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Gason History
The beginnings of todays operation at Gason go back to February 1946 when Mr. Frank Gason founded a motor trimming business in the western Victorian town of Ararat.
Frank worked at the Ford Motor Company in Geelong and decided to move his family to Ararat. He had no premises, little money, no contracts – just experience and a strong will to get started. Eventually a small rented business was established known as A.F. Gason, Motor Trimmer & Body Builder. The business started with a workbench a small selection of hand tools, even small stock and a sewing machine.
From that humble beginning the company expanded in the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s to be a world leader in the design and manufacture of tractor cabins. Then as tractors began arriving into Australia with cabins already fitted as standard, Gason continued to diversify into the agricultural sector.
Today 60 years after commencement the business has become one of Australia’s leaders in the design and manufacture of quality innovative seeding and tillage equipment. Recognizing the fluctuation in the agricultural sector Gason decided to enter new markets by diversifying its product range to include solid fuel and gas heaters.
With two fully automatic laser cutting machines now operating, sometimes 24 hours a day, Gason has great capacity to satisfy their own internal steel cutting needs, and also carry out a considerable amount of subcontract work for various companies across a wide sector.
The company operates its manufacturing operation from its 3.2 hectare site at Ararat, Victoria with 18,000 square metres of under cover floor space. Sales personnel operate throughout Australia with a sales office for machinery at Ararat and for heaters at Bayswater, Victoria.
Gason today provides back up sales and service to its approximately 400 dealer outlets throughout Australia and overseas.
History – 1947 First tractor cabin was built. Extension of the original workshop. 1949 Began building caravans. 1951 Fire destroyed the premises 1952 Purchased land and built premises in McGibbony Street. 1957 Les Gason started at the factory as a motor body builder. 1963 First newly designed Gason cab was released. 1966 Foundations were laid for the new factory in Blake Street increasing the floor plan by ten-fold. 1967 Mark 1 Model of Gason Air-Cab was released. 1976 First container of Cultivators from US arrived and a licence agreement was signed with Hiniker and product was sold under
the name Gason-Hiniker.
1982 Greg Gason joins the Company.
1985 Wayne Gason joins the Company.
1986 Gason works with Australian Classic Cars to build the replica MGTD sports car, the TD2000.
1986 Gason commence manufacturing the Arrow brand of wood heaters.
1989 Commenced manufacturing heaters for Eureka Heating Pty. Ltd.
2001 Gason acquires leading heater company Eureka Heating.
2001 Gason acquires leading heater company Jindara Heating.
2006 Purchases state of the art laser cutting machines.
2008 Purchases a second laser cutting machine.
2009 Purchases state of the art robotic welding equipment.
2009 Gason acquire the IP for a Disc/Tine combination machine.
2009 Les Gason retires as Managing Director and a new Managing Director is appointed.
2010 Gason acquires the IP of Chris Grow Engineering (mowers and slashers).
2010 Gason manufactures the Para-Maxx Planter, Australian designed and built and the most advances Planter on the market today.
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