In its 10-year history, Gration Transport has grown to be one of the largest hay carting companies in Australia. At one stage, they had 32 trucks carrying hay full time, and in the peak of the 2019/2020 droughts could often be found on the TV breakfast morning shows as they worked with charities to supply hay to those who needed it most.
Whilst they have scaled the business back now to allow time to raise a family and run their own beef cattle property, Gration Transport still has a large customer base across Australia with approx 4,000 yearly customers along with plenty of one-off customers.
Gration Transport is operated by Brenton and Kat Gration. The business first commenced as a general trucking operation, however with Kat’s background in dairying they discovered there was a need for a carrier to cart hay and fodder to dairy farmers in the Gippsland area.
Their business continued to grow and they gradually expanded beyond that area and through advertising and word of mouth, they were soon servicing Australia-wide.
Kat also holds a Diploma in Ag, so alongside the cartage operation, she can conduct feed tests and help with feed options for milk production.
“We source hay, silage, straw and have over 40 suppliers with every type of hay. If customers are organic and find an organic supplier, we can cart for them as well,” Kat said.
“At the beginning of the season, we have quite a range of hay available and then by the end of the season, we can only supply what’s left. At the moment we are scraping the bottom of the barrel.”
Kat also said that they’re not just limited to hay but they also do a lot of farm moves, and transporting machinery and gear.
Gration Transport is always busy as Australia seems to have one area in either drought or flood.
“This year the busiest area is Western Victoria/SA with the current drought from Geelong – Adelaide and shifting up to Central Vic. Last year was Eastern Australian in NSW and outback QLD,” Kat said.
In addition to supplying the dairy industry, they also provide fodder for sheep, beef, horse rescues, thoroughbred studs, bucking bull studs, major feedlots, interchange feedlots and also contract carting. The busiest period of the year is November to December with staff working 13 weeks straight often between properties and Brenton away 8 to 13 weeks.
“We heard about DelayPay from some clients and friends who use it,” mentioned Kat. “We decided to put a post on Facebook to let our customer base know about DelayPay and there were at least 20 people interested straight away.”
“We are not affiliated with DelayPay, but we are happy to refer customers to DelayPay, with customers thrilled they can put their hay purchase onto it and keep feeding their cattle while waiting on milk cheques or income to come in,” she said.
“Our business had got to a point where we were owed significant funds from customers and we had to make the decision that the hay had to be paid for before it came off the truck. It has been good using DelayPay, as we know the money is coming and that security knowing that we are going to be paid is very reassuring,” Kat said.
It is obvious the Grations have a heart for farming communities.
“We have a lot of customers who we helped during the 19/20 droughts and because we helped them at their lowest, they keep using us now. A farmer’s word of mouth is everything and they can spread word quicker than anyone, so we strive to run a reliable and respectful business that meets their needs,” she said.
If you want to know more about Gration Transport, check them out on Facebook HERE or if you want to know how DelayPay can help you buy the hay you need now while waiting on income to come in, request a callback HERE.