The Timaru-based business specialised in manufacturing agricultural machinery and is best known for its Agtrailer range. In 1995, Coombridge Industries Ltd was established by brothers Warwick and John Coombridge as a South Island based offshoot of long-standing, Waikato farm machinery manufacturers Coombridge & Alexander Ltd (best known for SAM fertiliser spreaders, silage wagons and trailers). Specialising in agricultural machinery built big and tough to handle South Island conditions, the CIL | Agtrailer range includes the Multi-feed Wagon, Hydraulic Tip Trailer and Multi-skip Wagons.
"Farmers needed large and very heavy-duty cycle machines. Herd sizes could be 10 time larger [than parts of the North Island], days of use per year five to seven times greater, and the equipment needed to be robust enough to track over terrain varying from conventional dairy pasture to outwash moraine," says Warwick.
CIL was initially established to manufacture SAM product for that market, but Warwick realised that South Island market had different demands. "Farmers needed large and very heavy-duty cycle machines. Herd sizes could be 10x larger [than parts of the North Island], days of use per year five to seven times greater, and the equipment needed to be robust enough to track over terrain varying from conventional dairy pasture to outwash moraine," says Warwick. CIL committed itself to meet theses challenges and by the late 1990s its equipment had evolved to a point where it could no longer be marketed as Waikato product at the same price point.
The company was then restructured and rebranded as Agtrailer. CIL still works closely with Coombridge and Alexander, sharing technology, purchasing and marketing. For over 30 years now Coombridge Industries had developed a strong reputation for the quality and durability of its products. Warwick has always had a passion for improving product design. He enjoys close relationships with his farming clients, encouraging their input to make improvements for the future. Agtrailer is acknowledge nationwide for its innovative designs, product reliability, and heavy duty framework.
