Ag parts business ends its 49year run
TRADITIONAL agricultural methods have largely been consigned to history as technology has taken over the industry, Thornbury Enterprises coowner Iain Bulling says.
Thornbury Enterprises was started in 1969 by Mr Bulling’s father, Stan.
It began as a sixweek trial, but was so successful it continued for more than 40 years.
While it had been boom times for most of the business’s life, the last five years had been a struggle, Iain Bulling said.
Now Mr Bulling and his wife, Nicky, have decided it is time to close for a stressfree life.
The building has been sold to a new enterprise.
When the business began, Stan Bulling recognised there was a business opportunity for secondhand tractor parts and refurbishing machinery.
In its early days the business had a reputation for being able to supply even the most unusual items for clients.
Stan Bulling was a contractor before starting the business, and that gave him a good knowledge of farming equipment and farmers’ requirements.
Iain Bulling joined the business in 1982 after working as an engineer at Checketts Engineering.
Thornbury Enterprises had been in existence for 49 years, and Iain Bulling has been involved for 36 years.
‘‘The business expanded quite considerably,’’ he said.
Land levellers were just one item the business manufactured.
Demand for levellers was high in earlier years, he said.
At its peak the business sold 26 in one season.
Stan and his wife, Dot, ran the business as a team. Mrs Bulling took care of the administration.
The same pattern continued when Iain and Nicky Bulling took over the reins.
‘‘It’s been exceptionally hard work,’’ he said.
‘‘I’d been coming in at 7 o’clock in the morning to paint a land leveller, then build another one, then painting another one before finishing at 7 at night.’’
But it had been a ‘‘hellava’’ lot of fun, he said.
The technological advances in agricultural machinery such as tractors and cultivating machinery meant if there were problems with the new machinery diagnostics, computer technology was needed to fix the problem.
Small businesses such as Thornbury Enterprises could not afford to buy the new diagnostic technology.
To add to this, governmentimposed compliance and health and safety requirements also caused difficulties for small business, he said.
The couple believed it was time for a change, and Mr Bulling had some health issues.
The business will close its doors on September 28.