OUR HISTORY
1914
28 July – S R Suckling born
1943
S R Suckling ran a large team of men in Otahuhu, Auckland, who manufactured army tents for the government’s war effort. After the war, they began manufacturing canvas goods and horse covers.
(S R Suckling 3rd from left on back row)
1946
S R Suckling’s son Vernon was born.
1964
S R Suckling started a business under his own name in Dargaville.
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1972
Vernon started his own business called “Ranchcraft” making leather products.
1976
Vernon took over his father’s canvas business, incorporated it with his own and renamed to “Ranchware”
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1976
Opened new premises at Beach Road
1980
Ranchware specialised in stock horse saddlery – manufactured and sold over 900 saddles during the 1980’s
1980
Vernon’s brother Derek started working for him.
1985
Purchased own building and moved business to Gladstone Street
1986
Began marketing and selling products nationwide.
1986
Vernon’s son Kerry left school and started at Ranchware making saddles.
1987
Ranchware developed catalogues becoming a mail-order business, supplying saddlery and saddles throughout NZ.
1990
When the stock horse on farms began to disappear due to preference of the quad bike, Vernon felt the need to change the direction of his business.
1991
Saw potential in the quad market and went on to successfully develop the Quad Pod.
The Quad Pod was a popular product for a number of years, being distributed around NZ as well as Australia and UK.
1994
UTV’s were beginning to replace quad bikes on the market, so Ranchware began to develop cab kits and various accessories for them.
1996
Ranchware sold the mail-order business and this was the start of “Ag-Tech Industries.”
1997
Purchased an additional building next door.
1998
UTV cab kits were becoming very popular. Now operating out of two buildings, Ag-Tech ran a busy manufacturing team – its largest team yet!
1999
Renamed the canvas side of the business to ‘Canvas Town’ and closed the saddlery manufacturing line. All canvas work was channelled through Canvas Town, and the ATV & UTV accessories were channelled through Ag-Tech Industries and the new ‘TRAX Equipment’ brand.
2000
Developed the ‘Solar Shield’ brand following on from experience in the canvas trade which included some shade products. The need to provide work for oncoming family meant this was a natural decision. Solar Shield began manufacturing outdoor weather protection canopies.
2003
September: began new build for Ag-Tech Industries and Canvas Town work premises.
2004
New purpose-made factory built, moved business to Jervois Street.
2005
Solar Shield’s product range developed quickly to include shade sails, polycarbonate canopies and other related products. Derek purchased Canvas Town from Vernon, and started a separate business focusing on the canvas side including shade and shelter products. (This did not include Solar Shield Canopies.)
2006
Registered “Ag-Tech Industries Ltd” as a company. Sold products through two main brands: TRAX Equipment and Solar Shield
2008
Sold a total of 4000 Quad Pods
2010
Purchased a design for a motorbike carrier which fits onto the tow bar of vehicles. Kerry developed this further and named it the ‘SlipStream Dirtbike Carrier’ which is now a popular product amongst the TRAX Equipment range.
2011
Ag-Tech purchased a small business called ‘Bellows’ to provide more local work. Renamed to ‘Safeguard: Protection Bellows’ to become another brand under Ag-Tech.
2012
Early this year, successfully completed development of the world’s first flexible roll bar for quads. This was called the ‘ATV LifeGuard’ and launched as a separate brand.
2012
Won the Innovations Golden Standard Award at Mystery Creek National Fieldays for the prototype of the ATV LifeGuard.
2013
The ATV LifeGuard was the Winner of the NZ Workplace Health & Safety Award.
2014
Manufactured and sold over 1000 LifeGuards.
Shipped our first container to Australia.
2015
Rebranded the Solar Shield range.
2017
Total LifeGuards sold reaches 3000.
2018
Total LifeGuards sold reaches 4000.
2019
Successfully developed new flexible rollbar made from plastic, called the ‘QuadGuard’.
Reached total of 5000 LifeGuards sold.
2019
Sold 300 Quad Pods from 2008 to 2019 (total of 4300 sold to date.)
2020
Purchased small company – Tough-Pad – which manufactured safety padding products, specialising in pole pads. Included this in our Safeguard range and changed the brand name to ‘Safeguard Protection’.
6000 Lifeguards sold.
2021
Fully rebranded our main brand TRAX Equipment! We figured it was time to polish up our company mission and values and craft a refreshed new brand that better talks to who we are and what we do. We also merged the LifeGuard and QuadGuard brands into TRAX Equipment.
7000 Lifeguards sold.
Today :)
Ag-Tech Industries Ltd is our company today with our three main brands: TRAX Equipment |Solar Shield | Safeguard.
