| TRU -TEST GROUP |
|
Tru-Test began life in 1963 when John Hartstone, a King Country dairy farmer, developed a precision proportional flow milk meter. Since then, Tru-Test has acquired many companies including Hayes, Supershear, Cyclone, Speedrite, Stafix and PEL. The product range is now extensive, including electric fencing, traditional fencing hardware and tools, precision weighing equipment, shearing supplies and animal management software. 1902 Sunbeam (forerunner of the Supershear products) appears in the Australian shearing industry. Supershear later acquired by Tru-Test Ltd. 1903 Cyclone brand of traditional wire fencing solutions launched. Cyclone later acquired by Tru-Test Ltd. 1938 First Speedrite energizer developed in Levin, New Zealand. Speedrite later acquired by Tru-Test Ltd. 1958 Stafix brand name established in Invercargill, New Zealand. Stafix later acquired by Tru-Test Ltd. 1960’s PEL enters the electric fence market with a range of energizers PEL later acquired by Tru-Test Ltd. 1963 First Tru-Test Milk Meter born. John Hartstone, a Waikato dairy farmer, seeks a product to facilitate herd recording. He develops one of the world's first precision commercial proportionate flow meters and founds what would later become Tru-Test Ltd. 1964 Scientific Farm Appliances, (later renamed Tru-Test Corporation) raises capital of $7,600 from a number of shareholders in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions of New Zealand. 1967 New Zealand and British authorities officially approve the flow Milk Meter. 1985 Removal of New Zealand export and agricultural subsidies impacts significantly on Tru-Test’s financial position. 1989 A management buy-out completed and a technology and distribution strategy implemented. Tru-Test incorporated in the United States and the North American subsidiary (Tru-Test Inc.) opens in Texas USA. 1989 – 1991 Tru-Test divests or discontinues all non-core activities and products. 1990 Tru-Test wins the Governor General’s Supreme Award for Export Excellence and the Prime Minister’s Award for Outstanding Innovation in Exporting. 1996 Tru-Test enters the electric fence market with the acquisition of Speedrite and its Mexican subsidiary. The Australian operation is re-structured into a 100% owned trading subsidiary. 1997 Acquisition of plastic moulding and die making facility in Napier, New Zealand. 1998 Acquisition of electric fence company, Stafix. 1999 Tru-Test divests its entire Central and Eastern European subsidiaries, forms a joint-venture company in Brazil, and acquires a poliwire and politape manufacturing plant in Victoria, Australia. 2000 Tru-Test shifts into world class manufacturing facility in Carbine Road, Auckland. The poliwire and politape manufacturing operation is relocated to Auckland. Finalist in Export Awards (Tru-Test had not participated in the awards since winning in 1990). 2001 Tru-Test acquires: • PEL Industries Ltd, electric fence products • Woodcock Speedrite, Tru-Test's electric fence distributor in Australia. • Cyclone, traditional wire fence products. • Hayes, fencing tools and accessories. • Supershear, manufacturer and distributor of wool harvesting equipment. A rural division of Sunbeam, Australia. 2004 Tru-Test launches the world’s first Unigizer™ – a revolutionary energizer offering powered by either mains power or a battery. Patriot brand energizers launched into the North American market. Tru-Test divests Cyclone as non-strategic. 2005 WOW!® Walk Over Weighing system launched. Tru-Test extends remote control capability throughout its large mains energizer range. 2006 ICAR approval granted for Tru-Test’s Electronic Milk Meter. TRACC programme initiated as the first step to becoming a World Class Manufacturer. Patriot brand expanded to include accessories in the North American market. 2007 Industry-leading Bluetooth scale launched. Pinnacle, Tru-Test’s first animal management software application launched. The software connects wirelessly to RFID readers and scales, translating data into animal records for animal management decision making. Hayes SuperCrimp® tool launched – combining the two most commonly used fencing tools in one. |