The Kotzur Group, now in their 71st year, is a proud family-owned manufacturing business that began on the Kotzur family farm, 'The Pines', at Alma Park in southern NSW. Here, the Kotzur family grew crops, wool, and pork, and in fact, contributed supplies to the World War II effort. Over the decades, the Kotzur Group has grown from supplying farmers handling grain to customers from multiple sectors across agriculture, mining and industry, handling numerous products. We spoke with FBA Forum Group member, Ben Kotzur, about his family business, its history and its growth throughout the years.
The history of the Kotzur Group
The Kotzur business story begins on the Kotzur family farm, 'The Pines' at Alma Park in southern NSW. Here, the Kotzur family grew crops, wool, and pork, and in fact, contributed supplies to the World War II effort.
Managing Director, Andrew Kotzur’s father, Ray, then a young man, helped the family to construct a concrete silo on the farm as a method to store grain in 1945. Ray had a passion for engineering and began building farm equipment at 'The Pines'. As the business grew, Ray moved to Walla Walla in 1953 and established Modern Engineering and Construction Co Pty Ltd, which focused on steel fabrication. When galvanised steel became available in coils, Ray saw the opportunity to build transportable silos and fifteen years after his contribution to the concrete silo, Ray manufactured the first steel silo in the country, the year was 1962.
In 1972 the company turned its focus to silos and ceased manufacturing other products, by 1985 after three years of testing, the first Kotzur gas-sealed transportable silo was built.
Now named the Kotzur Group, the family has been strategic in acquiring other silo and engineering businesses to support their growth into the design, engineering, installation and service of transportable silos, on-ground silos, and turn-key bulk solid storage and handling complexes across the country.
Their growth has spread from supplying farmers handling grain to customers from multiple sectors across agriculture, mining and industry, handling numerous products. Andrew and Michelle Kotzur took ownership of the business in 1997, their son Ben is currently the Chief Technical Officer, Ben’s wife Raquel also plays an integral part of the business.
With two manufacturing facilities, one in Walla Walla and the other in Toowoomba, the company employs over two hundred people. The Kotzur family are passionate about Australian manufacturing and are dedicated to continuously improving silo and handling equipment design, to achieve the best results for their valued customers.
Their greatest success
Now in their 71st year, the Kotzur family are extremely proud to have thrived for 70 years as a manufacturing business in Australia. It is a tough industry, so to have grown over that time and now have the third generation preparing to continue running the business in the family name, is their greatest success.
The value of FBA membership
The Kotzur family decided to join FBA after positive discussions with other FBA members, who had discussed the benefits they had discovered from their membership.
The catalyst for the family was wanting the best advice for succession planning when it was time to start planning for Ben and Raquel to take broader roles in the business. The plan is for the third generation to eventually manage the business, having a strong foundation for the process was important to the entire family.
Andrew Kotzur said he values the networking opportunities and depth of knowledge and insight that the FBA community offers. Being able to engage with other family businesses that share the same values and have long-term experience running a family business has been extremely helpful.
Ben Kotzur has found that being part of a Forum Group has provided a valuable opportunity to discuss organisational challenges across different sectors, with like-minded people. The National conference also provides the opportunity to gain useful insights through the family business lens.
Advice for other Family Businesses
Andrew and Ben highly recommend accessing the resources and networking opportunities that come with an FBA membership to anyone thinking of becoming a member of the association.
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