Fox and Lillie Rural aquire Southern Wool Traders to improve services in Gunning

Fox and Lillie Rural have acquired Southern Wool Traders to start a new partnership.

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The Fox and Lillie Group has had a longstanding relationship with Southern Wool Traders for more than 20 years, and the acquisition has been a logical step.

Southern Wool Traders has built up a successful business for more than 36 years.

Fox and Lillie Rural will continue to service their existing customer base as per normal with the added benefits of dealing with one of Australia's largest integrated wool brokers, buyers, exporters and early-stage wool processors.

Fox and Lillie Rural's Managing Director, Jonathan Lillie said that the area has both now, and historically, always been a very strong Merino wool growing area.

"Gunning is one of the original wool growing areas in Australia and we felt as though geographically this acquisition was a very good opportunity for the Fox and Lillie Rural business," Mr Lillie said.

"We look forward to servicing woolgrowers in the area."

The Fox and Lillie group is an Australian, family-owned business and has proudly celebrated their 75th company anniversary this year.

The company prides themselves on providing outstanding service and innovative marketing options and has a strong focus on supporting regional development and investing in local people.

Southern Wool Traders owners, Greg McDonald and John Burton will stay on in the short term to support the transition of the business over to Fox and Lillie Rural.

Ben Alchin who has worked at the store for over six years will take on the store manager role.

Under the new owners of Fox and Lillie Rural, the Gunning based wool store will broaden its focus, offering woolgrowers not only store door buying, but the company's full services of fixed-price wool brokerage, quick turnaround from the shed to auction, services with prompt payment, and on-farm pickup.

Mr Burton said that the acquisition would mean "business as usual" for their existing client base under the Fox and Lillie Rural banner, with the added benefits of more marketing opportunities for their wool including wool brokerage services.

Fox and Lillie Rural have a good presence at the weekly wool auctions plus offer a wide range of selling alternatives.

Alternative methods include their weekly price-on-result tender sale, privately negotiated sales, wooltrade 24/7 internet selling and direct mill contracts.

The business' integration with their parent wool export company, Fox and Lillie, will mean that woolgrowers are able to connect directly with international wool users which provides important selling advantages and comprehensive market information.

The company has a strong history in wool processing and is a shareholder in a specialised open tops processing factory in China, which is an industry leader in high quality open tops supplied throughout the world.

Fox and Lillie Rural has developed a very strong presence in direct wool buying and wool brokerage services.

The company is looking forward to continuing to provide a sound and professional service to woolgrowers in the Gunning and surrounding areas.

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