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Gason Pty Ltd. is a family-owned Australian manufacturer, specialising in the design and manufacture of broadacre farm machinery. Recognising the need to remain competitive in an increasingly globalised market, while staying true to their mantra “If you build it well, it will last”, Gason partnered with Headland Technology to implement a state-of-the-art TRUMPF/STOPA Smart Factory. This strategic investment aimed to future-proof operations, support new product innovations, and reinforce Gason’s leadership in agricultural manufacturing.
About Gason: Operating from a regional factory in Ararat, Victoria, Gason manufactures a wide range of agricultural equipment, such as mowers, toppers, planters, spreaders and seeders using heavy-gauge steel and stainless-steel components. The company prides itself in its strong community ties, high-quality workmanship, and responsiveness to evolving farming needs. More about Gason
Like every successful Australian manufacturer, the team at Gason is always looking to drive competitiveness and growth. Gason recognised several operational constraints that limited productivity and restricted innovation:
Material clutter & inefficiency: Management of production materials (raw steel sheets, off-cuts, components, WIP) was an ongoing challenge, with material located on the factory floor and in storage racks. Finding correct materials for each job was time-consuming and labour-intensive, often requiring rearrangement of stock for forklift access. Subsequent delays in downstream processes would create bottlenecks, impact production throughput and driving up costs.
Safety and logistics issues: Forklift traffic across various facility zones increased safety risks and disrupted workflow continuity. The manual process of moving materials between buildings and machines further complicated operations and slowed throughput.
Inventory inaccuracy: Without digital tools to track and manage raw materials and components, inventory management was a manual, time-consuming and costly process. Data was often obsolete or imprecise, with resultant under-stocking or over-stocking creating inefficiencies and cost.
Impact on quality, speed, and innovation: Manual handling and storage of materials between processes increases the risk of product damage or deterioration, while process inefficiencies impede the ability of Gason to deliver rapid service to clients and drive business growth.
The Gason team also recognised that, in order to continue to develop innovative products with an emphasis on quality and speed-to-market, the team needed to be able to focus on product and process development rather than managing day-to-day production issues.
To address these challenges, Gason partnered with Headland Technology to install a fully automated, digitally integrated manufacturing solution for Sheetmetal production. This included:
This combination of automation, precision technology, and smart software created a tightly integrated production environment capable of delivering lean, scalable, and innovation-ready results.
Despite the added complexity of pandemic-era constraints, the implementation was completed within agreed timeframes and was operational by late 2020.
Site preparation & construction: Gason built a new dedicated manufacturing facility to house the STOPA system and associated production cells. The space was designed for both current needs and future expansion, ensuring long-term ROI.
STOPA installation, machine integration & OSEON deployment: Headland’s team worked closely with Gason to install and commission the STOPA storage system and connect the automated manufacturing cells. Simultaneously, the OSEON software was rolled out to enable production planning, machine monitoring and inventory management.
Workflow transformation: Previously time-consuming processes such as locating materials and scheduling jobs were, are now automated and tracked. One operator can now retrieve, stage, and initiate jobs without forklift support or manual handling, thanks to the STOPA-OSEON ecosystem.
This technological advancement has delivered multiple benefits. The precision and reliability of the TRUMPF equipment have unlocked new manufacturing possibilities, enabling Gason to confidently produce increasingly complex products such as air seeders components that demand exact tolerances for optimal fit and function.
The transition from manual labour to advanced automation represents more than an operational upgrade; it’s a fundamental shift that has delivered measurable improvements in efficiency, accuracy, and product quality, positioning Gason for sustained competitive advantage in its market.
The benefits of Gason’s smart manufacturing investment are clearly demonstrated in their latest product innovation, “The Diamond Series air carts”. This groundbreaking seeding technology showcases how the TRUMPF/STOPA automation has enabled rapid product development and high-precision manufacturing.
The Diamond Series represents a perfect example of how Gason’s automated systems have accelerated innovation and speed to market. The company’s investment in laser welding, cutting, and folding on-site through the TRUMPF systems has been instrumental in developing these sophisticated air carts with their high-quality 304-grade stainless steel bins.
Gason has raised the standard in seeding technology with the launch of its new Diamond Series air carts, offering capacities of up to 34,000 litres and built with high-quality 304-grade stainless steel bins. The initial launch range includes a three-bin model (16,000L + 2 × 9,000L) and a two-bin model (twin 16,000L), both featuring load cells on every bin, a SmartAG ISO controller, eight outlet-section control, a remote high-flow hydraulic auger, and full lighting, camera, and access packages along with optional small seeds and bait bin. Product launch models are tow-behind and with tow-between configurations in the final stages of engineering.
Manufactured in Ararat, Victoria, the Diamond Series reflects Gason’s heavy investment in local capability, including laser welding, cutting, and folding on site. The carts feature robust ladder-frame chassis, super-single tyres, and app-based calibration for ease of use. This level of precision and quality is made possible by the automated TRUMPF laser cutting and robotic bending systems, which ensure consistent, high-quality components while enabling rapid prototyping and production scaling.
The Diamond Series was launched at the Henty Machinery Field Days in NSW this month, winning the prestigious award of “Best Australian designed and manufactured agricultural machinery”, showcasing Gason’s commitment to precision, durability and operator-friendly design. The speed from concept to market launch demonstrated how the smart manufacturing investment has transformed Gason’s ability to respond quickly to market opportunities while maintaining their commitment to quality.
By partnering with Headland Technology, Gason has been able to drive production efficiencies and capacity and has laid the groundwork for truly smart manufacturing. The integrated storage, laser cutting, bending, and digital workflows deliver faster service to customers, higher product quality, and capacity to develop new, precision-engineered agricultural solutions.
Gason has a long and proud manufacturing history in regional Victoria, and with their commitment to innovation in product development and production, their future looks bright. Customers of Gason can be confident that they have a partner who will support them with the technology needed to remain competitive and successful.
Headland is proud of our contribution to Australian manufacturing, and Gason are an example of the modernisation and success that can be achieved with the right solutions. As a long-term partner, we are ready to support the continuing trajectory of businesses like Gason into Industry 4.0 and beyond.
Our sheet metal division experts are here to help you plan, scale, and lead with confidence.
Whether you’re after a machine, spare part, power tool, or need to book a service call Headland will help you find the right solution in a timely manner.
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