Past, Present and Future
Past: How it all began
After a short career on the family farm at Wagin, WA, Gordon McDougall worked as a shearing contractor and general farm worker. He set up a small workshop to provide welding services to local farmers.
A self-taught and natural welder, Gordon’s skill spread quickly through the bush telegraph, and he was soon travelling around the area providing farmers with mobile welding services.
Expansion and Diversification
Gordon understood from the very start that farm equipment that can survive harsh environmental conditions is essential for efficient farming operations. As his business grew, Gordon began providing farmers with gates and feeders fabricated in his workshop.
Gordon quickly outgrew the small workshop. To accommodate the company’s growth, Gordon moved to 48 Austral St, Cuballing in 1968 where McDougall Weldments was born. The new location provided the space needed for additional machinery and staff (his brother Ian), allowing the company to increase production capacity and take on more ambitious projects
Gordon was constantly tinkering, thinking, and innovating. His natural affinity for design and fabrication led to the creation of his flagship product, the McDougall transportable sheepyards. Gordon’s innovation was recognised when his transportable sheepyard design won the then Dowerin Inventor Award in 1974. Gordon’s design has stood the test of time and to this day, the trademark yellow McDougall transportable sheepyards have a hard-earned reputation for quality, durability, reliability, and easy set-up.
Present: New Ownership, Old Legacy
Gordon dedicated his career to manufacturing the highest quality agricultural and industrial equipment right up until his retirement in 2024 when the company was sold to his nephew Benjamin Sleep and Benjamin’s friend and business partner, Chris Millin.
Benjamin has a long-standing history with the company, starting out as a teenager on work experience in his uncle’s workshop. Benjamins’s love for farming life and his intimate knowledge of the business drives his passion to continue Gordon’s legacy of delivering top-quality welding and fabrication solutions to past, present, and future customers.
Chris is driven by a strong desire to succeed and to help those around him thrive. He has a wealth of business experience and, a deep respect for the heritage and legacy of McDougall Weldments, the land, and the people who live and work on it. Chris’ ability to create a positive environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute is a significant asset to the company.
Together, Benjamin and Chris are a formidable leadership team.
The Future: it’s bright…
Since the beginning in 1968, the journey of McDougall Weldments reflects its ability to adapt, grow and innovate.
Through economic, personal, and environmental challenges spanning five decades, McDougall Weldments has consistently demonstrated resilience, flexibility and perseverance enabling it to survive and thrive in a constantly changing business landscape. This journey is testimony to their commitment to continuous improvement and dedication to achieving long-term success.
With Benjamin and Chris at the helm, McDougall Weldments remains committed to its core values of quality, innovation, hard work, high-quality workmanship, a customer-focused culture, and community spirit.
As McDougall Weldments moves forward, it remains committed to building on its rich history and continue contributing to the growth and prosperity of Cuballing and beyond.
