History Of Gillison's Variety Fabrication Inc.
Ron, Dianne and Rodney Gillison started Gillison’s Variety Fabrication as a family business in 1977. Ron has a degree from Michigan State University’s agricultural program and Dianne has a Business Administration degree from Northwestern Michigan College. In 1979, engineers from MSU asked Ron to build a hedger they had designed for safer pruning of fruit trees. MSU and Gillison’s developed a flywheel drive system for the hedger that was an adaptation of a Singer Sewing Machine. That hedger is what put Gillison’s into business, thus launching them into producing the various orchard equipment they do today.
In 1986 Gillison’s opened a second location in Traverse City at 1515 Woodmere. Bill Gillison, Ron’s brother, has headed that store since the day it opened. At that time Gillison’s was servicing about 150 cherry harvesters in the Northern Michigan cherry growing region. Opening a second location in Traverse City to better serve customers made sense.
When Gillison’s Variety Fabrication first began thirty years ago, about 80% of business was local. These days it is quite the opposite. Gillison’s has broadened their market and in the process made local sales about 50% of overall. Currently, Gillison’s dealers of GVF equipment in the US are located in Georgia, Oklahoma, California, Washington and Oregon. Gillison’s also employs a full time sales representative located in Porterville, CA.
One of Gillison’s patented manufactured products is a Hydropneumatic Elutriation System. This machine, another MSU project, separates root samples from soil samples, allowing researchers to take accurate readings of either one. These machines can be found in 36 countries and in many universities in the US and around the world.
Other products manufactured by Gillison’s include Orbit Lift Pruning Towers (12’, 16’, 20’ & 25’), various Orchard Hedgers, a Grape Hedger with Cane Positioning, Grape and Orchard Spray Towers, a Tree Planter, Brush Rakes, a Double Incline Fruit and Nut Harvester, Covered Weed Spray Booms and Rotospray Spray Heads.
Manufacturing isn’t all that Gillison’s does either. Gillison’s currently represents 16 quality product lines including brands such as Massey Fergusson, Hesston, Sunflower, and Bush Hog. Gillison’s has also been a dealer since 1982 of OMC Shockwave Shakers out of Yuba City, California and are their largest dealer in the country.
In 2001, Ron and Dianne were presented with the Michigan State Horticultural Society’s Industrial Service Award. This award was the first of its kind ever given by the MSHS. The January 2001 Fruit Growers wrote, “The couple has built a well respected horticultural support business over the last 23 years.” Ron currently serves on the Massey Ferguson National Dealer Panel. Since 2000 Dianne has served on the Honor State Bank Board.
In 2003, Matt Gillison, Ron and Dianne’s oldest son, graduated from Ferris State University and was working for Gillison’s by the end of that year. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Heavy Equipment Service Engineering Technology. Matt is in charge of all manufacturing and service at the Benzonia location. Since Matt has been on board Gillison’s has been able to add an All Terrain Fork Lift, a Double Topper-Hedger, a Forward Bin Dumper and a Tree Grapple to the line of GVF manufactured products.
In 2007, Craig Gillison, Ron and Dianne’s youngest son, also joined Gillison’s fulltime. Craig has three years at the University of Michigan majoring in wrestling. Craig is doing sales, specializing in row crops, and finishing his education in Northern Michigan in marketing.
Gillison’s currently employs 25 people and of those employees, Dennis Humphrey and Eric Brown have been with the company nearly since it began. The employees have helped to build a strong company.
In 2004 a 13,440 square foot service building was added which gives a total of 28,440 square feet of floor space. Included in this total space are offices, a sales floor area, machine shops, a welding and burning shop, a service building, a paint shop and storage. In 2008 a major remodeling project gave Gillison’s a new 1,500 sq. foot retail showroom along with a nice facelift at the shop in Benzonia.
In 2010 Gillison’s added a 7,800 square-foot facility in Oceana County’s Hart. The new facility houses retail, parts and service areas and allows Gillison’s to better serve their loyal customers to the South.
“We try to give ourselves a niche that nobody else has.” Ron Gillison.
