Hutchinson said marketing and distribution would be taken care of by her family.

It had been a whirlwind two years for the innovator who started the lucrative journey as a year eight student crafting a school science project.

The design concept came as a result of witnessing her mum, Claire, cut her finger with an axe while splitting kindling. Hutchinson vowed to create a safer way to chop wood.

The original prototype was an axe head welded to a base plate, encircled by a safety cage, but when the Hutchinsons realised the kindling cracker filled a gap in the market they started to develop it.

"It took a few months or so to get it to the final product," she said.

The family promoted the design at a Field Days event and came away with 400 orders. From there interest grew and now "tens of thousands" of kindling crackers are being used across the nation.

Hutchinson said she was blown away when the American company approached her a year ago. Now she has her sights set on the European market.

"It's a pretty awesome thing. I never would have expected it."

The entrepreneur has scooped a bevy of awards for her original concept including New Zealand Field Days' Vodafone People's Choice Award 2014, International Google Science Fair Regional Finalist 2014 and the New Plymouth District Council Inspiration Award 2013 – just to name a few.

But, despite her success Hutchinson insisted she was still a normal girl. Between studying for NCEA, the keen photographer plays netball and hangs out with friends.

To take the pressure off while Hutchinson finished high school, her mum and dad, Vaughan, stepped up to take care of business.

"It's a real team effort. We've really grown as a family," she said.

Ayla planned to use her kindling cracker profits to pay her way through university.

She has not yet pinpointed what she wanted to study but knew it would be something of a creative nature.

"I like lots of stuff and I want to be lots of things...anything with design and art, probably."

Whatever she chose, the young pioneer said she would continue to invent.

She has more gadgets in mind and plans to unleash them on the world.

"I don't really have time right now, but I've got a few ideas."

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