Border Trust executive officer Sue Gold with Kotzur managing director Andrew Kotzur: “We see value in backing organisations that understand our region and are committed to building its future.” Photo: Supplied.
Andrew Kotzur believes it’s up to all of us to make a contribution to the communities in which we live and work.
That’s why the manging director of Riverina-based silo manufacturer Kotzur says the now global business remains deeply connected to its regional roots – and committed to local giving.
The family-owned company, which began from humble beginnings on a family farm near Walla Walla, is backing the community that has backed it for generations through a new partnership supporting the work of Border Trust.
It has come on board as a ‘Foundation Builder’ for the charity, which has a mission to identify local needs, activate community giving, and fund initiatives that deliver long-lasting impact across the region.
During the past 20 years, Border Trust has distributed more than $5.7 million to fund more than 402 (and counting) life-changing programs that enhance community wellbeing, resilience, and equity.
Kotzur will join a collective of like-minded businesses and individuals who are supporting the trust to drive meaningful change through strategic philanthropy.
Mr Kotzur said the work of Border Trust aligned with the company’s own values and vision.
“We see the value in backing organisations that understand our region and are committed to building its future,” he said.
“We’ve seen the work Border Trust is doing and we’re proud to join them in supporting causes that matter to our people, our neighbours, and our region as a whole.”
Kotzur, a multigenerational Australian maker of grain storage and handling equipment for more than 70 years, has grown to become a major local employer and provider to clients across the world.
Mr Kotzur is acutely aware of the challenges facing rural communities as southern NSW’s farming country endures one of its hardest seasons in years, with drought conditions deepening across the Riverina, Murray and South East local land services regions.
And he said now more than ever it was vital support flowed to the smaller communities “where we work and operate”.
“We have a sense that it’s up to all of us to make a contribution,” he said.
“What appealed to us about Border Trust is that it doesn’t just support one single cause and it has an efficient means of delivery – we naturally want money to go where it will do the work!”
On 21 October, Albury MP Justin Clancy raised in parliament the ongoing issues associated with a “failed spring” that he said had worsened drought conditions.
“Many farmers across the state’s south are battling record-high freight costs, water and fodder shortages and widespread pasture loss,” Mr Clancy said, while calling on the government to implement recommendations outlined by farmers and local leaders at the Southern NSW Drought Summit.
Speaking to Region this week, Mr Clancy said while it was “never too late to have rain, the longer this goes on, the tougher it is”.
“I’ve been speaking to farmers who are seeing crop yields drop by as much as 50 to 60 per cent before their very eyes,” he said.
“But it’s not just a failed spring, some farmers are coming off the back of extended periods of drought. These are very good farmers who know how to prepare for drought but they have exhausted both their financial and fodder reserves … and it’s taking a huge emotional toll.
“Supporting our farmers through this drought is important not just for them but for the regional communities that rely so heavily on agriculture.”
Mr Clancy welcomed Kotzur’s decision to come on board with Border Trust and said the partnership would help maintain much-needed investment in programs that supported the region’s towns and communities.
“We should be applauding Kotzur for what they bring to our community,” he said. “They are not just a successful business, but they have deeply embedded community values.”
Border Trust executive officer Sue Gold said Kotzur’s commitment reflected the power of locally driven philanthropy.
“Their support helps ensure Border Trust can continue to respond to the most pressing issues in our region, whether that’s supporting young people, multicultural settlement, tackling disadvantage, improving mental health, or responding to crises,” she said.
“It’s inspiring to see a regionally based business like Kotzur investing back into the communities they’ve long been part of.
“Their contribution enables Border Trust to keep doing what we do best: driving locally informed, community-led solutions to the challenges that matter most across our region.”
