Kerfab has been a post-pandemic success story, with expansion just one part of the company’s growth
For attachments manufacturer Kerfab, its long-term planning has allowed the Covid pandemic’s challenges to become things of the past.
It has been full steam ahead for Kerfab in the last couple of years, thanks in no small part to its decision to expand with a second factory adjacent to the original site in the northern Victorian town of Kerang.
Backed by more than 30 years of history, Kerfab has also refreshed its identity in the nation’s west with a freshly wrapped truck and new sign at its warehouse in the Perth suburb of Canning Vale.
That move was about increasing the company’s visibility in the region and helping more people to discover what sets the manufacturer apart.
One of Kerfab’s key points of difference is its Attach + Go promise.
Offered for many years, and something which was popular with customers pre-pandemic, it took “a significant amount of time, effort and research” to bring it back after the supply chain issues which even an experienced local manufacturer was not immune from.
Attach + Go is a promise to provide customers with an official quote within two hours, dispatch the attachments within seven working days of order confirmation and offer free delivery around Australia.
It applies to the attachments which Kerfab has identified as its most popular – namely bale forks, buckets and pallet forks.
Not only does it enable customers to have trust they can sort products on short notice, it also enables dealers to minimise the stock they need to hold while still being able to organise attachments to go with machines purchased.
Bale forks
One of Kerfab’s most popular products is its range of bale forks.
With square and round bale models available for both tractors and telehandlers, this has developed an increasing fan base across Australia with one farmer declaring he “wouldn’t use anything else”.
The simplicity and strength were cited by this farmer and contractor, South Australian Grant Clough, who has used Kerfab products for more than 15 years.
“The things I like most about them are just their strength and quality,” Clough says.
“Everything fits like it should and you never have any problems of putting the attachments on and off.
“It just fits, it just works, and I wouldn’t use anything else.”
Bale forks are very much Kerfab’s bread and butter.
It was their growing popularity which Kerfab admitted in 2022 prompted the construction of its second factory.
This new factory measures about 2,000sqm and has doubled Kerfab’s manufacturing capacity, with the second site dedicated mostly to attachments included in its Attach + Go range.
An investment in more staff and technology has helped with the company’s rapid growth and meeting the demand for its attachments.
In its round bale fork range, Kerfab manufactures a standard two tine model as well as a double bale round fork which can carry up to three bales.
An open back frame and low height of 900mm allows for excellent visibility of the tines while spiking and lifting bales, while strength, reliability and stability are all hallmarks of Kerfab’s design.
The tractor bale fork, which suits both round and square bales, can be extended up to 2.7m which allows for four bales to be comfortably carried at the same time.
Both the standard and large hay forks are built from the same high-quality steel, with the standard fork having a unique curved steel top frame which Kerfab says increases both the stability and safety when carrying large or multiple bales.
Wider range
Kerfab’s other products in the Attach + Go range are pallet forks and buckets, both of which are primarily aimed at customers using telehandlers.
Beyond this, the company also manufactures the likes of rakes and blades, grabs and grapples plus quick hitches and adaptors.
The company is also the distributor for the Tuskan bale clamp, which was initially developed by a farmer in New South Wales to increase safety when loading hay bales into mixers.
Everything Kerfab produces is manufactured in Australia, with the investments into production processes and quality control helping to ensure customers can keep getting the attachments they need without delays.
Kerfab’s head office is located at 11 Tate Drive, Kerang and its full product range is available at www.kerfab.com.au
