Loyalty a key to success

This is branded content for Milne Bros.

Milne Bros was founded in 1963 by identical twins Stan and Les Milne.

Milne Bros Equipment remains the longest established machinery dealerships and tractor sales in Central Queensland.

From humble beginnings in 1950 as dairy farmers, dam sinkers and earth moving contractors, the twins progressed to build premises and establish a business in Campbell Street, Rockhampton, in 1962.

The business specialised in the steel fabrication of stickrakes, front end loaders and rippers as well as carrying out tractor repairs.

In 1964, they acquired the Ford tractor franchise and commenced selling the new Ford tractor models along with a range of farm implements like Howard, Horwood Bagshaw and Napier Grasslands.

The acquisition of the Case IH Agricultural and Construction Equipment franchises in 1991 and Kubota Tractors in 1993 saw considerable growth in the business over the following years.

In 2005, the company established its Emerald branch and built new sales and administration offices and showroom at Gladstone Road, Rockhampton. Milne Bros further expanded its operations in 2014, establishing a branch in Biloela.

In 2019 Milne Bros entered the truck market, opening a new Hino and Kubota dealership in Mackay.

This was followed in January 2020 with the opening of a Hino Truck dealership in the second location of Rockhampton.

Milne Bros part-owner Dale Walters became involved with the business in 1989 as a junior parts interpreter.

"I spent six years in the spare parts department before I left for 10 years," Mr Walters said.

"I returned to Milne Bros in early 2005 as a sales representative and became a part-owner in 2014 along with Ron and Sterling Milne."

Milne Bros offer a broad range of services, parts and products. They sell only the leading brands that are best suited to their customers and their businesses.

Their best-selling brands include Case IH, Case CE, Kubota, Krone, Hino, Grizzly, Flexcoil, Howard, Jaylor and Digga.

Milne Bros pride themselves on being the longest privately owned and operated farm machinery and truck dealership in Central Queensland with six dealerships covering an area from Miriam Vale in the south to Bowen in the north and west to Longreach.

"We know the needs of the agriculture industry whether they are lifestyle farmers, graziers or the big broadacre farmer and have the aftersales service to back it up with 20 fully trained service technicians and 14 fully equipped service vehicles across our six branches," Mr Walters said.

Having worked in the industry for more than 30 years, Mr Walters has seen first-hand the evolution of farm machinery.

"The biggest change in technology with regard to machinery is on the farming side, with tractors now having GPS and telematics," he said.

"We are not far away from full autonomous driverless tractors, harvesters and self-propelled sprayers."

Milne Bros will be holding an exhibition stall at Beef 2021, an event they have attended each year since its inception in 1988.

"We will have the full range of farm machinery at Beef 2021, from tractors and hay equipment to planters, tillage and trucks that are suited to the beef industry," Mr Walters said.

"One of the biggest drawcards on our site will be the Grizzly Tiny Offsets for regrowth control on grazing land as Central Queensland is the biggest buyer in Australia for these machines."

Today, Milne Bros employs close to 70 staff members.

"Each of them stands out in their field and are passionate about our business and the industry we work in, and that flows onto our customer base," Mr Walters said.

Office manager Lea Dwyer, who started working for Stan and Les Milne when she was 15, will celebrate 50 years with the company next year and has worked with three generations of business owners.

"I have total respect for the Milne Family, and they have always treated me the same way," she said.

"After Stan and Les retired, Ron took over the business and now his son Sterling is also part-owner of the business, along with Dale Walters.

"I have formed lifetime friends with owners and staff members over the years, which makes it very easy to come to work every day. Loyalty, trust and respect are what I share between myself, business owners, staff members and customers."

Visit milnebros.com.au or call one of their branches.