Shareholder events
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Brent Esler, CEO
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Early March saw a very good CRT presence at the Upper Clutha A & P Show in Wanaka, and in late March at the South Island Agricultural Field Days at Lincoln. We were again able to establish a very good profile on the field days site by creating a CRT Village featuring the various CRT divisions and incorporating a large number of our supplier sites into our village.
Both of these events attracted large crowds, there was a postitve mood of the attendees and our supplier partners were well pleased with their involvement on the CRT sites. Thanks to our shareholders for their support and to all the CRT staff who put in some very long hours in preparation, and then some long days at the events.
25 Years of CRT
It was back in 1986 that the various South Island regional trading societies, all of which had been formed in the early 1960's, first adopted the CRT brand. Whilst at that time they all retained their regional autonomy - with their own boards, management and systems - this move on common branding was a clear signal of the intention of things to come - Combined Rural Traders.
It wasnt until 2003, a full 17 years later, that these businesses truly did combine and became fully integrated as they are today.
In harmony with the original concept of the 1960's of individual farmers joining together to form farmer-owned organisations to improve buying power, the eventual amalgamation of the organisations they formed to further increase buying power and efficiency was an inevitable development.
The 25th year is a significant milestone, and it will be punctuated by our unaudited results to 31 March 2011 which show that we achieved our budgeted goal of achieving turnover in excess of one billion dollars for the first time in out history.
The size and scale of CRT has provided a vey strong brand that has national recognition - and out of that recognition have come significant opportunites in many of our trading activities.
It is amazing what happens when a group of farmers get together!