Business View Oceania | January 2020

49 50 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA JANUARY 2020 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA JANUARY 2020 driverless tractors are on the horizon so that will be the next big thing. It will be interesting in how that fits into the whole plan of things. Just getting labour to operate machines is tough for some farmers out there, and a lot of them are looking to go autonomous, so it fills the void.” One of the biggest challenges for Sunraysia at the moment is getting water for irrigation. As Rod explains, “We’re in a large irrigation area, so we rely on the Murray River to fulfil our irrigation needs. If we don’t see a lot of rain soon, it won’t be good for this area. Irrigators need to purchase water to grow their crops and if input costs become too expensive, it can cost more to grow the crop than what it can return. That affects the whole supply chain.” Diversity and flexibility are key to the firm’s success. When times are tough, people aren’t as willing to spend money on new machinery, so Agg-Tech carries a diverse mix of new and used machines – not only in the horticulture sector but also in broadacre, and some industrial, as well. “That gives us a pretty wide strip,” says Rod. “When one industry is down, normally, we can pick it up somewhere else. We have a very strong customer focus, and we also care greatly about our staff. Without our staff, we wouldn’t have a business. After more than 22 years, I still enjoy coming to work every day. With all the technology coming, it’s going to be an exciting and challenging time for farmers to keep up with, so the more efficient we can be in helping them with their machinery, the better it will be for everybody. We’re part of an exciting industry.” CARING FOR YOUR NETWORK AS IF IT'S OUR OWN. Servicing North West Victoria, The Riverland and Broken Hill 150 Lime Ave, Mildura Victoria (03) 5024 5256 www.bordertechnology.com.au IT AND CONSULTANCY FOR SMALL TO MEDIUM BUSINESSES AGG-TECH MACHINERY PREFERRED VENDORS n CoolDrive Auto Parts www.cooldrive.com.au Few privately-owned Australian companies can boast four generations of the one family in the same industry for a century … but CoolDrive can. Foundations were laid over 100 years ago in 1918, when current Chief Executive Officer John Blanchard’s grandfather, Jack Blanchard, commenced the journey for the Blanchard family into the automotive industry. CoolDrive Auto Parts is today one of Australasia’s largest suppliers of automotive air-conditioning, engine cooling, engine management, rotating electrical, accessories and workshop products to the automotive and related trades. A nationwide footprint of over 30 branches and constantly expanding its operations within every Australian state and territory as well as in New Zealand, ensures its reach and availability of suppliers’ brands are available on demand. CoolDrive distributes over 70,000 parts annually from all major automotive parts and accessory brands, including its own Jayair, Jayrad, Jaylec, HULK 4x4, Aunger and AFI labels. And it can trace all of this back to roots in a humble Clifton Hill garage over 100 years ago. n One J onejmetal@hotmail.com n Border Technology IT & Consultancy www.bordertechnology.com.au