WD Moore  History - Five Generations

For more than 100 years W.D. Moore and Co. has been a family business involved in pumping water ... naturally. From the original Aermotor Windmills of the 1890's to the solar powered products of today, the company has promoted the use of renewable energy. The application of natural technology systems to water pumping and power generation has made W.D. Moore and Co. a vital supplier to customers in Australia's rural and remote areas.

W.D. Moore and Co. has had a history of continuous support for the pastoral industries in Australia.

The Start

William Dalgety Moore was twenty seven years of age when he commenced business as W.D. Moore & Co. in 1862. Over the next thirty years the business prospered and developed as wine and spirit merchants. A schooner was purchased for the valuable trade between Fremantle and Geraldton. Distribution stores were established at Cossack and Roebourne, along the north coast of Western Australia.

The Windmills

During the "roaring 90's", W.D. Moore & Co. ventured into importing Aermotor Windmills from the USA and soon found a ready market in the hot, dry pastoral areas of the Nor-West. The 1913 edition of the Cyclopaedia of WA describes the venture:- "a speciality is made of the manufacture of pumps for raising water from underground. Deserving of special attention is the famed AIRMOLOO WINDMILL (Aermotor), the popularity of which among the pastoralists in the Nor-West and in other states is something remarkable. The tower of the windmill is specially constructed to withstand the fierce onslaught of the willy-willy, common in the Nor-West, and the design has been very successful. Thousands of these mills have been erected in the pastoral areas" - "an expert being specially employed to supervise their erection. This expert spends most of his time in the northern country, and was first to proceed overland by motor car from Roebourne to Port Hedland and thence to Onslow and Carnarvon to Perth".

The Second Generation

In 1900, George Frederick Moore purchased the business and continued to trade in his father's name until his death in 1935. The windmill division developed along with the divisions of wholesale and manufacturing groceries, and retail and wholesale hardware.

In 1929, W.D. Moore & Co. was turned into a proprietary company, one of the directors being Peter Peace Jeffrey (referred to earlier in the 1913 cyclopeadia as the "expert"). By 1936 high tariffs had made the importing of the Aermotor Windmills unrealistic, although by 1933 Peter Jeffrey had guaranteed the continuation of the windmill department by arranging the manufacture of the 6' and 8' models in Melbourne, Victoria.

The Third Generation

During this period George Moore was joined by his eldest son, John Hamersley Moore. John had trained as a lawyer. Although he worked for a legal firm in the city, he still had a management role in the company. His father's ill health meant that he had to make some of the tough decisions associated with business during the depression years. Among his worst times in the business was the decision he had to take to cut most of the staff from the business. His decision saved the company, but the experience soured his feelings for the family business.

Between 1935 and 1945, the depression and war years saw the uneconomical general grocery and hardware departments phased out. Unreliable supply of the Aermotor windmills from Victoria was also placing this department in jeopardy.

In 1945, Frederick Hamersley Moore, a grandson of W.D. Moore entered the business, so P.P. Jeffrey at age 70 could retire. F.H. Moore found a small manufacturing grocery business and windmill business for which he was unable to get stock. By 1949 plant had been installed and in that year the first West Australian Aermotor was produced in the Henry Street premises.

1953 saw F.H. Moore purchase the business from the company and in 1954 land was acquired at O'Connor where, with staff assistance, a factory was built. In 1955 the business moved to its present premises and general engineering had become a firm part of the business. The manufacturing groceries were disposed of.

The fourth Generation

It was an extension of family tradition when in 1969 F.H. Moore was joined by his son Geoffrey Jameson Moore, a great grandson of W.D. Moore. From early boyhood during holidays he worked in the factory and in intervening years learnt all facets of the business. He assumed the position of General Manager in 1979.

1976 saw the appointment of Douglas A D Joslin to the family partnership. Douglas joined the company under the watchful eye of Peter Jeffrey in 1940. Doug Joslin has been responsible for the company's manufacture of windmills, and since 1969, conducted trips to the country areas to carry the Aermotor name back to the man on the land. With a lifetime of practical experience in manufacture and installation he became the expert, sought after by those who knew him as "Mr. Windmill". In later years he passed on his vast knowledge to users in Malaysia, India, and Zimbabwe. Doug retired in 1994 after 52 years with W.D. Moore & Co.

Stephen Warner-Jones (a son-in-law of F.H. Moore) joined the company in 1976. His versatility and skills in tool making proved to be a useful asset. Stephen has worked through all the production processes in the company, and today holds the position of Operations Manager and Company Director.

The O'Connor factory site was equipped with a 40 metre (140-ft) and 125 cubic metre (30,000 Gallon) storage tank. This test well was also equipped with a 3.6m (12-ft) Aermotor Windmill and has been a valuable facility for comparing different Windmill Column systems. Of particular importance has been the adaptation of plastic materials down the borehole. This has resulted in the development of the Poly-Rod borehole pumping system. These facilities have also been used by the major universities to conduct tests, including work into Windmill-powered Reverse Osmosis. For four years Survivor Energy Systems worked under the guidance of W.D. Moore & Co. in the development of their Wind Turbine.

The Yellowtail Windmill

In 1985, W.D. Moore & Co. added the Yellowtail Windmill to its range when it purchased the windmill business of the old Metters company. As well as fulfilling the needs of the Australian market, the Yellowtail has been exported to many countries. W. D. Moore & Co. has continued to pursue export markets and has successfully sold windmills in Africa, the Middle East, India, Asia and Central America.

Solar Pumping Systems - early pioneers

In 1982, the company began a deliberate process of product development with solar energy. The initial experiments were with conventional pumps, both centrifugal and plunger types. But these early experiments failed to satisfy the company's high standards for remote area pumping systems. It wasn't until 1990 that the company sold its first complete solar water-pumping system. The knowledge accumulated over these years has been invaluable in developing systems that satisfy the strict requirements of those remote users with whom the company has had such a long association.

Today, W.D. Moore & Co. has the most extensive range of solar water pumping systems on the market. With systems ranging from small low-volume pumps to deliver water to households for domestic use, up to big high-volume systems suitable for irrigation and village water supplies. The presentation of the systems has set a new standard for the industry. Care and attention to detail are important criteria for all W.D. Moore systems. The high standards of longevity and reliability that are the foundation for the company's windmills, have been designed into every solar pumping system the company produces.

The company has also exported solar water pumping systems to China, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, India, and several Pacific Island nations.

Today and the Future

Today as in the past, W.D. Moore & Co's prime focus for business is the rural community, although this is changing to include anyone who is independent of reticulated water.

The future of this family business is moving into the hands of the fifth generation. Richard Warner-Jones, the son of Stephen is moving into a management position in the company. He will come armed with a university degree, new ideas and understanding of new technology and methods will help the business to maintain its relevance into the future.

The company's slogan "Pumping Water ... Naturally" implies that all of our products are based on renewable energy systems. Naturally, because we use both the Wind and the Sun. Natural energy is a company tradition. It is another company tradition not to change the values and principles that have made W.D. Moore & Co. Australia's most dependable rural water supply company.

With continuous refinement the company's products might change, but the traditions will not.