The Land

ProWay - 20 years in livestock innovation

PROUDLY AUSTRALIAN MADE: ProWay sheep yards built to last for Lachlan and Sophie Kelly LSK Poll Dorset and Suffolk Stud, Hexham VIC.
PROUDLY AUSTRALIAN MADE: ProWay sheep yards built to last for Lachlan and Sophie Kelly LSK Poll Dorset and Suffolk Stud, Hexham VIC.

This is advertiser content for Proway Livestock Equipment.

PROWAY Livestock Equipment has been a leader in the design and delivery of livestock handling facilities for 20 years.

Since its inception in 2000, ProWay has earned the trust and support of corporate and private farms, livestock feedlots, abattoirs and commercial sale yards across Australia and overseas.

In the past few years ProWay has extended its services to livestock operations abroad, designing and building state-of-the-art facilities in the US, UK, New Zealand and Kazakhstan.

At the heart of their success has been innovative product development and practical consultation, reliability, experience, customisation and quality, which has enabled ProWay to maintain a premium product range and customer service catering to professional livestock operations.

Company director and designer Bill Thomas said ProWay's commitment to manufacturing quality and purpose-built facilities is a key factor for many livestock operations.

Mr Thomas leads the commercial design team who have implemented state-of-the-art saleyard projects for Dalby regional saleyards, QLD; SELX in Yass, NSW; WVLX in Mortlake, VIC; East Gippsland and Shepparton, VIC; and Dubbo, Forbes and Wagga Wagga, NSW.

Mr Thomas is acutely aware of the importance of regional manufacturing.

"There is definitely a push from our customers and the general community to buy Australian-made," he said.

"There are many benefits but the leading factor is trust that ProWay has the expertise and will deliver a quality result. Australian farmers also understand buying Australian-made means money and skills going back into the community.

"We employ close to 90 staff who live and spend their wages in regional Australia. When you buy products that aren't Australian made, those wages are going overseas."

BUILT TO LAST: Victoria Livestock Exchange managing director Wayne Osbourne and ProWay director Bill Thomas at the launch of the East Gippsland Livestock Exchange designed and manufactured by ProWay.
BUILT TO LAST: Victoria Livestock Exchange managing director Wayne Osbourne and ProWay director Bill Thomas at the launch of the East Gippsland Livestock Exchange designed and manufactured by ProWay.

Mr Thomas said it was also crucial to value skills training in regional Australia and ProWay was playing its part.

"Australia relies on qualified tradespeople across many industries, particularly in the agriculture sector," he said.

"Historically it's workshops like ours that offer apprenticeships and provide an entry and completion of a trade.

"There's plenty of cheaper products coming into the market in shipping containers from overseas but you have to think how sustainable is this for the local and national economy?

"Our clients expect a high standard and we strive to deliver quality.

"Our design teams work closely with our customers and their ideas are relayed through our engineering and fabrication departments on a daily basis. It's this kind of turnaround that is unique to our products and service."

ProWay has registered growth in inquiries by farmers looking to improve stock yards and shearing sheds courtesy of autumn rain, a buoyant commodity market and the federal government's $150,000 instant depreciation scheme, said sales manager and stock yard designer Heath Cole.

Forecasting continued growth in the livestock sector, Mr Cole said: "It's certainly been a testing couple of years for much of the country, but we are seeing an enquiry lift in regions that have been doing it tough, which is very positive."

A loyal customer base stretching back to their formative days has helped underpin much of ProWay's success, Mr Cole said.

"We're seeing many clients coming back to build shearing sheds or yards that have dealt with us over the years. It's reassuring to speak with farmers who comment on the quality of a project that was built 10 or more years ago.

"This is what drives us to design and build facilities and equipment that make the industry more efficient, keeps staff safe and enhances profitability, so much of it comes back to continued product development.

"Many of our clients are second- and third-time customers and we rely on their experiences and feedback to improve the product range and identify trends in the industry.

"Lead-ups to multiple handlers, automation in the yards with remote controls and pneumatic gates, unique husbandry requirements, selling and processing technology, as well as feedlot and quarantine facilities are among the trends we see evolving in the livestock game."

ProWay's team of stockyard designers are very experienced.

Visit proway.com.au, email information@proway.com.au or call 1300 655 383.

This is advertiser content for Proway Livestock Equipment.