The establishment of Kerfab warehouses across the country reinforces the company’s ongoing commitment to delivering quicker, more reliable service to customers nationwide.
Founded more than 30 years ago in a small shed in regional Victoria, Kerfab has built its reputation on innovation, durability, and customer-focused solutions.
It began as two founders building a loader arm for a local farmer’s tractor in the town of Kerang. The business has now evolved into Australia’s leading manufacturer of fit-for-purpose machinery attachments.
As Kerfab Chief Commercial Officer Warren McKean explains, the company’s reputation for quality and service has taken it from serving local farmers, to partnering with major global brands such as Caterpillar, John Deere, Komatsu, Hitachi, Volvo, JCB, Manitou, and Claas.
“Over the years, the company has steadily broadened its product range to cater to industries such as construction, agriculture, waste management, and mining,” he said.
“While we’ve expanded significantly, we’ve never left Kerang and it remains the heart of our manufacturing. But because of our growth, we have added warehouses in various locations to strengthen our ability to keep pace with demand, and ensure that equipment and spare parts are readily available when and where they’re needed.”
Kerfab currently operates three locations across Australia, each strategically placed to maximise its national reach.
“Our head office and manufacturing base is still in Kerang, supported by distribution and sales facilities in Canning Vale, WA, and Warwick, Queensland,” Warren said.
“We opened our Canning Vale facility in 2021 in response to growing demand in WA and the Northern Territory.
“Customers in these regions needed faster access to our products and support, and having stock on the ground locally makes a huge difference.
“Today, Perth is home to our largest warehouse and a dedicated local sales team, ensuring quicker delivery, support for WA dealers, and strong on-the-ground service.
“The Warwick site is our newest location and plays a vital role in supporting Queensland customers.
“It holds our standard product range and is staffed by locals who understand the challenges and conditions in the state.
“This means we can offer quicker turnaround times, personalised service, and the right advice based on local knowledge.
“Our warehouses hold a large inventory of spare parts, ensuring our customers can keep their machinery running with minimal downtime.”
Warren said in real terms this all meant “speed, savings, and certainty”.
“Dealers can source stock faster, cut down on freight costs, and lean on local account managers who know their region inside out,” he said.
“For end users, it means less downtime when parts are needed, advice that reflects local farming and contracting conditions, and the confidence that the attachment they need is sitting in a warehouse nearby and not on a truck halfway across the country.
“In Warwick, that means having the right gear on hand for contractors in the Darling Downs who can’t afford to have a machine parked up waiting for parts. In Perth, it means backing up broadacre farmers in the Wheatbelt with buckets, grabs, and forks ready to go when harvest pressure is on.
“By having stock and people on the ground, we can cut freight times, give local advice, and keep machines working.”
The Kerang facility is increasingly automated with robotic technology to meet rising demand.
From there, stock is shipped to WA and Queensland. These warehouses act as distribution and service hubs, holding a wide range of attachments ready for immediate delivery.
“This setup means farmers, contractors, and dealers in WA and Qld can access what they need quickly without waiting for freight from Victoria,” Warren said.
He said the business’ in-house engineering capability means Kerfab can design and manufacture bespoke attachments for almost any application.
“We often work hand-in-hand with clients, even visiting their site to make sure our design perfectly matches their requirements,” he said.
“With more than 30 years in the field, we’ve seen just about every application you can put a loader, telehandler, or skid steer through.
“That experience means we can spot early if a design needs reinforcing for rocky country, or if a customer in cane fields needs a heavier tine spacing to handle the crop without clogging.
“We can advise on what will work best in the paddock, on the jobsite, or at the depot so the attachment lasts longer, works harder, and fits the way locals actually use their machines.”
Warren said that testing of the products is tailored to the customer and the application.
“We can carry out finite element (FE) analysis, non-destructive testing (NDT), or even live on-site demonstrations to ensure the attachment is up to the task,” he said.
Warren said that by reinforcing its presence across the country, Kerfab is positioning itself not only as a trusted attachment supplier but as a partner in the success of its customers’ operations.
“As demand continues to grow, Kerfab’s new warehouses underline the company’s mission: to deliver Australian-made solutions backed by local service, no matter where the job is,” he said.