Nearly 70 years ago, brothers Fred and Frank Vermeeren migrated to Australia from the Netherlands along with their parents and ended up settling in the small town of Keith in South Australia. About 11 years later, they founded an engineering and irrigation business that has since been passed on to the next generation in the family and today employs more than 20 staff and several apprentices.
Since its creation, the Vermeeren Bros engineering and irrigation company has proved to be an innovator in design and fabrication of irrigation and farming equipment. One of the company’s earlier designs was the Cattle Crush, an effective livestock handling system which became a staple for farmers across Australia, making its way as far as Alice Springs.
Another popular product designed by Vermeeren Bros was their renowned Minispreader, which facilitates easy spread of snail bait, mice bait, fertiliser and pasture seed from the back of a utility vehicle. The team has perfected the design over the years, adding optional attachments to distribute bait in two rows for vineyard use and a transfer bin to minimise the manual handling of bait and seeds.
Anthony Vermeeren, Co-Director, is proud of the quality of workmanship and the innovation his team delivers, which has helped the company build strong customer relationships over the years.
“Without quality workmanship we would not have seen returning customers and without innovation our business would not have lasted over 50 years. The importance of customer relations cannot be overstated,” he says.
BSC-Lonsdale Sales Representative Steve Wilkinson works closely with Anthony and his team to supply a wide range of industrial products for their day-to-day workshop needs. He is particularly impressed with Vermeeren Bros’ support for their staff and apprentices. “Vermeeren Bros provide continuous onsite training to their staff and apprentices and invest in their education and skills development. Doing so, they are extending their support to their local community and setting a great example for other businesses in the area,” he concludes.
