Powering irrigation and the Goondiwindi economy
The Client: McGregor Diesel
Nestled on the banks of the Macintyre River at the junction of the border with New South Wales lies one of one of Queensland’s fastest growing rural communities. Goondiwindi – derived from an Aboriginal word Goonawinna meaning ‘the resting place of the birds’ – is surrounded by farmlands of cotton, olives and other primary produce. The area’s strong reliance on agriculture is driven by a mix of grazing, dryland farming and irrigation and while Goondiwindi is very reliant on the annual wheat crop, cotton is the main crop grown when water is available.
The Background
McGregor Diesel specialise in repairs and maintenance to a wide range of earthmoving and industrial equipment providing all onsite support and equipment, including repairs, diagnostics and servicing, and infield planned maintenance and breakdown maintenance for all types of equipment, including the many powered by Cat®. In fact, founder Shane McGregor has been partnering with Energy Power Systems Australia (EPSA) since 1991 where he began his working relationship with the company through a previous employer. When McGregor Diesel started in 2008, Shane and his team began servicing and repairing all Cat engines in the region and subsequently bought the first of many Cat engines rising to a peak of seven in 2020 alone. Shane says that they now mainly service and repair Caterpillar machines due to the “high demand” of
Caterpillar engines and parts in the region. “The product and parts support through EPSA and their Cat Dealer Partner Hastings Deering are always outstanding. The products are reliable, available for good prices, with second-to-none-quality, and quick delivery with superb freight and shipping service. The customer support is always helpful, professional with the team’s expert knowledge complemented by their honest ‘care-factor’ about our business.”
The Solution
McGregor Diesel’s long-term customer, Brooklyn Farms have seven main holdings in the region conducting both irrigated and dryland farming. During a pump site management review, they decided to undertake an engine restructure utilising the different engine brands they had installed and they required various different sizes of engines due to their irrigation system network. “They needed different Cat engine sizes (from C4 to C15) and as we mainly use Caterpillar parts, knew that EPSA was the best choice to cover all their irrigation system needs. Since August 2020, Brooklyn Farms have since Installed six Cat engines – one C7.1, three C13s, one C9 and one C4”, says Shane McGregor.
Ultimately, EPSA’s personalised support stands alone. They have reliable staff with high expertise and deliver world-class Cat product in a timely manner. They meet our business needs and I’m proud that our relationship has truly developed on a personal level over the years too.
Shane McGregor – Founder, McGregor Diesel
The Results
“Our customers are reliant on us providing good quality products and service,” says Shane. “It underpins our reputation, so in turn, we need the same – we are heavily reliant on word-of-mouth. Goondiwindi is farming country. It provides the main income for most of the local population. They need to ensure their machines are operating and they can access parts that are easily available and reliable – with fast service. We provide that service and as such, our relationships with the EPSA and the wider Cat Dealer Network is a critical link in the process.”
The relationship to support Brooklyn Farms with a cohesive and seamless Cat solution is just one such example of the McGregor Diesel and EPSA story. “Just recently, McGregor purchased a Cat 3054TA industrial diesel engine intermittent ‘C’ with a duty rating of 127 HP, 95 kW @ 2200 RPM; and Cat C9 industrial diesel engine, heavy duty ‘B’ with a rating of 375 HP, 280 kW @ 1800-2200 RPM. The 3054TA is for an oil well pump located west of Thargamindah while the C9 is for another irrigation engine in the local Goondiwindi area.” This is such a magnificent story of the power of a great relationship and keeping Australia’s rural heartland fighting fit.