54 | Producing durable, locally made equipment Directors Chris and Kelly Burkhart took over the business in 1984. Kelly Deeks Burkhart Farm Equipment has spent more than four decades building machinery that reflects the realities of New Zealand farming, producing durable, locally made equipment designed to work hard, last longer, and adapt to the changing needs of farmers nationwide. Based in Lepperton, Taranaki, the family-owned business manufactures and services a wide range of farm equipment, including tip trailers, bale feeders, water blasters, rippers, rollers, wood splitters, and purpose-built machinery designed to meet specific on-farm requirements. Its work spans multiple sectors, supplying equipment for dairy, sheep and beef, pig, poultry, goat, and lifestyle farming operations across the country. Directors Chris and Kelly Burkhart took over the business in 1984, purchasing the operation from Kennedy Farm Equipment. At the time, the pair had originally intended to go dairy farming, but rising costs made that pathway difficult. Instead, they leaned into their passion for engineering, a move that has shaped the business for more than four decades. Both Kelly and Chris come from farming backgrounds, with experience across dairy and sheep and beef systems. That grounding remains central to how Burkhart Farm Equipment operates today. Kelly says understanding how farmers use machinery day to day has been critical to the company’s longevity. “We’re both from farms and we’ve worked in those environments ourselves,” Kelly says. “That gives us a really practical understanding of what our customers need, what breaks, and what needs to be built stronger or simpler.” RURAL SERVICES » Burkhart Farm Equipment Located between New Plymouth and Inglewood, Lepperton has become a strategic base for the business. Kelly says being embedded in a growing rural community allows the company to respond quickly, GET INTOUCH Supplier to leading agricultural equipment manufacturers. 100%NZ FAMILYOWNEDAND OPERATED We’ve been in business for 50 years. In that time we have come to supply some of NZ’s major trailer and farm equipment manufacturers with Trailer Kits & Parts,Wheels, Rims and Tyres. 6 Killarney Lane, Hamilton 3204 07 847 0933 www.linkup.co.nz /linkuppaints ” “We are a committed team providing paint products, equipment, and accessories through outstanding service and helpful expertise proudly supporting BURKHART FARM EQUIPMENT since 2024 [LPS]_print_60x126.5_Burkhart-Feature_v001.indd 1 11/12/2025 15:16 maintain strong local relationships, and attract skilled staff who understand the sector. Burkhart Farm Equipment employs nine staff across its workshop, sales, and office operations, with the next generation also involved. Son Troy works in the workshop, alongside sonin-law Lewis Schumacher, reinforcing the family nature of the business. While the company manufactures a broad range of equipment, bale feeders and tip trailers remain
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