By Bronwyn Hastings

Ararat’s fourth-generation design and manufacturing business Gason has weathered many a storm since beginning in 1946.

Changes in industry, economy and demand have seen the business adapt from motor trimming to fabricating farm machinery and wood heating products, and many things in between.

Managing director Wayne Gason said his grandfather Frank started the business when he moved from Geelong with his young family, seeking post World War II opportunities.

“Frank decided to grab his bicycle, buy a ticket, and travel to Stawell by train back in 1945,” he said.

“Up until that time, he’d been working at the Ford Motor Company in a number of different departments, but mainly as a motor body trimmer.

“At Stawell, he found there was already a motor body trimming business in town. It was doing quite a good job, and he thought he’d have less chance to succeed in Stawell than what he did in Ararat.”

Frank rented a garage shop at the corner of Tobin and View Point streets for 25 shillings a week.

“He would do anything from pram hoods, panel beating to upholstery,” Mr Gason said.

“It all changed one day when a farmer from Tatyoon, Adam Stewart, asked if he could make a cabin for his Twin City tractor. Adam’s requirements were fairly simple, it just had to have comfort and protection from the weather. And this was pretty well unheard of on a tractor back in those days. But over the following years, all types of cabins were made.

“In 1952, Frank built a new factory in McGibbony Street, then in 1957 as a 15-year-old, my father started with Frank as an apprentice.”

In 1958, Gason was invited to build a cabin for a Minneapolis Moline GTA tractor, the first of tens of thousands to be produced across 40 years. 

By the mid-1970s they were the market leaders.

By 1965, the premises in McGibbony Street was too small, and council suggested some land in Blake Street. 

A 12,000-square-foot premises was built, along with an office block, which still stands today.

Gason diversified to design and manufacture Australia-specific agricultural machinery such as cultivation equipment and air seeders, and in the 1980s helped pioneer an Australian standard for rollover protection structures for tractors, and established an accredited test facility at the factory.

“In 1987, Gason became the fifth-largest car manufacturer in Australia, producing 100 vehicles over the following four years,” Mr Gason said.

“In 2006, we started doing subcontract work for other companies – anything that requires cutting, folding, welding, powder coating, we’re interested in doing it.”

Mr Gason said there were five philosophies that have contributed to the business’s success.

“We only expand with our capacity to pay, not our capacity to borrow; we trade fairly and pay our financial commitments when they are due, and we expect our customers to do the same; we only build products that we believe will stand the test of time; we back the products we manufacture with after-sales spare parts; and we have a diversified company, currently working in three business streams,” he said.

Gason continues to fabricate farm machinery and wood-heating products, including the well-known Eureka and Jindara woodfire brands.

“Over the next three years we’ll be investing heavily in engineering, designing new products in the farm machinery and the heating sides of the business,” Mr Gason said.

“From a farming perspective, we’re about to release an active hitch planter bar, which will be released at field days in September.

“The engineering team is working on a new air seeder range, which is going to start at 30,000 litres. It will have sectional control, greater output capacity and higher blower performance, while still retaining a robust, reliable and easy to use machine that Gason is renowned for.

“One of the big things for us is to ensure that we bring apprentices through the business – for more than 50 years, that’s what we’ve done and still do today.

“People who are interested in doing an apprenticeship in metal fabrication can contact us.”

Mr Gason said there was a great business network and community in Ararat.

“Over the years we’ve been blessed to have very supportive people around us, we live in a very supportive community,” he said. 

The entire August 27, 2024 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!

The entire August, 27, 2024 edition of AgLife is available online. READ IT HERE!