Around 17 years ago, Stephen Millar and a few other family members commenced Fieldquip in Oakey, Queensland. Today, Fieldquip is a preferred supplier of tractor implements to major tractor brands. Fieldquip’s mowing and slashing equipment are distributed through reputable tractor dealerships in Australia, New Zealand and other Pacific Island countries.
Apart from manufacturing, Fieldquip also distributes a wide range of agricultural products from global brands such as Wiedenmann from Germany, Major from Ireland and RhinoAg from the USA. In 2014, Fieldquip was acquired by an international company the Alamo Group from Texas USA, further broadening its range of products and its market presence.
Products manufactured and supplied by Fieldquip are used to maintain turf and vegetation across many and varied applications, from high profile golf courses and sporting arenas to agricultural fields and roadsides. Fieldquip’s grass cutting and vegetation management equipment cover widths from 4 feet to 40 feet. Stephen states that Fieldquip has the widest range of vegetation management equipment offered here in Australia.
Stephen says Fieldquip’s products were all designed with the customers’ requirements in mind. That is the approach the company follows to date.
“It’s not just cutting the grass,” he says.
“A macadamia farm, an avocado orchard and a vineyard vary in the widths and size of mowers, mulchers, and slashers they require. Then, depending on whether you want the clippings discharged under the trees or discharged at the rear of the machine or mulched, there are multiple variations for each situation. We continually update our products as required. We are also always on the lookout for new and innovative ideas.”
Stephen commenced his working life as a carpet layer, when asked about how he moved from carpet laying to manufacturing agricultural gear, Stephen responds humbly with: “I guess it’s always been an interest of mine.”
“Even though I personally did not have a background in farming or manufacturing, my wife’s family had been involved in farming for many years. Back in 2004, we identified a need for a local agricultural equipment manufacturer, so we started by designing our first rotary grass cutting slashers. To date, slashers, finishing mowers and toppers are the main products that we sell.”
As Fieldquip’s equipment were designed originally for Australian outdoor conditions, it was only natural that when the time came to choose gear oil for their equipment, the company chose an Australian brand: Gulf Western Oil. Stephen says he wanted to make sure the lubricants in Fieldquip machines stand the high ambient temperature whilst working in the demanding Australian conditions, so they consulted their suppliers at BSC.
“BSC had been supplying bearings for our machines for as long as we have been in business. We told them we needed a reliable oil that would give a good life to the gearboxes. BSC recommended Gulf Western Oil, which met our requirements for longevity and high pressure,” says Stephen.
All Fieldquip’s slasher gearboxes are pre-filled with Gulf Western Oil Gear Lube 85W-140, which is a high-performance gear oil based on sulfur phosphorus extreme pressure technology.
Moreover, when any Fieldquip customer seeks the company’s advice to replace their gearbox oil, Stephen says they always recommend the Gear Lube 85W-140.
As Fieldquip grows, Stephen says having suppliers such as BSC by their side will help the company even further.
“As we grow, our demands [for bearings, lubricants and other spare parts] will also grow, so I would expect that we will be working with BSC even further.”
Stephen says Fieldquip prides itself on being an Australian manufacturing company.
“Building a range of Australian-made products that have come to be respected by prominent tractor brands nationally and internationally is our biggest milestone. Becoming part of the Alamo Group, which supplies slashers across the world, has also been a big leap forward for us. The Alamo Group manufacture slashers and mowing equipment across Europe, America, in the UK and now they also have a presence in Australia.”
“Australia is very diverse in agriculture, and of course is a land of drought and flooding rains, which means demand for our products can fluctuate from year to year. Luckily, we are not limited to agriculture. Our machines are used by different market segments. From golf courses to sporting fields, from horticultural and viticultural applications to improving pastures, wherever there is a need for grass cutting, we have it covered.”
Gulf Western Oil Gear Lube:
Gear Lube 80W-90 and 85W-140 are multipurpose, shear stable high performance gear oils based on sulfur phosphorus extreme pressure technology.
Features and benefits:
• Excellent extreme pressure protection
• Minimise scuffing
• Superior protection in high load applications
• Suitable for use in gear boxes, manual transmissions, final drives, hubs and transfer cases
• Not suitable for limited slip differentials.
