And according to owner Brian Thompson, maintaining its reputation for keeping its clients at the cutting edge, Ag-Parts is constantly adding more labels to the choice of products and services in its repertoire.
Such as the range of tools and specialist equipment it has added in the past year.
That includes Sutton Tools – an Australian business which began manufacturing threads and gauges before expanding its expertise into a broader portfolio of cutting tools.
Brian said Sutton Tools remains an Australian family enterprise that is an industry benchmark for high-quality power tool accessories and cutting tools for the hardware market and a wide range of specialised industrial applications.
He said at Ag-Parts Echuca they were always trialling things, sourcing new products and working with new brands – as well as featuring various in-store specials from week to week.
That was how they introduced services such as Pure Gas.
“We are the brand’s official distributor for Echuca-Moama and it really is a good service – in a nutshell it means instead of having to rent gas bottles, people such as welders can make a one-off purchase.
“Then all they have to do is come in when they are empty and exchange with a filled bottle – and they only pay for the gas, instead of the traditional method of paying for the gas and the bottle every time,” he added.
“The first bottle is around the same as a year’s rent, so from that point on you are saving money.”
Spear & Jackson was another proven product range Brian has added.
The global business manufactures and distributes garden tools, metrology equipment, woodworking tools and magnetic equipment under several brand names, including Neill Tools, Bowers, Robert Sorby, Moore and Wright, Eclipse, WHS and Tyzack.
It is another big tick for the Ag-Parts business, which is also a growing concern – having started with a staff of one (and that would have been Brian) – it now has a multi-skilled team of seven.
And needs every one of them because of the changing face of the broader business.
Brian said Ag-Parts, as the name suggests, was founded on servicing the after-sales sector in the rural industry but time, market trends and increasing urbanisation have taken it in a slightly different direction.
“When it first got going I reckon the business was about 70 per cent farming and 30 per cent everything else,” Brian added.
“But that has kept evolving and today, with the diverse range of products Ag-Parts now carries, we can cater for most needs of our customers, but I would estimate we are now about 30 per cent agriculture and 70 per cent everything else,” he explained.
“And even with that new demographic even the farming industry is changing so much and so quickly – and that doesn’t even take the current drought into consideration.
“For example, the emergence, first, and now the dominance, of no-till farming around here has meant changes here as well.
“And the production technology has changed just as fast with it — bigger farms that are being run by fewer farmers – mostly with much bigger machinery.
“But to support this industry, which has been such a long- term part of what we do at Ag-Parts, we still have the full range of ground-engaging parts — from seeding to harvesting and everything in between.
“And even if farming has changed, these properties still all have vehicles and, amongst other things, we have been a Castrol oil reseller for the past 32 years.”
Brian said he can’t wait to see what the next product is he will need to acquire to meet market demand, and further upskill his team so all staff maintain the Ag-Parts commitment – in the unlikely event they don’t have it, if you need it Ag-Parts will go and get it for you.”
Ag-Parts, 39 Mundarra Rd Echuca. Phone 5482 4233. Open 8am-5.30pm Monday to Friday, 8.30am-noon Saturdays.
