Efficient water use keeps N losses down
The number of kingfishers, fantails and other native birds are increasing on Mark and Devon Slee’s Canterbury farm, thanks to extensive planting in recent years.
Hinds, named after the river, named after Reverend Hinds, a founder of the Canterbury region, is better known for Robertson Manufacturing.
Founded in 1977, on the eastern side of the road, Robertson Engineering had a staff of Don and one other and produced grain trailers, sheep ramps and mothering pens.
In 1981, the company became the South Island’s first manufacturer of feed wagons; business boomed as farmers took to using silage as a supplementary feed, and staff numbers ballooned to eight.
Back then design usually started with a sketch of a machine in chalk on the workshop floor and started from the ground up.
Seeking a change of direction, Don and wife Delma sold the business and moved to the West Coast where they started farming, until 1989, when they heard the business had folded – so they sold up and headed back east across the pass.
At this time they also bought the old Wrightson/Dalgety building that stood on the west side of SH1, and a whole lot more space. This led to a major expansion in production of the feed and tip trailers that were the roots of the Robertson business in 1977.
Over the years, the company introduced fertiliser spreaders, silage grabs, muck forks and a range of quick hitches.
Throughout the years, Don Robertson has had a philosophy epitomised by one of his many sayings: “build it right, build it once”. He believes the time should be taken to get the design right, and use quality materials to ensure a trouble free life.
He also sees the need to keep in regular contact with the end users, who suggest improvements that have been incorporated into the designs over the years.
With the growing success of Robertson Engineering products in New Zealand, the word hit the streets and doors opened for exports which, to this day, took the Robertson brand to Australia, Chile, South Africa and even Denmark and Wales.
Throughout this time Don has been involved in all aspects of the business, from design to manufacturing, attending demos and field days and spending many hours behind the wheel of the delivery truck. This has kept him in touch with the business, but more importantly with the customers.
So fast forward to 2015, and what’s changed? Don has become one of Winston’s warriors and hit the age of 65. But he doesn’t show much sign of slowing down too much. He is still involved actively in the business, but taking a particular interest in the design of new products and the evolution of existing products.
Nowadays design is done using a CAD tool that can create a ‘virtual’ machine on the computer screen, and potential problems can be identified before a single piece of steel is cut. Indeed, the newly launched Little Ripper bale feeder took innovation honours at the recent South Island Agricultural Fieldays and added another great choice for New Zealand’s farmers.
Today the business employs 22 people, including 14 in production, and turn out two-three units per week
The same principles hold firm today as back when Robertson Engineering started – good design, using the best materials and attention to detail. This includes regular contact with end users and 24/7 parts and service back-up.
They say that with age comes wisdom and when recently asked “what’s changed?” Don commented “we use a hell of a lot less chalk nowadays!”
Happy birthday Don; have a Pig’s Nose on us!
