Latest Ruralco News

Proudly serving the district for more than three decades, Greg Donaldson Contracting Ltd (GDC) prides itself on delivering a full range of civil contracting services across rural, residential and commercial projects with a commitment to providing excellent service, high quality, and professional workmanship in innovative and cost-effective ways. 

Providing standout electrical services across the residential, commercial, rural, and dairy sectors continues to be the main driver for Level Electrical Ashburton, just as it was when Mid Canterbury local Les Christie first established the business in 1980.

Built on more than 50 years of manufacture and supply to the civil and agricultural sectors, Hynds Pipe Systems’ newly minted Ashburton branch proudly opens its door.

Backed by a lifetime of racing and riding motorcycles, Jeff Marshall Motorcycles has serviced customers across the Canterbury region for almost 30 years. Having spent time working in motorcycle parts and sales in his early days, Jeff headed to Nelson to work in tractor sales and farm equipment. On his return to Ashburton, he started working for Suzuki before buying the business in 1995.

Stocker Solutions has prided itself on providing real value solutions for clients for almost thirty years. From its humble beginnings in a rundown garage in 1995, Shane and Cheryl Stocker have grown the company from a husband-and-wife team to a staff of 30 across five divisions—milking, plumbing, effluent, pumping, and industrial equipment. Today, their operations are based in a purpose-built building on State Highway 1, West Street.

Brothers Alan and Ian Neumann run a company so steeped in history and family values, it is one of the most successful tyre companies in the South Island. Their father started Neumann’s Tyres straight after the Second World War in 1945, when tyres were scarce. Through kiwi ingenuity he made do, repairing, reusing and making what he could, and soon gained a reputation as one of the region’s best.

Nathan and Karen Smith own two shoe shop and apparel stores in Timaru, The Shoe Shop and Stompz. As a teenager, Nathan worked in his parents’ shoe shop that they had owned since he was 4 years old. Nathan and Karen bought the original store Cobbler’s Inn in 2001, and subsequently started J-Walk and Stompz from there. Cobbler's Inn and J-Walk have recently amalgamated into The Shoe Shop. All stores partner with Ruralco and they actively promote this on a regular basis.

Richard Rayward started Air Safaris in 1970, flying out of Mesopotamia Station in the Rangitata Valley. For the first three years he concentrated on flying in guests for hunting, fishing and tramping from his small airplane.

Ed Body started his fencing business 25 years ago as the dairy industry was kicking off in Canterbury. Ed saw the need for quality fencing for the conversions, and quickly picked work up as a skilled and respected fencing contractor. Ed and his team not only do fencing, but have diversified into building cattle and sheep yards, hay sheds and urban fencing. 

Tony and Sharon Watson took over Mayfield Spraying in July 2021, after searching for a new business venture to run as their own. Tony has always worked on farms, so understands well how they operate and the challenges they face.