Gilchrist Brothers Ltd leads the way in spray technology and custom-built machinery, showcasing Kiwi innovation and agricultural excellence in Canterbury
As the seasons change, farmers prepare their agricultural machinery for upcoming tasks. Regular seasonal maintenance is essential to keep machines running smoothly, reduce the risks of breakdowns, and ensure optimal performance.
When it comes to setting standards and showcasing agricultural excellence, brothers Peter and Andrew Gilchrist are leaders in their field (no pun intended).
Having founded Gilchrist Brothers Ltd (GBL) in 2005, they have since gone on to cement themselves as an example of leadership, learning and innovation. With chemical spraying at the heart of the business, Peter, Andrew and their team typically service large-scale farming operations such as dairy and arable blocks and anything over 4ha throughout the North Canterbury region.
Their core spray fleet consists of a large-scale Case IH Patriot SPX 4430 crop sprayer and four 70s Series Toyota Landcruiser’s custom built in-house to suit the local soft and rolling terrain.
The fleet also boasts innovative GPS Autosteer Guidance systems, ensuring accurate placement with minimal overlap for every spay application. Auto-rate and auto-section control features ensure precise chemical application, slashing waste and saving money in the process.
Another part of the GBL technology offering is Crop Health Monitoring, with sensors optimising liquid application by measuring plant health and enabling variable-rate spraying for precise treatment. From insecticides to herbicides, fungicides, growth regulators, pesticides and liquid fertilisers, the depth and breadth of knowledge interwoven into every facet of GBL ensures outstanding expertise and up-to-date knowledge around chemical applications.
EARLY YEARS
Peter and Andrew’s early years in the industry were something of a steep learning curve, as they took over an existing spray contracting business from Rangiora local legend Murray Evans, who sadly passed away in 2005. At the time Peter had been working as a technical field rep at the PGG Wrightson store in Fairlie, and Andrew was contracting with a sheep conveyor.
The pair originally got involved to help the spraying business keep operating following the loss of Murray, and it didn’t take long to decide that this was an industry they could see a future in, working together and growing. It was a signi ficant undertaking for a couple of guys in their early 20s, but they’d already been fortunate enough to glean some learnings from Murray, and having worked at PGG Wrightson, had existing relationships with chemical reps and good agronomy knowledge.
Having learned much of their early craft in a fairly intense learning curve, support from local farmers and contractors was also gratefully appreciated.
Fast forward 25 years, and Peter and Andrew are now the ones setting the pace when it comes to showcasing leading spray innovations – right down to building and manufacturing their own spray trucks and ‘gadgets’.
“It’s not just building them, it’s servicing them and supplying parts to those clients throughout New Zealand, which is also quite a big job,” says Andrew.
KIWI INNOVATION
Part of the mindset behind this side of the business was ensuring consistent year-round work for their employees, and manufacturing custom-made spray trucks proved the ideal solution.
Their fi rst foray into this space was at the end of their first season spraying, when Andrew, who has a knack for turning out some pretty handy gear, started pulling the old Nissan Patrol apart and essentially rebuilt it to his own custom speci fications.
“We refurbished it, rather than replacing it, and learnt a lot in the process.
“I discovered pretty quickly that although most outside engineers are good at what they do, they really don’t comprehend the whole spraying side of it and the intricacies of that. It’s a very speci fic skill set.”
With Peter knowing his chemicals inside out and being a huge proponent of the latest spraying technologies, together he and Andrew make a formidable team. Working with some top Kiwi and international brands, they also modify existing components to be more ‘contractor proof’, and manufacture booms and boom brackets in-house as well as building decks from scratch.
Undoubtedly one of their hero achievements is their custom built auto steering systems, and GPS services these can be integrated with. With increasingly tight margins in all aspects of rural contracting businesses, the bene fits of auto-steering are hugely important – allowing greater accuracy, fewer overlaps, reduced chemical use (and waste), better protection of the environment and a smaller carbon footprint.
After several years of development, in 2022, GBL introduced the fi rst auto steering system to be certi fied by Waka Kotahi NZTA for use in New Zealand. This meant their spray truck could legally be driven on public roads – even with the signi ficant changes made to the truck’s driving and safety systems.
Put simply, the GBL team replaced the original steering wheel with a Topcon electro-magnetic steering wheel. This is then integrated with a Topcon X25 controller and antenna – allowing communication between the steering wheel and GPS system.
The engineering and fabrication side of the business continues to grow steadily and innovate, with a cutting-edge onsite workshop specialising in crafting and fine tuning high-precision spray trucks.
SETTING STANDARDS
Andrew and Peter lead by example, and training, education and upskilling are an integral part of their business plan.
“In New Zealand, we’re lucky to have the best technology at our fingertips and you can train to be a Registered Chemical Applicator with Rural Contractors New Zealand, which gives you the skills and knowledge to apply agrichemicals to a wide variety of crops,” says Andrew.
“Like all industries, technology is at the forefront, and we like to train our staff with the best quality gear and the highest technology, and this opens up a world full of adventure where it can be replicated in many other countries around the world,” says Peter.
“Our Case IH Patriot sprayer is a 330hp $500,000 beast, which sprays at 30m wide and carries 4500 litres of product. Our Toyota Landcruiser spray rigs are 15m wide and carry the latest in GPS guidance technology and also the nozzle technology.
“Technology has come a long way in the last 15 years particularly. Our machines are now capable of driving themselves, with the aid of someone in the seat. The large array of switches, touch screen displays and joystick control, enables the operator to have everything at their fi ngertips to control these large machines with great precision.
“What we operate here in New Zealand is de finitely replicated in Australia, the UK and America.
“It’s a fantastic industry, dealing with fantastic people and some of the best machinery and equipment in the world. What more could you want in a job?!”