Elders Limited - 1990-2000

1990-2000

Rapid change saw Elders Pastoral renamed Elders Limited as the business was being prepared for sale out of the Foster’s group.

This occurred in the form of an extremely over-subscribed float in 1993, as Elders returned to the basics it knew so well by expanding its rural interests as an agribusiness in its own right. In 1993 that included the acquisition of Australian Agricultural Company, one of the oldest registered business in Australia and one of the largest beef cattle herds in the world.

Two years later Futuris Corporation, a major shareholder in Elders, made a successful offer for the outstanding shares and became the new owner of Elders Limited.

Elders continued to invest in its long-term supply management strategy, acquiring Charlton Feedlot in Victoria in 1996. The following year in a joint venture, it launched Australian Wool Handlers – a major rationalisation of the wool handling and dumping industry that very quickly was responsible for more than 60% of the national clip.

In 1998 it acquired Primac Holdings in Queensland and a share in Killara Feedlot in NSW and then rescued Victoria Producers from collapse in Victoria and established EldersVP in that state.