Humble Beginnings

Waikato Milking Systems began life as a division of Alex Harvey Industries’ Plastics Moulding Company in New Zealand, in 1967.

The company was a leader in plastic moulding technologies and developed innovative vacuum regulators as well as the Waikato Milk Meter, which ultimately became the company’s namesake.

The successful foray into agriculture was a departure from the company’s core purpose and it was not until 1988 when Carter Holt Harvey acquired the business, that an Agricultural Division was established. Primary sector reform in the mid-1980s ended Government subsidies and regulation. F

armers looked to innovative companies developing new technology to help them improve production and profitability. Carter Holt Harvey's Agricultural Division was ahead of the game having spent some years working with the country’s leading scientists at the Ruakura Research Centre and, with its newly expanded R&D team, began releasing a range of innovative products which improved and increased dairy milking efficiency. One of the first products to receive international acclaim was the Ruakura Milk Harvester.

The innovation was a response to farmer concern at milk frothing and flooding in spring when cows were at peak production. The Milk Harvester separated air and milk in the claw and milk line, the first of its kind. But its widespread commercial adoption was limited because premium milk needed to be transported and processed in facilities separate to ‘standard’ milk. This incurred a significant cost which milk processors were not, at that time, prepared to accept but the Milk Harvester put the company on the map. It became known as an organisation which thought outside the box, which was in-tune with farmers and able to design and manufacture durable, practical, innovative, easy to use and cost-effective technologies for the dairy industry.

The company extended its range of dairy components and began to specialise in the design and production of rotary and loopline milking systems. Waikato Milking Systems was launched in 1992 and, four years later, it was acquired by American company, DEC International Inc, which subsequently filed for bankruptcy protection in 2001. A group of the New Zealand management team launched a buyout of the company - each member putting everything they owned ‘on the line’ to bring the company back into New Zealand ownership. In the same year, the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act 2001 was passed.

It liberalised exports by merging the sole marketer of New Zealand’s dairy products, NZ Dairy Board, with the two largest dairy processor cooperatives, NZ Dairy Group and Kiwi Co-operative, to form Fonterra. The goal of the new Act was to promote competition and facilitate the operation of a fair market. In 2014, an ownership buyout of Waikato Milking Systems saw the company transfer to three institutional investors – Tainui Group Holdings, Ngai Tahu Capital and Pioneer Capital.

This is the company's current ownership model. Today, Waikato Milking Systems is one of the leading designers and manufacturers of rotary milking systems and dairy technology in the world – a reputation built around the DNA and culture evident in the small R&D team of AHI’s Plastic Products’ Agricultural Division 50 years ago.

History Timeline

This tells the story of Waikato Milking Systems over the past 50+ years

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1966

Research and development begins for a Herd test milk meter

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1967

Waikato Milk Meter launched

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1967

Waikato Milk Meter gains ICAR Approval

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1967

Waikato Milk Meter approved for official herd recording in UK

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1967

Alfa-Laval distributes Waikato Milk Meter in UK

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1967

First shipment of Milk Meters leave New Zealand

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1976

Owned by AHI (Alex Harvey Industries)

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1976

A shift from components to milking systems

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1976

Export base established for Milk Meter

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1976

Association with Ruakura Research Centre continues

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1977

Waikato Pneumatic Pulsator launched

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1978

TCR launched

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1978

Hand held Mastitis detector launched

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1981

Isolator Claw launched

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1986

SupaVac Vacuum Regulator launched

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1986

First SupaMilker large bore (100mm) milking system launched

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1986

AHI merged with Carter Holt and became CHH

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1986

New Zealand Dealer Network established

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1986

Ruakura Milk Harvester launched

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1989

FC Cluster Washer launched

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1989

Introduced Components and Systems into US market

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1991

SupaMilker upgraded to Supa4

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1991

CHH Agriculture division became InterAg

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1992

The brand ‘Waikato Milking Systems’ officially launched

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1996

DEC International USA acquired InterAg

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1996

Waikato Milking Systems distributed through BouMatic in USA

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1996

Topline Waikato renamed DairyXpress

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1996

Farm Services Engineering started supplying Rotary platforms to Waikato Milking Systems

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2000

Timaru branch and Warehouse established to service the South Island of New Zealand

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2000

Purchased 50% shares in Kiwi Stainless

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2001

Waikato Milking Systems NZ Ltd established

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2002

G2 Cluster Washer launched

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2002

Waikato 320 Claw launched

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2002

Purchased remaining 50% shares of Kiwi Stainless and renamed Stainless Innovations

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2003

Speedsampler launched

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2003

Purpose built building in Maui Street, Hamilton

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2004

Electronic Air Injector launched

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2004

The first platform - Quantum installed in 2004

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2005

SmartECR Cup Removers launched

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2005

Established Rotary Platforms NZ (RPNZ) based in Matamata

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2006

PulseGuard launched

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2007

SmartWASH launched

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2007

SmartCONTROL launched

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2008

Waikato Milking Systems USA established in Janesville, Wisconsin, USA

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2009

Orbit Rotary Platform manufactured by Waikato Milking System

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2009

SmartPULS launched

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2009

SmartSPRAY launched

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2009

SmartD-TECT launched

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2010

SmartD-TECT integrates with 3rd party herd management software via SmartLINK

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2010

SwingArms for Herringbone systems launched

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2010

Centrus Composite Rotary Platform launched

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2013

Electronic Milk Meter launched

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2014

Change in ownership —Tainui Group Holdings, Ngai Tahu, Pioneer Capital

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2014

Heavy Duty (HD) bails launched for international markets

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2014

Adjustable Pivot Roller launched

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2015

NaviGATE Drafting Gate launched

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2015

Won Innovation Award at National Fieldays® for Centrus Rotary Platform

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2015

Purchased
Hi-Tech Enviro Solutions

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2015

Purpose built facility in Horotiu, Hamilton, New Zealand fully operational

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2016

Won ExportNZ Exporter of the Year for $10 - $25 million category as well as Supreme Award

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2016

Purchased AIC Dairy Equipment in Holmen USA, renamed AIC Waikato

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2016

Centrus Composite Rotary Platform G3 model launched with new modular single bails