MAJOR inland wool brokering business Beecher Wool Services has become part of the Don Macdonald Woolbrokers Pty Ltd network in the latest industry merger.

Principal Don Macdonald announced today that his businesses, Macdonald & Co Woolbrokers and Carmichael and Co Woolbrokers had acquired Wayne and Kerrie Beecher’s Cowra-based business.

Beecher Wool Service was founded in 1993 by the Beechers to build a strong client base across the Lachlan Valley.

“It’s a good solid business,” Mr Macdonald said.

Don Macdonald.

Mr Macdonald said the business will continue to trade under its name from the Cowra woolstore complex, adding to the Macdonald group’s Dubbo woolstore with depots at Cooma, Crookwell, Cootamundra, Wellington and Guyra.

“It’s a bit like LVMH; we will have three brands.”

Mr Macdonald said the acquisition gives his companies 15 percent of the northern market. With BWS now part of the group, Don Macdonald Woolbrokers combined operations will handle more than 60,000 bales per annum.

“And what an opportunity for us and an honour to be sold the business by Wayne Beecher,” Mr Macdonald said.

Mr Macdonald said Mr Beecher had not wanted to sell out to a southern broker “because he wants the wool to stay in the north, be sold in the north and traded in the north.”

He said with the proposed northern wool auction centre at Goulburn being only 1.5 hours south from Cowra, “just reinforces that.”

“We think it ticks all the boxes.”

The acquisition brings together two of the region’s most experienced wool brokers, Wayne Beecher, with 40 years as a buyer and broker, and Don Macdonald, who is approaching celebrates 50 years as a wool classer and broker. Mr Macdonald said the respect and support for the Becher family’s decision was displayed recently when more than 150 grower clients gathered in Cowra to congratulate the Beechers and meet the new owners.

Wayne Beecher.

Mr Beecher said the business would only have been sold to a purchaser with similar principles, putting the interests of growers first and continuing to support the local community and region.

“Having the business stay in the northern region was always import to me.

“The sale of the business to the Macdonald and Carmichael group ticked so many boxes of my desires to the future of the business,” he said.

Mr Macdonald said having a footprint in a safe and strong area like Cowra added resilience to the business as it continued to adapt and change.

The acquisition also reunites Wayne Beecher with Jason Carmichael, who spent eight years working under Mr Beecher in Cwora from 1997, learning much of his brokering skills before serveral years with Landmark and managing TWG Wool.

Mr Carmichael said he was looking forward to re-engaging with the Cowra district and with the Beecher team through the transition. He said with Wayne Beecher and his whole team staying on, he was excited about the future of the business.

“With wool sales moving to Goulburn next year, where much of my time will be spent, I’m also very confident for the future of the industry and particularly for this business in Cowra,” he said.