Murray Now

Despite challenging dry conditions in the agricultural industry, a culture of innovation and resilience can produce rewarding and profitable results.

Allspares & Bearings which supplies the rural sector was nominated by Moira Shire in the Australian Retail Awards. They took out the Independent Retailer of the Year Award, sharing the limelight with corporate giants such as Aldi and Country Road which won other categories in the competition.

Business owners Katie and Shane Cummins consider the accolade a boost of confidence for a retailer that services the needs of farmers.

"For us, being in the middle of our fourth year of drought and faced with challenging climatic conditions, to be recognised as a successful business is a great personal achievement" Mr Cummins said..

"It's fantastic that the judges looked at the backroom of our business, including the financials, giving us a full overview of the business and comparing it with others," Mr Cummins said.

"It is a real yardstick of a good business if we are doing those things right."

No doubt the judges were also impressed by Allspares & Bearings' business innovation. They developed a niche product with a U.S manufacturer, becoming the sole importers of Aussie Scales load cells, a re-designed chaser bin scale designed for Australian conditions.

"We identified a need for this particular product in Australia," Mr Cummins said.

As an alternative to a permanent weighbridge, our scales can be fitted to an existing chaser bin, utilising an investment the farmer has already made, giving him a fully portable set of mobile scales, capable of infield weighing with a typical accuracy of 1/2 of 1 percent."

Aussie Scales load cells assist in ensuring the loading of grain trucks to the legal limit, allows users to check crop wields on the move and can be used to accurately calibrate yield monitors in modern headers.

The Yarrawonga business has already attracted sales in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia. Their next market is expected to come from Queensland farmers.

Their business mix of successfully investing in innovation and meeting customer needs, despite seemingly challenging times, will no doubt inspire other businesses to strive for success.