Mingenew Midwest Expo: Meet the seven companies making the commute to Expo since its inception 40 years ago

They’re the seven companies that have been taking their wares to Mingenew Midwest Expo for 40 years, and each has a reason they keep coming back.

Community engagement and support has been the main reason for seven of the Mingenew Mid West Expo’s longest supporting exhibitors and sponsors to return year after year for 40 years.

McIntosh and Son, AFGRI Equipment, Nufab Industries, Raycol Engineering, Elders, Nutrien Ag Solutions and Moylan Grain Silos have all been attending the expo since it began in 1983 and will continue to support it this year.

McIntosh and Son Geraldton branch manager Craig Adjuk said it was a tribute to the Mingenew community that it had been able to host an Expo for 40 years.

“We play just a very small part in the Expo,” Mr Adjuk said.

“It’s extraordinary — they’ve done a fantastic job to keep it going.”

He said McIntosh and Sons had been “one of the longest major sponsors” of the Expo and was in its eighth year of sponsoring the event, with the past five as naming rights sponsor.

“The support we get out of the region is very good,” Mr Adjuk said.

“Supporting them is our way of giving back, and it’s well worth while.”

McIntosh and Son will have its new 24 metre (80ft) Morris Quantum bar at the field days for the first time, along with a wide range of machinery products on display for viewing.

Geraldton manufacturer Nufab Industries director Peter Nunn said attending the Mingenew Mid West Expo used to be about sales but during the past 40 years it had developed into a relationship development opportunity — especially now there were multi-generational families that had been clients to the business.

“It used to be about sales but now it is about putting a face to a name and meeting up with customers,” Mr Nunn said.

He said the ongoing presence at the Expo has been “massive for our relationships” and “to make these connections is the most important part of it”.

Nufab was established in Dongara prior to moving to Geraldton and is planning to celebrate its 45th year in business in October.

“The community benefits from the Expo — the town comes together and it gives Elders a chance to build on client and community relationships, as well as showcase our range of available products,” Mr Kupsch said.

“The Elders Livestock Arena is a big thing for us and it has taken our level of support a bit higher.”

He said about 15 Elders staff from across the region would be on site during the expo to discuss products and assist clients, as well as help out where they can to ensure a successful event for the community.

Elders also plans to hold a sundowner at its site on the Wednesday night for clients as a “thanks” for their support, as well as to chat about how the Expo went.

Nutrien Ag Solutions regional marketing manager Komala Anglesey said events like the Mingenew Mid West Expo were crucial to rural and regional Australia.

“Nutrien is committed to continuing to support local agricultural industries and events,” Ms Anglesey said.

“We have thousands of employees living and working in rural and regional Australia, ingrained in their local communities that know events like field days make their communities thrive.

“We are here to support our growers, network and industry events; such as the Mingenew Mid West Expo.”

Raycol Engineering founder Colin Whyatt said the Geraldton-based company had been supporting the Expo for 40 years because of the client relationships that had been established over the years.

“I was there at the very first Expo in 1983,” Mr Whyatt said.

“We started on the oval and then moved onto the golf course next to it when the Expo expanded.

Raycol Engineering operates high-tech cutting machines to manufacture parts for a range of air seeding machines as well as other agricultural-related stainless steel products.

Corey Moylan, from Moylan Grain Silos, said the family owned company was “happy to support the Expo again this year” with a range of silos and field bins expected to be on display.

“It is typically a good grain growing area and there’s usually a bit of positivity around the field days — at Mingenew especially,” Mr Moylan said.

“The Expo has an all-volunteer workforce, where the community bands together and gets stuck in to make a show of it.

AFGRI Equipment will also be on site again this year at the Expo, having won multiple site awards for the company’s displays over the years.

Along with all machinery exhibitors it will display a range of products for perusal, with staff on hand to provide details and advice.

Read the official McIntosh & Son Mingenew Midwest Expo 2023 program (30MB).