Ruralquip Passes Torch to Next Generation of Locals

Ruralquip has been part of the Burdekin’s industrial backbone for almost 50 years, priding itself on its commitment to serving the region's farming and industrial community with reliability and trust. Now, with a new team of local owners at the helm, that commitment remains unchanged.

Robert Oar and wife, Annette, who built the business from a small steel fabrication operation into a full-service retail and industrial supplier, have handed the reins to a consortium of well-known locals Max and Shannon Musumeci, Paul and Amanda Lowis, and Karl and Jasmine Vass. Together, the team brings decades of experience across agriculture, construction and engineering to business operations.

Robert, whose health challenges in 2024 accelerated his decision to sell, says keeping Ruralquip in local hands was essential.

“There’s a different attitude and a different knowledge that comes with being local,” he said. “We had offers from corporates and people with no local knowledge, but it was important the business went to people who understood this community and our customers.”

Founded as a steel fabrication business in 1982, Ruralquip gradually expanded into retail in response to the shifting flow of the business landscape, growing into a one-stop shop for industrial and farming supplies. Strategic moves, including joining the Australian Industrial Supplies buying group in 1998, strengthened the company’s reputation and operations, leaving it now standing as the Burdekin’s trusted industrial retail solution.

After recent reinvestment in the company, including a brand new warehouse erected just two years ago, Robert is hopeful that the business can continue to blossom under the new ownership.

“Everything is in place to build on,” says Robert. “There’s room here to go bigger and better for sure.”

Shannon Musumeci says the incoming management team are looking forward to building on the company’s already firmly established roots.

“Ruralquip already has a strong foundation, and great team of skilled staff,” she says. “We’re looking forward to building on this, meeting customers, and understanding what’s important to them.”

The team boasts not only local knowledge, but complementary skills drawn from different roles across North Queensland. Max Musumeci, a Burdekin Shire Councillor and sugar cane farmer, and his wife Shannon, a tax accountant, bring strong agricultural and financial insight. Paul and Amanda Lowis, founders of ShedEx and a farming operation in Gumlu, contribute business and construction expertise. Karl Vass, owner of Vass Engineering, adds engineering and fabrication experience, while his wife, Jasmine, brings her teaching and marketing background. Together, they offer a well-rounded mix of skills and knowledge to drive the business forward.

Although a change in ownership marks a new chapter for Ruralquip, the team are committed to preserving the same trusted structure that has sustained the company for decades, including the retention of Robert's staff. “We want the transition to be as seamless as possible for staff and customers,” Shannon Musumeci says.

“The feedback we've had is that customers value the reliability of Ruralquip having a broad range of products on the shelf in stock... and then obviously, once they get here, the service from knowledgeable staff is great. That’s a reputation we absolutely want to maintain.”

To bid Robert a well-deserved farewell, Ruralquip is holding a community barbecue on Friday, 22 August at 12pm, offering customers the chance to meet the new owners and acknowledge Robert’s contribution over nearly five decades, kicking-off a new era for the longstanding company.

‍

New owners Karl Vass, Jasmine Vass, Paul Lowis, Amanda Lowis, Shannon Musumeci and Max Musumeci. Photo credit: Jacob Casha
Former owners Robert and Annette Oar. Photo supplied

‍