Kew Agriculture Engineering is a family-owned and operated business that can be found nestled in McLaren Vale countryside, as part of the coastal wellspring that is the Fleurieu agriculture and wine region.

A sweeping landscape of rolling green hills, known for its vineyards, as well as its stunning views, the Fleurieu Peninsula garnered its name from French hydrographer, Charles Pierre Claret de Fleurieu. It has since become a popular tourist destination for those visiting the nearby city of Adelaide in South Australia.

Julian Kew has been the Owner and Manager of Kew Agriculture Engineering, formerly known as Oliver Engineering, for more than twelve years.

During this time, he has seen the local community in McLaren Vale flourish and the wine producers have excellent vintage seasons.

With the vast number of wine producers in the Fleurieu there is a need for a service to support the agricultural equipment in the local industry.

Kew is one such company, they provide specific expertise for repair, spare parts, service and manufacture of the agricultural equipment that the industry relies on. A customer can go to them for an engineering solution and Kew will produce a design to meet their requirements.

“We specialise in producing agriculture equipment to support the growing body of industrial businesses here. This is big wine country, so we need to provide a service that is knowledgeable, prompt and dependable,” says Julian.

With support to Kew, Steve Wilkinson has been an Account Manager at the BSC Lonsdale branch in South Australia for more than eight years. During this time, he has worked closely with Kew and has fostered and maintained a long-standing relationship and has forged a bond between both businesses.

“Kew orders a range of products from us,” says Steve. “From workshop consumables, to bearings, chain and power transmission products. We recently sold them some Fenner stainless steel chain, which has gone into a machine belonging to one of their customers.”

The Fenner Group was founded in 1861 by Joseph Henry Fenner.

Today, Fenner is part of the Michelin group of companies, headquartered in Clermont-Ferrand, France. Fenner has over 150 years of history in the industrial manufacturing business, pioneering reinforced polymers and belt technology since the early days of coal mining. Their long-standing history aligns with both BSC and Kew Agriculture in their unwavering approach.

Julian explains how he integrates Fenner products into Kew Agricultural Engineering products. “Fenner is a reputable chain manufacturer, and we use their products in the manufacturing of our water drills and other products for our customers. We do work across the farming industry. We use chains for many vineyard equipment requirements he adds.

We rely on BSC to supply us with a range of Fenner ironware products. Some are conventional products such as bearings, seals, sprockets, chains, but we also have some needs for less conventional products.  We are particularly fond of the Fenner stainless steel sprockets.

“BSC has proven to be a reliable supplier with excellent customer service. They deliver promptly, and their local staff at Lonsdale are always knowledgeable, friendly and helpful.”

Steve has facilitated the supply of Fenner products to Kew at the BSC Lonsdale branch.

“The chain is only a small part of the Fenner range. We sell a lot of chains, pulleys, belts, and taper lock bushes to Kew regularly. They order Fenner ironware products in bulk, which they use either to replace worn-out parts for their customers’ equipment or to design new equipment.”

When it comes to Fenner ironware, Steve considers them one of the best available on the market.

“Fenner is economical, especially when you are talking stainless steel chains. It is a reliable product, has excellent quality, and certainly comes at a fair price point. Not to mention, its versatility for different application purposes. There isn’t much more you could want from a range of products,” he says.